Fresh air is not something we get enough of in modern life, especially as most of us seem to be increasingly stuck inside with our great British weather!
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Indoor air can be stale, and thanks to modern synthetic materials and temperature regulation, it also contains pollutants and is often well below recommended humidity levels.
Synthetic furniture, paints and computers, to name but three, silently pump chemical vapours into the air, while your heating system will dry out your air.
This can lead to complaints such as allergic attacks, asthma, headaches and tickly coughs.
This is where plants in your house can help!
The humble plant can make all the difference to the air we breathe indoors. They work hard at cleaning our air of these toxins and releasing humidity back into the atmosphere.
In fact, there are many health benefits to being near plants. General studies over time have shown that plants help us to:
But not all plants are the same. Some like more light or heat than others, and some clean the air better so it is important to get the right one.
To help you choose the right plant, here are our top ten air-purifying plants that will clean your air:
ALOE VERA &#; What&#;s great about this plant is that it emits oxygen at night time whilst simultaneously taking in carbon dioxide- something we naturally produce when breathing. All this leads to a purer quality of air and a better night&#;s sleep.
CHLOROPHYTUM (SPIDER PLANT) &#; The well-known Spider Plant is also a champion cleanser of air. Since formaldehyde (a cancer-causing chemical) is found in common household products like adhesives, grout and fillers, it&#;s a good idea to keep one of these plants around your kitchen and bathrooms especially.
Top Tip: The Spider Plant is also considered a safe house plant if you have pets in your house.
SANSEVERIA (SNAKE PLANT) or is even known as &#;the mother-in-law&#;s tongue&#;&#;this plant is excellent for filtering out formaldehyde, which is common in cleaning products, hygiene, and personal care products.
SPATHIPHYLLUM (PEACE LILY) is beauty in all its simplicity, the peace lily boasts strong dark green leaves and tall elegant white flowers. Really easy to care for&#;this plant helps to filter out harmful benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde toxins. The moisture given off by these striking flowers can boost a room&#;s humidity by up to 5%. This way, you can say goodbye to those irritating dry noses and sleep peacefully.
Top Tip: This plant is poisonous to cats and dogs&#;so if your pet likes to nibble your house plants then choose the Spider Plant instead
DRACENA MARGINATA (DRAGON TREE) This plant is useful for removing xylene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde, which spreads in indoor air through lacquers like your hairspray or furniture polish or furniture varnish.
ARECA PALM An extremely elegant palm with delicate fronds which is good enough to be situated in your living room or hall. This pleasant plant releases lots of moisture into the air, removes toxins very effectively, is easy to look after and resists insect infestations well.
BOSTON FERN A mass of lush foliage helps this plant to scrub the air of toxins in a room and improve humidity. With a bit of regular misting and watering it should thrive.
FICUS ELASTICA (RUBBER PLANT) Bred for toughness, this is the plant to choose if the room doesn&#;t have a lot of natural light. Its architectural form makes it a designer&#;s favourite and its simple, large leaves look good in most places. Especially good at removing formaldehyde, one of the most common toxins found in our indoor air.
FICUS BENJAMIN (WEEPING FIG) The Weeping Fig is perfect for filtering pollutants that typically are in carpeting and furniture such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene.
Top Tip: Most house plants only need re-potting every 1 or 2 years
SCINDAPSUS Another powerful plant fighting formaldehyde, it will grow in a cascade of green from a hanging basket.
Top Tip: If you live on a busy road, fill your house with this beautiful gushing greenery to banish car exhaust fumes
There are many more plants that can make your home look and smell beautiful and fresh but these 10 are a must for keeping you and your family healthy by providing natural air filters and increasing the oxygen levels.
WHAT IS POLLUTING YOUR HOME?
Benzene &#; Can be found in Glues, paints, furniture wax and detergents
Formaldehyde &#; Is in emissions, disinfectants and fixatives, or preservatives in consumer products
Trichloroethylene &#; In homes undergoing renovation
Xylene and Toluene &#; In a variety of household sprays and consumer products
Ammonia &#; Aerosols and sprays used in the home.
