Air purifying plants for bedroom

Amazon / Hirt's Gardens

$25 AT AMAZON

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Wekiva Foliage

Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa)

$135 AT AMAZON

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English Ivy (Hedera helix)

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This hardy ivy thrives in pots, hanging baskets, or mixed with other taller houseplants in a shared pot.

Bedroom Plant Care Tips: English ivy needs moderate light in spring and summer, and it requires bright light (or additional fluorescent light) in fall and winter. Let the soil surface dry a tad between waterings, but don’t let the plant totally dry out.

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California Tropicals

Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)

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Boston Fern (Nephrolepsis exaltata)

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Costa Farms

Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum)

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$35 AT AMAZON $28 AT HOME DEPOT

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Snake Plant (Sanseveria trifasciata)

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Dramatic, sword-like leaves define this striking plant (and also lend it the not-so-flattering alternate name of "mother-in-law’s tongue"). It’s tough as nails, so give it a try if you’re not typically known for having a green thumb. In the right conditions, it can live for decades!

Bedroom Plant Care Tips: Bright, indirect light is best for this plant, which also only needs to be watered when the soil becomes nearly dry. Get more snake plant care tips.

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Dracaena (various species)

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Several different types of dracaena have been shown to clean and purify the air. They’re all easy-to-grow plants with long, strappy leaves, some of which have beautiful red markings. Not sure which variety to try? Look for dragon tree (especially ‘Tricolor’ for interesting foliage), ‘Janet Craig’, or ‘Masangeana’ (sometimes called "corn plant").

Bedroom Plant Care Tips: Whichever one you go with, know that all Dracaena species prefer similar conditions: moderate to bright indirect light, and soil that’s kept lightly moist.

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Wekiva Foliage

Split-Leaf Philodendron (Philodendron Selloum)

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Dieffenbachia (various hybrids)

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This plant has flashy leaves—but the sap within contains crystals that can irritate mucous membranes. Yikes. If you have a pet that enjoys chewing on greenery, we suggest skipping it. Otherwise, it’s a generally carefree bedroom plant.

Bedroom Plant Care Tips: Dieffenbachia only needs moderate amounts of filtered light. Keep the soil lightly moist, but never soggy.

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12

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officianalis)

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This culinary herb has a pleasant, piney scent, particularly after you brush your fingertips against it—which we suggest doing in the morning when you get out of bed, as research shows that simply smelling this therapeutic herb can clear the mind and elevate your mood. How about that? A bedroom plant that gives you an instant dose of Monday motivation!

Bedroom Plant Care Tips: Indoors, rosemary needs strong light, so keep it by a bright window (preferably a south-facing one). Allow the soil to dry within an inch of the surface between waterings, and turn the pot every week so the plant grows more evenly. Get more rosemary growing tips.

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Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

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Your mom or grandma may have grown this classic houseplant in the '70s, but it’s still worthy of a place in your home today. The striped leaves arch from the center, and eventually, the plant produces oodles of baby Spider Plants. And how cute is this? They’re called “plantlets!”

Bedroom Plant Care Tips: This plant prefers medium to bright light and steady moisture. Get more spider plant care tips.

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14

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

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Pothos is quite possibly the easiest houseplant to grow. It has shiny, heart-shaped leaves and vining stems that can grow to several feet long.

Bedroom Plant Care Tips: Preferring moderate to bright light, Pothos actually prefers to get a little dry between waterings. Get more Pothos growing tips.

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Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum species)

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These luxurious-looking plants are surprisingly fuss-free.

Bedroom Plant Care Tips: Peace lilies tolerate low to moderate light, though they bloom best in brighter light. We suggest allowing the soil to become nearly dry before watering, and dividing every five years or so to create new baby plants.

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Arricca Elin Sansone Arricca SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more.

Top 9 indoor plants that perfectly clean the air

To remove dust from the air, you can buy an expensive air conditioner, to humidify it, you need to turn on the steam generator, pleasant smells will spread around the apartment if you spray the air freshener ... Or you can do without these expensive and far from always harmless devices and buy flowers. Many indoor plants, familiar from childhood and seemingly well known, it turns out, can not only decorate the interior, but also purify the air well. nine0003

1. Azalea, or rhododendron

Household chemicals depress not only microbes: alas, its fumes also have a bad effect on humans. To prevent the bathroom cleaner cabinet from being your enemy, put a pot of azalea on the shelf: it will absorb ammonia and formaldehyde (don't forget about good lighting). You can also place this flower in the kitchen, since various kinds of detergents and solutions have found a place there as well. In addition, the azalea repels bugs and ants, and, therefore, is able to protect products from them. nine0003

