15 Air-Purifying Plants to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Any list of the best air-purifying plants should begin with a disclaimer: It would take a massive number of these plants to clean indoor air as effectively as a mechanical air filtration system. Yet it is true that houseplants can absorb carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, trichloroethylene, and xylene. If you have a green thumb and a house with both direct sunlight and indirect sunlight, consider growing the following indoor plants to help filter your air and add greenery to your living space.

1. 1. Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum): Spider plants are low-maintenance plants that thrive in indirect light and can handle under-watering. They have been shown to filter carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds like xylene and formaldehyde.
2. 2. Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum): A classic houseplant for beginners, pothos plants (also known as devil’s ivy) can handle low light conditions, intense light conditions, and some overwatering. They absorb a variety of volatile organic compounds plus carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. They are toxic to pets, so put them in hanging baskets out of a pet's reach.
3. 3. Snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata): Snake plants are hardy and absorb formaldehyde, xylene, benzene, toluene, and trichloroethylene. Avoid overwatering these plants as too much soil moisture will cause root rot. Be aware they are mildly toxic to pets.
4. 4. Barberton daisy (Gerbera jamesonii): These houseplants are popular for their red, orange, pink, or yellow blossoms and for their ability to absorb formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and benzene. Keep the Barberton daisy's soil moist but never wet, and give it plenty of sunlight.
5. 5. Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum): The peace lily plant is especially well suited for removing airborne toxins, including formaldehyde and ammonia that can be leaked into your interior air by plastics and cleaning products. Give these plants moist soil and lots of direct sunlight to help them produce beautiful white flowers.
6. 6. Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium): Also known as mums, these are some of the most effective interior landscape plants for indoor air pollution abatement. They do best in damp soil and plenty of sunlight. Take note that they filter many organic compounds via their flowers, which will fall off after a six-week bloom time. As such, you may want to replace old mums with newly flowering ones.
7. 7. Areca palms (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens): Areca palms do best outdoors in fresh air, but they can also grow in a room that gets direct sunlight through a window. They need lots of water during their growing season but very little when they are dormant. They filter carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and benzene.
8. 8. Bamboo palms (Chamaedorea seifrizii): Also known as broadleaf lady palms, these palms grow best in moist soil and indirect sunlight. Mist their foliage to prevent spider mites using a spray bottle or a humidifier. Their green leaves can filter carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, benzene, carbon monoxide, xylene, and chloroform.
9. 9. Rubber plants (Ficus elastica): Native to India, rubber plants have beautiful dark green leaves with a waxy veneer. Give them bright light and keep the soil moist to help them absorb carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene. Keep them away from pets, as they have toxic properties.
10. 10. Aloe vera (Aloe vera): These succulents do best in bright direct sunlight (like a sunny windowsill) and well-draining soil. Aloe vera plants can absorb formaldehyde and benzene found in detergents, varnishes, and household cleaning products.
11. 11. Flamingo lily (Anthurium andraeanum): This houseplant is known for its heart-shaped leaves. Flamingo lilies thrive in bright indirect light and moist soil. They grow well in small pots and can absorb an array of VOCs.
12. 12. English ivy (Hedera helix): In nature, English ivy often grows in low-light conditions, which makes it a natural fit as an indoor houseplant. Give it indirect sunlight and lots of water during its growing season. Keep it away from pets as it has toxic properties. These plants absorb carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and benzene.
13. 13. Philodendrons: The philodendron genus features a wide array of plants that thrive in indoor environments. Give them indirect light, adequate soil moisture, and fertilizer, and they can last for years on end. Philodendrons are effective at absorbing formaldehyde from the air.
14. 14. Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata): The Boston fern, or sword fern, is an evergreen plant that requires low light when grown outdoors and bright indirect sunlight when grown indoors. Give your fern moist, nutrient-rich soil to help it stay green year-round and absorb plenty of VOCs.
15. 15. Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema): Consider growing these green and fuchsia houseplants to filter formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, benzene, and carbon monoxide. For the best results, mist the leaves on a regular basis and give the plant plenty of indirect sunlight. Let the soil nearly dry out between waterings, but give it a good soaking when you do water. These plants are toxic to dogs, so keep them above ground level.

Given that houseplants can only go so far in improving indoor air quality, consider the following options for removing toxins and bringing fresh air into your home.

1. 1. Open your windows. When temperature, weather, and seasonal allergies permit, open your windows to allow fresh air to circulate throughout your house.
2. 2. Upgrade your air filtration systems. If you use forced-air heating and air conditioning, you already have exhaust fans that pull air out of your living space. Upgrade the filters on these, or consider a whole-house fan that can circulate air even more. Room-sized air purifiers can also help quite a bit.
3. 3. Clean your carpets or remove them entirely. Old, dirty carpets harbor toxins and dust that can diminish air quality and cause allergic reactions. Give them a proper steam cleaning every year or replace them for improved air quality.
4. 4. Dust your house regularly. Cleaning your house regularly can keep your air clean and your allergies to a minimum.

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