Plants for indoor air purification

A long-time favourite for houseplant lovers, the Peace Lily is one of the top air purifying plants as it can help filter out certain harmful compounds. If you do plan on adding this one to your plant collection, it's worth knowing that it is poisonous to cats and dogs.

Care advice: Peace lilies can tolerate short periods of dry soil, but their leaves will start to brown if neglected for too long. To keep it thriving, place it in bright, indirect light and keep the soil consistently moist.

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With leathery leaves and a pop of colour, the Scarlet Star Bromeliad is a beautiful houseplant that is incredibly long-lasting. As well as helping to clean up the air in your home, these flowering plants love humid environments and are great when placed in the bathroom.

Care advice: Ensure this plant is always well watered, but never soggy. Place your plant in a location with moderate to bright light year-round, avoiding direct sunlight.

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21.

Famous for large, glossy green leaves, the Philodendron purifies the air by removing formaldehyde — a chemical compound which tends to occur in building materials. As well as looking beautiful placed at home, you can be sure that it will also clean the air for you.

Care advice: Philodendron care is simple, as the plant can readily adapt to any indoor environment. Ensure it has plenty of sunlight, fertiliser and water.

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22. Calathea

Known for the unique leaf movements of patterned foliage, Calathea plants have an exotic feel that will brighten up any room. With their beautiful yet unique colouring, the Calathea plant purifies the surrounding air by filtering out a multitude of compounds that are poisonous.

Care advice: In order to survive, they need to be placed in a consistently warm and bright spot, yet not in direct light.

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23.

With its wide, attractive, dark green leaves, this eye-catching houseplant is perfect for a home office. Not only are they hard to kill (perfect for beginners), but these plants work hard to remove toxins such as xylene, toluene and benzene from the air.

Care advice: Zanzibar gems need watering every two to three weeks, however expect to water them more often in brighter light.

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24. Croton

These varied plants are incredibly popular houseplants, loved for their colourful foliage and nearly limitless leaf forms. As well as having some of the boldest and brightest leaves around, Crotons also help to filter out airborne toxins.

Care advice: This is a tropical houseplant, so caring for it involves proper watering and humidity. While it needs frequent watering, too much water can cause root rot.

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25.

The Dieffenbachia is a lush and showy plant with oval leaves that are attractively marked with dark green at the edges. Ideal for creating a tropical look, its foliage takes toxins out of the air, so your family can breathe easier.

Care advice: Dieffenbachias like regular moisture and do not want to dry out, however make sure you don't overwater it.

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26. Clivia

Grown for their bold strap-shaped, dark green leaves, Clivia houseplants are tough, resilient and thrive when neglected. Not only do they purify the air, but they will also produce the most stunning bright orange blooms.

Care advice: Clivias should be placed in bright, filtered or indirect light. Scorching sunlight may burn the leaves, so place pots away from bright sun and other sources of heat.

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10 ways to keep a home fresh |

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It's easy, with a little know-how, to bring air cleaning indoor plants into your home to keep you happy and healthy. With so many tempting plants on offer, making decisions can be tricky. But did you realize that some possess extra air purifying qualities? Knowing which ones absorb harmful toxins can help narrow down your wish list as well as making your home more restful and inviting.

One well-known study regarding indoor plants and air quality was conducted by NASA in 1989. Scientists were studying natural ways to purify the air in enclosed spaces, such as space stations, and today this has led to further insight into how particular plants can benefit our homes.

Best air cleaning indoor plants

Together with expert tips, our guide will inform you of everything you need to know, including where to position and how to care for air purifying plants. Many of these options make great additions as kitchen plants due to their air purifying properties.

1. Bird’s nest fern

(Image credit: Alamy)

A true stylish beauty, these crinkly leaved ferns are great air cleaning indoor plants, purifying the air of formaldehyde, often found in new flooring and wall coverings. With glossy lime green fronds growing in rosettes, they make a striking statement on a shelf or bathroom windowsill as a bathroom plants, but will need up to 2ft (60cm) to splay out as they mature. 

Coming from the forests of Asia and Australasia these plants grow in the tops of trees and are used to varying light conditions from bright and airy to semi shade. What they do need though is moisture, so a spot in a humid shower room or ensuite is definitely their happy place. Mist every other day, particularly if they live in a dryer room but only water if the top inch of soil is dry. Room temperatures between 65-75ºF (18-24ºC) are ideal, avoid places below 55ºF (13ºC).

