Air Purifier Plants at Home
Reducing toxins in your home is necessary to improve indoor air quality. There has been a lot of ways that are introduced for effective and efficient purifying of air, especially at home, such as Air Purifier.
But if you want to go all-natural, then indoor plants are perfect for purifying the air.
Yes, you’ve read it right. Plants are more than just home décor. They can also be good air purifiers.
According to studies, it is found out that a variety of air-purifying plants are proven to be effective when it comes to cleaning and detoxifying your home from harmful air contaminants and toxins such as dust, molds, allergens, and the like.
These pollutants mostly come from your household products, and you may not know it. It could surprise you how indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air.
This is where plants play an important role.
To give you a good start in purifying your air at home, here is a list of the top air purifier plants and where to strategically place them.
Indoor plants that purify the indoor air
Areca Palms (Dypsis lutescens)
Areca palms are good at absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen.
But the unique feature of this plant is its ability to purify your surroundings from harsh chemicals such as formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene.
Recommendation and care:
This plant does well in a place with filtered light and requires to be watered often, especially in summer but not much in winter. For one person, four shoulder-high plants are enough.
Best placement:
Bigger areas at home such as the living room
Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata)
This plant, also known as Mother-In-Law’s Tongue, is a succulent plant that can grow for about two meters in height.
It is commonly known for its ability to purify indoor air by reducing the air pollution brought by benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene.
It only requires low maintenance. In a sealed room, it can produce sufficient air for you to breathe normally.
Recommendations and care:
The snake plant can do well in window light and needs to be watered weekly. Do not overwater them because they can survive in dry conditions.
Best placement:
The Bedroom
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Spider plants are great choices, especially for those who are newbies. Because of the plant’s resilience, it can survive even with a little care.
It combats toxins such as carbon monoxide and xylene. These plants are also one of the few that are non-toxic to animals.
They also send out shoots that are called spiderettes.
Recommendation and care:
They can survive in indirect sunlight and in any condition as low as 2 degrees. It needs to be watered weekly. The baby spider plants can be repotted, and there is a great chance that it will grow into a new set of pretty plants.
Best placement:
The bedroom or the living room
Chinese Evergreens (Aglaonema)
These plants come in many variations. They are known because they are indoor plants that are easy to care for and grow.
They improve indoor air quality by producing high oxygen content while reducing the air pollutants in the house, such as benzene, formaldehyde, and other harmful toxins.
It is popular in China because of its efficiency in getting rid of harmful air pollutants.
Recommendation and care:
They can survive in drained soil, humid temperatures, and medium to low light conditions. They need to be watered only occasionally and keeping the soil moist.
Best placement:
The Living Room
Aloe Vera (Aloe vera)
Aloe vera is well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties that are good for healing wounds and sunburns.
They are also good for the skin and hair. But they are also great air purifiers.
It traps harmful toxins from the air, such as formaldehyde and benzene, that are usually found in household products such as varnishes and detergents.
Recommendation and care:
Aloe vera plants love a sunny spot. They do not need to be watered frequently, making it suitable for newbies.
Best placement:
Any window or well-lit corner that is out of the way as it may cause pricking.
Rubber Plants (Ficus elastica)
A study conducted by NASA proved that rubber plants are an effective way of improving indoor air quality.
The large leaves have the ability to absorb toxic chemicals to give you fresher and cleaner air to breathe.
They are very efficient in converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. They also eradicate the bacteria and molds in the air.
Recommendation and care:
These plants love bright and filtered light. They need to be watered weekly in summer and only fortnightly during winter.
They can survive under-watering rather than over-watering. You can allow them to grow in a small pot, but you can also plant them outside straight on the ground.
They can reach 8 feet tall, so it is encouraged to place them in a spot where they have enough space to grow.
Best placement:
The living room or the bedroom
Weeping Fig (Ficus Benjamina)
These plants are native to southeast Asia. You need to report them annually as it can grow between two and 10 feet tall.
They help absorb formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene. It requires little maintenance, making it a great choice for newbies.
Recommendation and care:
These plants prefer bright and indirect sunlight. It needs to be watered weekly, drying them fully in between drinks.
Best placement:
In a balcony or a well-lit corner of the living room
Conclusion
Plants are not substituted for sufficient ventilation and healthy indoor air quality. However, placing a variety of indoor plants at home gives you great benefits in improving the indoor air quality.
Although there are a lot of ways to purify the air at home, air purifying plants are a great and natural way to make sure that you have a fresher and cleaner hair at home.
Plants are not only good as home décor but also provide you with health benefits by cleaning the air you breathe that helps improve your overall well-being.
