Believe it or not, the air inside your home can be two to five times worse than the air outside your home, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. For the past few decades, people have been combatting impure air by adding certain plants to their homes.
Indoor plants have the ability to ease or prevent congestion and coughing, reduce irritation of the eyes and ears, increase your attention capacity, and lower your stress levels.
But not all plants are that effective at purifying the air. By knowing the best indoor plants for clean air, you’ll be able to spruce up your home while being able to breathe in deeply.
Are you interested in learning more? If so, then keep on reading and we’ll take you through the top indoor plants for clean air that you need to know about!
1. Garden Mum
Garden mums are very popular and they’re fairly inexpensive in gardening shops in the fall. Also, these plants have beautiful blooms.
Garden mums are perennials which means that they should last you for at least two years. They’re also fantastic for plant interactions because they sometimes require a bit of deadheading (the cutting off of spent flowers).
Feel free to display these plants in a cool area with less than ten hours of sunlight each day. It’s important to note that these plants are toxic to pets if they’re eaten, so make sure that they’re out of reach.
You can plant garden mums in the spring after the danger of frost has gone.
2. Areca Palm
Like with all plants, the Areca Palm is able to effectively take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. However, what sets this plant apart from its peers is that it has the ability to purify the air of the room it’s in by removing dangerous chemicals. Those chemicals include toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde.
This plant does very well when exposed to filtered light. It also needs to be watered frequently. For one person, four shoulder-high plants should be enough.
An ideal location for this plant would be somewhere like the living room.
3. Snake Plant
Also referred to as Mother-In-Law’s Tongue, the snake plant is unique thanks to its nighttime oxygen production. It’s also able to purify indoor air by removing any formaldehyde, xylene, benzene, toluene, and trichloroethylene.
It’s best to place this plant in window light. You should water it once every week.
For one person, six to eight plants are recommended. If it’s in an air-sealed room, these plants should be able to release enough oxygen for you to breathe normally.
It’s a good idea to place snake plants in the bedroom.
4. Money Plant
They say money doesn’t grow on trees, but that doesn’t mean we can’t name plants after it. The money plant has a reputation for being able to remove chemicals and other toxins out of the air. Specifically, it’s able to remove formaldehyde, ingested, xylene, and benzene.
Unfortunately, even though it’s extremely effective at purifying the air, it’s also toxic to dogs, cats, and young children if the leaves are eaten.
These plants should be placed in indirect light. You need to water them once a week or so. For one person, three of these plants should be enough.
You can put these plants in any room, so long as they stay out of reach of children and pets.
5. Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera Jamesonii)
The Gerbera Daisy might be the most beautiful plant on this list. It’s often used in gardening as a decorative element. However, it’s also extremely effective as releasing high levels of oxygen at night while also taking out harmful chemicals. Some of those chemicals include trichloroethylene and benzene.
This plant prefers to bask in bright sunlight during the fall, spring, and summer months. In the winter, it’s best to keep it in indirect light.
You should water this plant regularly and make sure that the soil stays moist. Because this is a very aesthetically pleasing plant, the amount of recommended flower pots that you decide to have in your home is up to you.
It also offers benefits to people who experience breathing disorders and sleep apnea. So it’s a really good idea to keep it in your bedroom if you’re looking to breathe easier while you sleep.
As you might’ve imagined, indoor air problems can lead to a variety of respiratory problems. And this is one of the main reasons there’s been a surge in the hiring of indoor air quality experts lately.
6. Aloe Vera
Pretty much everyone loves the aloe very plant. This succulent has the ability to purify your air and remove toxic chemicals like benzene and formaldehyde. Those chemicals can often be found in detergents, floor finishes, and varnishes.
This plant also produces a soothing lotion that can soothe burns. Consider keeping it by your kitchen window and make sure that it gets plenty of sun.
It also doesn’t require frequent watering, so it’s great for people with a busy schedule.
The Importance of Knowing About the Best Indoor Plants for Clean Air
Hopefully, after reading the above article, you now feel that you have a better understanding of the best indoor plants for clean air. As we can see, it can be easy and fun to remove harmful chemicals from the air in your home while also adding some aesthetic value.
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