2. Areca palm – or bamboo palm, butterfly palm

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Elegance personified, these are the graceful arcing palms that adorned Art Deco hotel foyers, tea rooms and danced halls. Native to Madagascar, they have distinctive smooth tipped branches and naturally cast a beautiful, dappled light. Thanks to these broad leaves, this plant – along with many other types of palm – excels at removing mold spores and ammonia (often found in household cleaning products) from the air, making it perfect for bath and shower rooms. 

‘This house plant likes bright light that is filtered,’ says Mark Lawlor of Happy Houseplants . ‘This is because too much sun can lead to scorching the leaves. Best practice is to place the Dypsis Lutescens near a south or west-facing window with plenty of bright, indirect sunlight.’ Thriving at temperatures around 65-75°F (18-24°C) make sure the palm is clear of any drafts or radiators which can cause stress.

A little fussy when it comes to watering, palms tend to prefer distilled or rainwater – as the fluoride in mains tap water can cause the leaves to crisp and turn brown. Water the soil regularly but ensure that it is allowed to dry out in between. Also ensure that there is good drainage as these tropical plants are prone to root rot if left standing in water.

3. Spider plant – or Hen and Chickens, ribbon plant

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A classic air cleaning indoor plant, the spider plant's benefits are numerous so it’s hard to imagine any home not having one of these striped leaved beauties tucked away somewhere. But more than just an easy-to-grow favorite, these plants are formidable at removing formaldehyde, toluene and xylene all chemicals found in many synthetic fabrics, paints and glues. They have also been proved to lower carbon monoxide levels too.

Favoring temperatures between 55 and 80°F (13–27°C), Spider plants are one of the easiest and most tolerant indoor plants you can grow, even coping with artificial light, just keep them away from strong, direct sunlight which will crisp the leaves.

Water regularly during the spring and summer growing period and occasionally through fall and winter. Plant up in pots and place on a high shelf or windowsill or display in hanging planters. Unlike many other indoor plants, they are also non-toxic for pets too.

4. Dragon plant - Dracaena

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One of the most effective plants for absorbing trichloroethylene – a major VOC – the dragon plant is also extremely handsome and perfect for making a lush and bold leafy statement. Perhaps one of the easiest indoor plants to grow, it can live for decades if well cared for. 

Preferring semi-shade, these well-natured plants come in all shapes and sizes, and colours. From tall glossy green corn stalk plants to the Dracaena bi-color with its pink and white edged green leaves, they make striking and individual statement plants. With some varieties growing up to 10ft high, these plants prefer semi shade and are happy in temperatures of 60-70°F (16-24°C). This plant can survive lower temperatures (as low as 50°F or 10°C), but the leaves will suffer, usually turning yellow.

Dragon plants don’t tend to cope well with mains tap water due to the added chemicals, so use a distilled or harvested rainwater instead. Aim to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged and mist frequently with warm water.

5. English ivy

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Quick to grow and happy in most spots around the house, regardless of temperature or light conditions, English or European ivy is a real winner. It’s attractive, trailing stems of distinctive evergreen leaves are particularly effective at reducing airborne toxic chemicals. 

The team at The Joy of Plants say: ‘Ivy removes trichloroethylene and benzene from the air and is especially good at removing formaldehyde; a substance that occurs in almost all indoor environments (such as chipboard, furniture and textiles).’ 

Its foliage has also been shown to help reduce mold, making it a useful plant for damp spaces such as an ensuite or bathroom.

Performing best in direct sunlight, well drained soil and with plenty of water it will make a stunning statement draping down from a shelf or hanging planter. Keep at a steady temperature of between 52-71°F (11-22°C) for healthy growth.

Ivy is also excellent as a bedroom plant, either trailing over a bedside table, or hanging from a hanger placed above the bed.

6. Money plant – Pilea peperomioides

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With its flat, green circular leaves that can grow as big as 5in (15cm) across, the Chinese money plant is instantly recognizable. One of the most effective indoor plants for air purification they are particularly effective at reducing levels of harmful chemicals found in carpets, paints, glues and manmade fabrics. 

A member of the stinging nettle family, this unusual plant can grow up to 16 inches (40 cm) high and loves a light spot, away from strong sunlight. Water when the soil is dry to the touch and feed monthly with a liquid feed during spring and summer. 

Although largely unfussy, these plants don’t like temperatures that dip below 50°F (10°C) so aim to keep them between a comfortable 55-86°F (13-30°C). Be sure to turn a Chinese money plant regularly to maintain a balanced and attractive shape and don’t worry if it sheds its lower leaves, as this is entirely normal.  