Azalea

2. Ivy (chedera)

In addition to the main result - pleasant feelings from the feeling of novelty - carried out at home, repairs can also have a side effect: indisposition from the fumes of paints, varnishes and other chemicals used for interior decoration. Moreover, the emission of gases harmful to health can continue for a long time after the applied coatings have dried. To reduce their unpleasant impact, it is advisable to arrange pots of ivy in the room. It absorbs formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide well (the latter quality makes ivy a very valuable plant in city apartments and helps clean the air from the street). nine0003

Ivy

In addition, if there is a cat in the house whose life takes place within four walls - again a classic example of urban housing - then the notorious cat litter box can become a source of allergies for the owners. Therefore, it is worth placing ivy next to it, which is a good trap for allergen microparticles. And an additional bonus will be the allocation of phytoncides to them, which is very useful in the "cold" periods of the year.

3. Chlorophytum

Almighty advertising has convinced us that sterile cleanliness in the kitchen can only be obtained by using powerful cleaning agents. However, she forgot to warn that some of their species emit formaldehyde, a potential carcinogen. So if the housewives are not yet ready to give up household chemicals, then they should place five or six pots of chlorophytum in the kitchen, which is able to absorb many toxic substances. nine0003

Chlorophytum

In addition, chlorophytum has pronounced antimicrobial properties - it is not for nothing that even astronauts on the ISS breed it, where maintaining cleanliness is much more critical than on earth. There is information that this plant is capable of reducing the number of microbes in the air by almost 10 times per day, which means that its presence in the house is a good help in the fight against viruses that enter the air after someone with a cold sneezes heartily .

4. Rubbery ficus

When buying furniture made of chipboard, do not forget to purchase and place ficus next to the new sofa or wardrobe. Firstly, it will capture from the air and retain such harmful substances as trichlorethylene and formaldehyde (lacquers and paints are “rich” in the first place, synthetic resins used in the production of chipboard are in the second). Secondly, its large leaves are good dust collectors, the main thing is not to forget to wipe them with a damp cloth from time to time. And, thirdly, the ficus actively releases oxygen, which means that it will be easier to breathe in the room. nine0003

Ficus

5. Aloe (agave)

Oh, how long ago you tried to throw away this annoying plant with fleshy thick leaves, planted with thorns along the edges! However, before taking the pot to the trash can and shaking the earth out of it, it would be useful to familiarize yourself with the beneficial properties of aloe. And there are many of them: suffice it to mention the ability to capture phenolic and benzene compounds, many of which are pleasant to smell and just as harmful to health. Noteworthy is its ability to fight germs that cause colds. nine0003

Aloe

It is best to put the agave pot on the window in the kitchen, because in bright light the plant is at its best. In addition, not only the volatile substances released by aloe are bactericidal, but also its juice: if, for example, you scratched your hand when opening canned food, it is quite capable of replacing brilliant green and disinfecting the cut site with high quality.

6. Dracaena

Like many indoor plants, dracaena has a double effect - firstly, it releases phytoncides that reduce microbial air pollution. In addition, it absorbs carcinogens: formaldehyde - an integral part of artificial resins that are part of finishing materials, trichlorethylene and xylene - types of solvent for paints and varnishes. nine0003

Dracaena

In addition, xylene can also be released from plastic, so a planter next to the TV would be a good place for dracaena at home, and in the office - a computer desk.

7. Golden epiprenum, or scindapsus

Formaldehydes, which have been mentioned more than once, can be emitted not only by paint and varnish products, but also by exhaust gases. In addition, car mufflers emit carbon monoxide, so if the garage is adjacent directly to the house (or there is a living room above it), epiprenum can be placed in rooms or corridors, which can absorb them well. However, this plant belongs to the vines, so it needs to be given "space for maneuver": it does not like cramped rooms. nine0003

Epiprenum

In addition, epiprenum purifies the air from the vapors of benzene compounds (toluene, xylene), which are emitted by many finishing materials, and well heals the house after repair. Another valuable quality of the plant is its active resistance to microbes, as well as fungi, so it prevents the spread of mold.