Top Tip: replace your air freshener spray with a jasmine plant for beautiful and healthy smelling air!
Are you interested in learning more about Hydrogen Peroxide Plant Supplier? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
By Jenn Snider | 04/15/
You may have heard of the NASA study, conducted in by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America. The goal of the study was to determine if plants were effective air purifiers, and specifically which plants cleaned which chemicals out of the air. NASA was hoping to find which plants would be ideal for filtering air at space stations. They actually found that there are many plants that efficiently remove chemicals from indoor air, some of which are more effective at certain chemicals than others. Since we&#;ve been talking about 23 Sources of Formaldehyde To Remove From Your Home, we wanted to share a few of the plants they found to be particularly efficient at removing formaldehyde.
As we have found, formaldehyde is harmful to our health and is present in most homes. A general rule of thumb, per NASA&#;s recommendation, is to add at least one houseplant per 100 sq. ft. in your home. This translates to about one houseplant per room in your house and anywhere from 10 to 20 in a home, depending on the size. Here are the eight plants that we recommend if you are looking to reduce formaldehyde and add some greenery to your space. These plants are easy to maintain, many of them can tolerate lower light conditions, and will filter more than just formaldehyde out of your air. They&#;re an inexpensive, efficient, and beautiful way to improve your air quality!
Related Read: Want to learn more about creating a non-toxic home? Check out Why We're Not Disinfecting Our Homes (even now!)
1. Rubber Tree
Rubber trees are in the ficus (fig) family. They are very hearty plants to keep indoors and come in many varieties. Beware their milky latex, which only releases when you break the leaves. The latex from rubber trees is harmful if ingested. However, the plant got its &#;rubber&#; name because that same latex is used to make natural rubber. Rubber plants are tolerant of sparse watering, but do best in medium to high light. Always allow to dry between waterings.
2. Peace Lily
Peace lilies are very easy to maintain, needing low to medium amounts of both water and sunlight. Peace lilies will even bloom in low light conditions. Although peace lilies do not need a lot of water, they will let you know they are thirsty as their leaves start to droop. Once watered, they quickly perk up again. Their leaves will start to yellow if they have too much sun. As with rubber trees, beware that ingesting the leaves can be harmful to humans and pets!
3. Spider Plant
Named for its arachnid-like shape and growth pattern, spider plants make easy houseplants. Spider plants can tolerate low light conditions and don&#;t require much water. If the tips start to burn (turn dry and brown), it may be from the fluoride in your tap water. Spider plants bloom with delicate white flowers. They flourish in hanging baskets that can be rotated for good light distribution.
4. Money Plant
Money plants, also known as golden pothos, are durable, fast-growing plants. They naturally grow in a vine shape and will do well in a hanging basket or in a traditional pot. Happy with sparse waterings, money plants do best in medium to high light. However, their leaves stay green even in lower light conditions. They can even grow on top of aquariums, with their roots surviving on the water. Golden pothos should be out of reach of pets, who will have a toxic reaction to this plant.
5. Dumb Cane
Dumb cane, sometimes called a mother-in-law plant, likes moderate sunlight and watering. The &#;dumb&#; part of the name refers to the poisonous nature of the raphides on the plant, similar to peace lilies or money plants. As the plant grows, old leaves curl up and fall off to make room for new leaves. If you notice that the leaves start to yellow, the soil may be weak and it could be time to repot your dumb cane with new soil.
6. Moth Orchid
If you&#;re like me, you may find it hard to resist buying the occasional orchid at the grocery store. If you tend them carefully, orchids will last a long time and bloom again for you. I have yet to have luck with re-blooming, but orchids can stay alive for more than just their blooming season! When you purchase an orchid, particularly from a grocery store where they are potted a certain way to look attractive, there a few steps you should take right away. We recommend removing any florists moss and replanting in a pot that drains well. 8 Ways to Kill Your Orchid is an important article for debunking the myths about orchid-growing, including the ice-cube watering trick. Water orchids sparingly and be sure the soil drains well. Nourish the soil with a good orchid fertilizer to promote more blooms.
