Houseplants That Can Clean Your Air

You likely spend most of your time indoors, so your indoor air quality is important. A number of airborne substances may be in your home, including mold, pet dander, pollen, dust mites and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Once they get stirred up in the air, you may be breathing them into your lungs. Airborne pollutants can cause a range of problems, from minor throat and nose irritation, to allergies to asthma. One low-tech way to control these particulates is through houseplants.

Houseplants clean your air through photosynthesis. As they “breathe” in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, they also take in other pollutants.

Read on about the kinds of houseplants you should keep in your home to clean the air.

1. The popular garden mum is a champion air cleaner, removing ammonia, benzene, xylene and formaldehyde. That’s good news if VOCs are present in your home. VOCs are given off by carpet and textiles, pressed wood products, household chemicals such as paint, glue and varnish, and dry cleaning solution.
2. Ficus, aka weeping figs, is a tree that, when kept indoors, grows from 2 to 10 feet tall. They should be grown in good but indirect light. Soil should be allowed to dry out between waterings. They remove benzene and formaldehyde, as well as trychloroethylene.
3. Aloe vera is revered for its healing properties, particularly for alleviating inflammation and soothing burns, but it’s also handy for removing formaldehyde. Plus, it’s easy to care for.
4. Dracaena, a common indoor foliage plant, helps remove chemicals. Dracaena is not recommended for homes with pets, as it’s toxic to dogs and cats if ingested.

Other popular air cleaning plants are pothos, Gerbera daisy, Boston fern and spider plant.

You can control other airborne pollutants by installing a good quality air filter in your HVAC system.

At Sobieski Services., Inc. our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and other home comfort issues — especially HVAC and plumbing issues — so they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

Photo Credit: Kaboompics