8. Chrysanthemum

This delicate flower is well known to florists and gardeners, but few people know that along with beauty it has good filtering and antibacterial properties. Meanwhile, the chrysanthemum well cleans the air of benzene - a constant component of paints, plastics and solvents, absorbs ammonia. nine0003

In addition, the owners of a house where indoor chrysanthemums grow are much less at risk of catching a cold: the plant releases phytoncides, which means that there is no place for pathogenic microbes next to it.

Chrysanthemum

9. Dieffenbachia

An apartment in the center of a metropolis or a workroom in an office center with parking for several hundred cars next to it is not the healthiest place to live or work. However, it is possible to reduce the harmful effects of gas pollution, to reduce the percentage of aromatic substances of the benzene series (toluene, benzene, xylene) in the air, if you put a pot of dieffenbachia somewhere in the corner or on a special table. nine0003

Dieffenbachia

In addition to the filtering effect, dieffenbachia will help protect against seasonal colds. The fact is that the substances secreted by it cope well with staphylococci - the main cause of influenza, tonsillitis and similar dubious “joys of life”. Flowers for Woman Many adverse substances surround us both inside and outside the house. Therefore, people are increasingly trying to surround themselves with indoor flowers that can purify the air, because everyone remembers from school that plants absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. nine0108

Types of harmful compounds in an apartment or house

1. Formaldehyde. Hazard Category 2. Sources are varnishes, plastic utensils, fiberboard, chipboard, carpets, tobacco smoke, etc. Can cause cancer, vision loss, asthma, allergies.
2. Trichlorethylene. It contains various cleaning products, paints, stain removers, cartridges. It acts as the strongest carcinogen, has a damaging effect on the liver, central nervous system, kidneys. nine0108
3. Toluene. Hazard class 3. Sources are varnishes and paints, printers and copiers, wallpaper, solvents. It contributes to the deterioration of vision, headaches, causes poisoning of the body and, as a result, nausea and vomiting.
4. Acetone. Hazard class 3. Contained in paints and varnishes, solvents. Affects the CNS.
5. Benzene. Hazard Class 2. Also found in paints and varnishes, surfactants, tobacco smoke. Its action leads to dermatitis, oncology, in particular leukemia, affects internal organs, and causes mental disorders. nine0108
6. Ammonia. Sources are tobacco smoke, electronic equipment. It is a neurotoxin. Causes chest pain, swelling of the lungs and respiratory tract. Intense exposure may cause respiratory arrest.

The choice of houseplants for air purification

Houseplants have not only decorative value, but also have irreplaceable properties. They are able not only to saturate the air with oxygen, but also purify from harmful impurities .

It is advised to keep only healthy flowers in apartments. If the flower is sick and languishes, it will not be able to absorb dangerous substances in sufficient quantities. For these purposes, preference is given to plants with large leaves and a dense crown .

In the bedroom, it is recommended to keep flowers that are capable of releasing essential oils, such as geraniums. It promotes healthy sleep, you will forget about insomnia and depression.

It is worth remembering that plants absorb oxygen at night. Therefore, you do not need to put a large number of flowers in the bedroom. Enough 4-5 pots on the windowsill. nine0003

It is also important to place potted flowers in the kitchen. This room often contains smoke and soot. Flowers neutralize their effect and purify the air.

It is recommended to keep fragrant flowers in the house. They release more phytoncides, therefore, they purify the air in the house more efficiently.

The most popular plants that purify the air

Aloe

Purification factor 6.5.
Our grandmothers also kept aloe at home. Its juice has medicinal properties, it is widely used in folk medicine. But this is not all the useful properties of this flower. nine0003 Aloe

Aloe very effectively purifies the air in the apartment. It absorbs up to 90% of indoor formaldehyde.

Aloe leaves produce a large amount of phytoncides that affect the human body. Under their influence, the human immunity is strengthened, the mental processes of the brain are improved.

Aloe is easy to care for. Prefers to be placed on a sunny windowsill with shading from direct rays. Since it belongs to succulents, it is enough to water it once a week. nine0003

Ficus

Cleaning factor 8.0.
Thanks to its wide, large leaves, ficus is indispensable for purifying the air. It absorbs benzene, formaldehyde and ammonia. In addition, it effectively cleans the air from dust.

Ficus does not require special care. Can grow in partial shade. It needs to be watered 2-3 times a week in summer, once a week in winter. Periodically you need to wipe the leaves from dust.

Sansevieria

Cleaning factor 6.8. nine0082
Common people call this plant "mother-in-law's tongue". According to the ability to produce oxygen, sansevieria deservedly occupies one of the first places. But not only this is its value.