7. Snake Plant
Glorious snake plants! No matter how green or not-green your thumb is, you can surely keep a snake plant alive - they may be the easiest houseplant in the land. Snake plants are very tolerant of many conditions and can thrive in even low light, which makes it great for nearly any place in your home. You also should be careful to avoid over-watering your snake plant and never water when the soil is still wet. Essentially, the more you leave your snake plant alone, the happier it will be! And rest assured knowing that it&#;s working hard to remove formaldehyde from your air.
8. Philodendron
Philodendrons are a big family of cheerful, ambitious growers that will quickly grow large if given the right conditions. There are many varieties of philodendrons, including some with larger leaves, some with heart-shaped leaves, variegated varieties, and even different colors. Most philodendrons prefer brighter light; as much indoor light as possible is best for your philodendron. However, philodendrons are very efficient with water and should dry out fully between waterings, which can be spaced 10 days apart or more. If you have a bright spot in your home that could use a large, sprawling plant, a philodendron might be right for you!
1. Introduce it slowly
If you are just bringing home a plant from the store, leave it in its plastic pot (even if you drop that inside the pot you will ultimately replant it in). Water frequently when you first bring it home, allowing the plastic pot to drain well. If you plan to move the plant into a darker area of your home, it&#;s a good idea to slowly acclimate the plant. Remember, it&#;s coming from a nursery where it is tended well and typically given great light. When you bring the plant inside in your home, it could go into shock if you immediately re-pot and put it in a shady corner. First, keep the pot in plastic in a sunny spot, then slowly move to closer to its destination. By the time you re-pot the plant, it should be fully acclimated. This may take a couple of weeks for optimal plant health.
2. Give your plants baths
The majority of plants hate nothing more than sitting in water. Over-watering is a far more common cause of plant decline than under-watering. So when in doubt, let your plants dry out a little! When you do water your plants, they want to get a really good soaking. The best way to do this is to actually corral your plants into the bath or shower and fully douse them. Allow to drain, then carry them back to their homes. Never pot in a container without drain holes. Classic terra cotta pots are really great for most plants because they breathe through the container on all sides and have a drain hole at the bottom.
3. Celebrate with new pots
If you keep your plants happy, they will outgrow their pots. Most plants are ready to graduate to a larger pot about every two years. It&#;s time to re-pot when you start seeing roots above the soil or it just generally looks too large for its pot. When choosing the next pot, select one that is 2&#; wider in diameter than the last pot and use fresh soil.
4. Fertilizing keeps plants healthy
Most plants will really benefit from an appropriate fertilizer during the warm months (spring to fall). Orchids require their own fertilizer blend, but many of the other plants can share a common fertilizer. Before foliar feeding (applying a liquid fertilizer to the leaves) make sure the leaves have been cleaned/dusted because a clean plant is more receptive to the nutrition.
Tip: Keep your plants happy with clean, streak-free windows to bring in the sunlight! Check out the Branch Basics Glass Cleaning Essentials Kit.
What are your favorite houseplants? Any tips for novice houseplant keepers?
Ready to streamline your routine? Read Clare&#;s tricks in Safe + Simple: Tips from a Minimalist Mama.
Want another trick for improving indoor air quality? Find out why we&#;re loving Himalayan Pink Salt Lamps!
Keep reading about chemicals to avoid in your home: Common Chemicals to Avoid - A Branch Basics Series.
Want to clean your home efficiently? Check out the Essential Cleaning Tools for a Happy & Healthy Home
Start cleaning your home with non-toxic products with the Branch Basics Trial Kit or the Premium Starter Kit.
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