7. Weeping fig – Ficus

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Slow growing with a mass of glossy leaves, these indoor trees are not only ideal for adding impact and interest to an empty corner but are brilliant air cleaning indoor plants, too. Filtering harmful formaldehyde, xylene and toluene and replacing them with oxygen, they are a great addition to busy kitchens, living areas and home offices.

Reaching from 3ft to 10ft (90-304cm) they like a bright spot with plenty of space to spread their arching branches. They are a little diva-ish though as they dislike being moved around or disturbed, dropping their leaves in protest, so carefully assess the perfect spot before homing your plant. They do tend to grow towards the light, so turn regularly to maintain a balanced, even shape.

A steady room temperature of around 60°F (16°C) is perfect for these plants but do avoid cold drafts and areas that dip below 55°F (13°C) as this will lead to leaf drop. Over watering is the main problem with weeping figs as they hate sitting in puddles. Only water when the top inch of the compost is bone dry and use tepid water to avoid shocking the plant. Feed fortnightly with a liquid feed during spring and summer and, for mature plants, top up compost levels annually. It’s worth knowing that these plants can be toxic to some pets, so maybe worth avoiding if you have curious pets.

8. Snake plant or Mother in Law’s Tongue

(Image credit: Alamy)

It may not appear to be the most restful plant to have in a bedroom, but sansevieria is one of a few plants that continues produce oxygen in near dark conditions. It’s also very effective at eliminating airborne formaldehyde, nitrogen oxide, benzene, xylene and trichloroethylene, all chemicals that can often be found in synthetic carpets, glues, paint and other interior fittings.

With its twisting sword-like leaves and stripy markings, it makes this plant the perfect showstopper for a side table, windowsill or neat corner. Tough and extremely drought tolerant, they are relatively slow growing, and can cope with low light conditions but will grow faster in brighter positions.

Native to west Africa these plants can stay outside in HDSA zones 9-12. They will die though if left in temperatures below 50°F or exposed to frost. Water once a week during spring and summer but do drop to once a month in fall and winter when the plant is dormant.

There are plenty of different varieties of snake plant to choose from, including dwarf varieties such as Sansevieria fischeri at 16 inches (40cm) up to 3-4ft (91-121cm) for Masoniana and trifasciata types. 

The experts at Patch Plants suggest, ‘Every now and again – just whenever you remember – give her leaves a light wipe to keep her pores free of dust.’

9. Aloe vera

(Image credit: Alamy)

A superstar amongst indoor plants, aloe vera is not only striking to look at and blessed with healing properties, but it can help purify the air too. A great absorber of VOCs often found in newly laid flooring, paint and glue, it takes in carbon dioxide and produces oxygen at night making it ideal for bedrooms in particular.

The fleshly leaves store water so they can happily cope with less than regular watering, but what they do need is constant warmth. Preferring room temperatures of 50-85°F, these natives of the Arabian Peninsula must be kept clear of cold drafts and frost. They can grow outside in HDSA zones of 8-11, but in exposed or marginal areas it may be better to plant in a pot and move inside and out as the temperatures dictate.

Pot up with succulent and cacti compost and feed with a specialist liquid feed weekly during spring and summer.

10. Peace lily 

(Image credit: Alamy)

With its glossy tear shaped leaves and pure white flowers, the peace lily is one of the most popular house plants, and is a great air cleaning indoor plant. Effortlessly chic, they radiate tranquillity and simplicity, but also break down and neutralize toxic household gases like benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide. 

This plant reaches around 30in high (75cm) and will thrive in temperatures 64-75°F (18-24°C) but can cope with lows of 53°F (12°C). Loving a humid and bright spot – but away from direct light which can scorch the deep green leaves – these plants are particularly well suited to a steamy kitchen, bathroom or shower room. 

Preferring moist soil, these plants will tell you when they are thirsty as the leaves will droop. Pop it next to the shower for the occasional boost or mist with a water spray. Feed with a liquid feed fortnightly during spring and summer.

What is the best air purifying indoor plant?

Chrysanthemums (below) are the most effective plant at cleansing the air. Eliminating common VOCs such as formaldehyde, xylene, benzene it can also absorb ammonia which is present in many household cleaners and floor sealers. Unusually it’s the flowers that extract the chemicals from the air, so you may need to replace regularly or rotate a few plants while old blooms fade, and new buds emerge.

(Image credit: Alamy)

How many plants does it take to purify the air in a room?

