Chemicals are everywhere. They’re unavoidable. That’s especially true when you consider that one of the most polluted places is actually your house. Chemicals are released from building materials, your mattress, household cleaners, etc. And they’re all trapped in there because air doesn’t flow freely in and out of your house.
Now, you could go out and buy a $400 air purifier to help with all the indoor pollution. Or you could buy something much cheaper that will also add some beauty to your house.
Spider Plant
If you’ve got dust allergies, this is the plant for you. It gobbles up mold and allergens and can quickly remove the toxins in your house. Reportedly, it only takes a few days for it to remove up to 90% of the toxins in your house. It’s incredibly easy to grow and hard to kill. So it’s perfect for anyone and everyone – even if you don’t have a green thumb.
Peace Lily
If there’s one plant you use, this one should be it. Peace lilies are known to be reduce mold spores in your house (an incredibly useful and rare ability). You’ll be hard-pressed to find a cheaper air filter that can perform as well as a peace lily. It absorbs the mold spores through the leaves and eventually uses them as food. Put a peace lily in a damp area like your bathroom to help reduce mold and mildew.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is the most useful plant on the list. Not only will it help purify your air, but you can also harvest its gel for a wide range of benefits that go beyond healing your cuts and burns. However, don’t just take any leaves. Take from the center and don’t harvest too many in a single period. If you manage to get your aloe vera in direct sunlight, this shouldn’t be a problem because aloe vera loves growing (although, it grows slowly). Be sure you have extra pots handy. You may even make a few friends by passing out your extra aloe vera plants to neighbors.
Christmas Cactus
There aren’t a whole lot of plants that can purify your air that have flowers. Most of them are a type of vine, fern, or ivy. This one has lovely red flowers, but it’s a bit more difficult to take care of than the other ones listed. It is possible to both underwater and overwater it. All you need to do is water it thoroughly once. Stick your finger in the dirt or get a handy moisture sensor. If the top inch or so of the dirt is dry, water it again.
African Violet
The African Violet will clean your air and is even safe for pets. They grow best in indirect sunlight, so you don’t have to worry about having and east or a west window. They’re easy to take care of, so if you’ve got children the African Violet is perfect for introducing them to plant care. Plus, they flower year round.
NASA suggests having 15-18 houseplants to take care of a 1,800 square foot house. That’s one plant for every 120 to 180 square feet. The more the plants grow, the more they’ll be able to remove toxins from your air. So give them big enough pots to grow in.
What did you think about this article?