6 Air Purifying Houseplants for Improving Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality
Blogger In the 1980s, NASA scientists conducted studies to attempt to find methods of keeping the air clean for future deep space exploration missions and bases on the moon. What did they find? A number of houseplants do the job incredibly well.
Three Major Offenders
- Formaldehyde: carpets, upholstery, glues, paints
- Benzene: plastics, synthetic fabrics, rubber, pesticides, lubricants
- Trichloroethylene: paint removers, rug cleaning solutions, adhesives
#1 Aloe Vera
Not only does Aloe Vera serve as sunburn relief, a beauty enhancer, first-aid ointment and provide edible benefits, it also works to purify the indoor air in your home. Talk about multitasking! This plant made it on NASA’s list and is unique in its ability to absorb carbon dioxide at night.
Plant Care → This is one hard houseplant to kill. So if you are looking for ways to purify your home’s air while you sleep at night, aloe vera may be just the plant for you.
Removes → Aloe vera is an excellent air-purifying plant that also boasts carbon dioxide-removing talents.
#2 Spider Plant
Spider plants came out on top in NASA’s preliminary tests conducted to study which houseplants best removed formaldehyde from the air. Within one day, it was able to remove 94 percent of the toxic chemical from a sealed Plexiglass chamber. The spider plant is not only a famed American hero, but it is also simple to care for and easy on the eyes.
Plant Care → Care for the spider plant is simple making it a fantastic option for those who don’t have the greenest of thumbs.
Removes → As mentioned, spider plants are great at removing formaldehyde from indoor air.
#3 Gerbera Daisy
one of the few flowering houseplants known for its air-purifying capacity.
Plant Care → Put this beautiful and colorful daisy in good, well draining soil and let the flowers soak up some fluorescent rays and let it get to work.
Removes → Gerbera daisies are great for purifying your indoor air of formaldehyde.
#4 English Ivy
English Ivy is a popular natural remedy for removing mold spores from a home’s indoor air.
Plant Care → Be careful with this one. Its leaves and berries contain glycoside hederin, a substance poisonous to pets and humans.
Removes → English Ivy is a great option if you’re struggling with mold or mildew issues at home.
#5 Azalea
This beautiful flowering shrub is another great houseplant for fending off formaldehyde. Azaleas love cooler temperatures, around 60 to 65 degrees, so try finding a nice, bright spot in your basement or bathroom for this lovely plant.
Plant Care → Keep your azalea in a cooler spot with plenty of sunshine.
Removes → This shrub is a wonderful option for homeowners looking to prevent formaldehyde from polluting their indoor air quality.
#6 Weeping Fig
Also known as the ficus tree, this popular, low-maintenance evergreen is also a great air purifier for your home or office. However, this plant is poisonous to animals, so you may want to consider a different air-purifying houseplant if you have playful and curious pets at home.
Plant Care → Place it in a spot with plenty of bright but indirect natural light. Too much direct sunlight could cause its leaves to burn.
Removes → According to NASA’s study, the weeping fig was most effective at eliminating airborne formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene.
Call A+ Air for Air Quality Issues and AC Repair in Central Florida
If you’re looking for ways to improve your home’s indoor air quality this spring and summer, you may want to consider investing in one or some of these air-purifying houseplants. The air quality experts at A+ Air Conditioning and Refrigeration are here to restore your Gainesville home to high comfort and health.
Call the AC company you can trust at 352-608-5019, or schedule service online with our simple questionnaire form. We look forward to providing your home with reliable and continued cooling comfort!