The quality of your indoor air can have a massive influence on your health and mood. Poor air quality is considered to be one of the greatest risks to public health by the EPA. It can cause headaches, congestion, listlessness, upper respiratory illness and trigger asthma attacks or allergic reactions. While there are measures you can take, such as servicing your HVAC system and cleaning your ducts that can improve your air quality, you can also purify your indoor air by introducing some greenery into your home. While all houseplants will draw in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen through photosynthesis, there are some plants which are more efficient at purifying your indoor air. Here are five of the most fantastic to boost your air quality.
The Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum):
This houseplant is extremely low maintenance, and is likely to continue to thrive even if you are prone to neglect your plants. Spider plants prefer moderate light, it will also enjoy bright light, but you should avoid placing it in direct sunlight. The two-tone, spiky, long leaves look decorative on a desk, windowsill or table. It will require watering, but care should be taken to avoid waterlogging the pot, which will promote root rot. In fact, spider plants prefer to have their soil dried out between each watering.
Spider plants are one of the most effective plant species at removing formaldehyde. They can also help to remove carbon monoxide, xylene, and benzene.
The Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum):
This is another easy to care for plant species, which bloom into white “flowers” which are actually a type of leaf bract. Peace lilies prefer to be under watered rather than being frequently watered. They don’t require fertilizing or specialist soil treatments. This wonderful houseplant will brighten up your room, providing it is placed in a bright area, away from direct light. The peace lily can remove trichloroethylene, xylene, formaldehyde, benzene and toluene from your indoor air.
Money Plant (Lunaria):
The money plant is easy to sprout from seed and gardening experts liken it to caring for a weed. In an Indian Government study in 2008, the money plant, along with Areca and Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, below were analyzed to determine their abilities in improving air quality. The research ran for fifteen years and documented that these plants encouraged fewer respiratory problems, fewer headaches, fewer asthma attacks, less eye irritation and less lung impairment.
Areca (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens):
This is an attractive palm plant which can grow to six or seven feet at maturity from a tabletop small plant. The arching, feathery fronds create a bold plant, which looks at home on a desk or in the corner of a room. While Areca is a little more challenging to care for, including needing regular watering and fertilizing, it is well worth the effort.
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue (Sansevieria):
This variety of snake plant is both attractive and straightforward to care for. This plant can cope with drought and low light conditions, which may make it more suitable if your home lacks natural light. The architectural shape and strappy leaves will remain looking fresh, even if you neglect the plant for several weeks.
Although it’s important to keep your HVAC filters and system clean, you can improve the appearance of your home and its air quality with the introduction of some of these fantastic plants.