According to the 1989 Nasa study on Interior Landscape plants for indoor air pollution abatement, author B. C. Wolverton recommends having at least two ‘good sized’ plants per 100 sq ft (9.2 sqm) of indoor space. Suggested plants include Golden pothos (below), Boston Fern and Weeping Fig. 

(Image credit: Jake Curtis)

Where to buy air plants?

You can buy air cleaning indoor plants at your local nursery; ask for guidance if you need help. Otherwise, shop online for the best places to buy plants. These include: 

• Amazon air plants
• Bloomscape air plants
• Burpee
• Etsy air plants
• Home Depot's Garden Center
• Lowe's air plants
• The Sill air plants
• Walmart air plants

You can buy indoor low light plants at your local nursery; ask for guidance if you need help. Otherwise, shop online for the best places to buy plants. These include: Lowes Garden Center , Home Depot's Garden Center and Burpee for the best buys.

You can buy indoor low light plants at your local nursery; ask for guidance if you need help. Otherwise, shop online for the best places to buy plants. These include: Lowes Garden Center , Home Depot's Garden Center and Burpee for the best buys.

Jill Morgan has spent the last 20 years writing for Interior and Gardening magazines both in print and online. Titles she has been lucky enough to work on include House Beautiful, The English

Home, Ideal Home, Modern Gardens and Gardeningetc.com. Although much of her career has involved commissioning and writing about reader homes and home improvement projects, her

everlasting passion is for gardens and outdoor living, which is what she writes about for Homes & Gardens. 

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.

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.

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).

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 strong 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Women Tips Interesting Houseplants

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NASA's Top 10 Air Purifying Plants - News

At 19In 1989, NASA conducted a study to determine the best indoor plants for cleaning the surrounding air. Scientists have found that indoor air constantly contains particles of harmful volatile organic compounds - trichlorethylene, benzene, ammonia and others. To clean the air in an environmentally friendly way, experts recommend placing indoor plants. It turns out that they are able to neutralize up to 85% of indoor air pollution.

Indoor air contains five harmful substances:

• Formaldehyde. Contained in furniture made of chipboard, fiberboard, carpeting and upholstery, tobacco smoke, plastic utensils, household gas. Causes allergic reactions, irritation of the mucous membrane, asthma, skin diseases.
• Trichlorethylene. Contained in carpet and fabric cleaners, chlorinated water, printer cartridges, paint and varnish products. Trichlorethylene is a strong carcinogen that irritates the eyes and skin, affects the liver and kidneys, and causes psychomotor agitation.
• Benzene. Found in tobacco smoke, cleaning products and detergents, including soaps, paints, rubber products. The carcinogen, which is capable of provoking leukemia, accumulates in adipose tissue, causes excitation similar to alcohol, shortness of breath and convulsions, and lowers blood pressure.
• Ammonia. Contained in computer technology, tobacco smoke, household chemicals. Causes dryness and sore throat, cough, provokes chest pain, causes swelling of the larynx and lungs.
• Xylene. It is based on many types of plastics, paints and varnishes, adhesives, and it is also found in automobile exhaust gases, leather products and tobacco smoke. Causes irritation of the skin, respiratory tract and mucous membranes of the eye.

Below is a list of 10 plants that will not only decorate the house, but will also work faithfully and uninterruptedly to purify the air 24 hours a day.

• Anthurium
  Perfectly moisturizes the air and saturates it with purified water vapor. Actively assimilates xylene and toluene and processes them into compounds harmless to humans.
• Scindapsus
  Its main advantage is its enormous shade tolerance. Effectively cleans the air from formaldehyde and benzene.
• Aglaonema
  A houseplant that grows in low light conditions and loves moist air. Effectively cleans the air from toluene and benzene.
• Chlorophytum
  A spider plant with rich foliage and small white flowers actively fights benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and xylene. Another reason to get this plant is safety for children and animals.
• Sansevieria
  A very hardy plant, you need to try to ruin it. Fights contaminants such as formaldehyde, benzene, trichlorethylene. At night, it absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen.
• Dracaena
  This plant is best suited for removing xylene, trichlorethylene and formaldehyde. Dracaena grows slowly but grows into a tall plant. Best placed in a room with high ceilings and moderate sunlight.
• Philodendron
  "Workhorse" for air purification from formaldehyde and other types of toxic compounds. A non-capricious plant, feels great in rooms with low light.
• Nephrolepis
  The fern humidifies and purifies the air from formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and xylene fumes.

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