Back in elementary school most of us learned that plants help clean the air through a process called photosynthesis. Which is fanastic when we think of all the pollution outside, but believe it or not, the air inside of our homes is actually polluted, too.Toxic chemicals from cleaning supplies, bacteria, mold, mildew and outdoor pollution that makes its way in – it all gets trapped inside our homes.
The good news is we can use houseplants to help clean the air in our homes. And if you’re sitting there thinking about how you’ll just end up killing it, no worries, because these houseplants are nearly impossible to kill!
1. Spider Plant
Spider plants are the perfect houseplants for beginners because they’re super easy to grow. They need bright, indirect sunlight and water every few days, so if you forget to water them they’ll be fine for a while. And before you know it, your spider plant will send out shoots that eventually grow baby spider plants that you can propagate yourself.
2. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is an amazing plant that people often use for burns on their skin, but it’s also good at removing formaldehyde from the air. These desert plants need well-drained soil with very light waterings and full sun.
3. Areca Palm
This leafy plant is one of the best air purifiers around, especially as it grows bigger. It needs well-drained soil, very little water and only partial sunlight.
4. Baby Rubber Plant
Rubber plants can get quite tall, but do an amazing job at emitting high oxygen content and removing chemicals from the air. It needs filtered light, infrequent watering and rich soil to flourish.
5. Bamboo Palm
The tall, narrow trunks of this little tree not only removes formaldehyde, but is also a natural humidifier, making it perfect for dry rooms. To help this guy grow keep it in bright, indirect light and with moist soil.
6. Garden Mum
These bright fall flowers are amazing at removing a ton of pollutants from the air including ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde and xylene. Although they’re a popular outdoor plant come autumn they also make great houseplants. Mums only need partial sun, but lots of water.
7. Ficus
If you like tall houseplants, ficus can grow anywhere between 2-10 feet tall, depending on the size of the pot you put it in. It’s also a great overall air purifier. To keep this plant thriving make sure to place it in indirect sunlight and water it occasionally.
8. Peace Lily
These gorgeous flowers are tougher than they look and are almost impossible to kill. Since they remove a variety of household cleaner chemicals, along with mold spores, they’re the perfect houseplant for bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms. Give it lots of water and bright, indirect sunlight to keep it happy.
9. Boston Fern
Another plant that will do well in the bathroom, the Boston fern needs to be in a cool room with high humidity and indirect light. It’s also one of the best air purifiers.
10. Snake Plant
Also known as mother-in-law’s tongue, this plant is nearly impossible to kill yet will do an excellent job at purifying the air in your home! It’s super low maintenance because it doesn’t need much light or water, which makes this sturdy plant perfect for those forgetful gardeners.
11. Chinese Evergreen
Chinese Evergreen removes a variety of chemicals from the air, and emits high oxygen content. You can keep it in full shade, but make sure to plant it in a well-draining pot.
12. English Ivy
If you, or any of your family members, have asthma or allergies, English ivy is fantastic at removing chemicals that can irritate those conditions. English ivy looks amazing when it hangs over the pot, so make sure to place it somewhere it can grow.
13. Gerbera Daisy
These large, pretty flowers do an amazing job at not only removing cancer-causing chemicals, but give off oxygen overnight which can help improve your sleep. Make sure to place it somewhere it can get bright light.
14. Goldon Pothos
The large leaves on goldon pothos are beautiful and do a great job at removing carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. This plant needs to be kept somewhere cool with partial sun, and doesn’t need very much water.
15. Moth Orchid
Orchids are considered one of the most beautiful flowers by many. They are perfect for removing volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde from paints, solvents and other synthetic materials. These flowering plants need high humidity, lots of light and thorough watering, but only after the soil has completely dried out.
Featured photo credit: F.D. Richards via flickr.com
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Source: Lifestyle
