Did you know houseplants can clean the air in your home? Houseplants that can improve your health and clean air and add to your home decor?! Yes, please!

Look no further than adding some indoor plants! Not only do they make your space more aesthetically pleasing, but they also purify the air by removing toxins and impurities. With so many options out there, choosing which houseplants are the best for clean air can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of your home’s top 11 houseplants for clean air.

Pioneering NASA Research

In the 1980s, NASA researched houseplants and their abilities to clean the air of VOCs – Volatile organic compounds.

Nail polish, paints, and other objects give off VOCs, which can cause serious issues in large quantities. Knowing that they were sending astronauts into space in highly sealed space crafts led them to conduct these studies.

They found certain plants were highly effective at removing toxins and improving air quality in confined spaces. This research led to the development of the NASA Clean Air Study, which identified several houseplants, including the snake plant (Sansevieria), spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), and peace lily (Spathiphyllum), as excellent air-purifying choices for indoor environments.

The Truth About The Air in Our Homes

The average person spends 90% or more of their day inside, and based on reports about pollution and smog, many people believe that indoor air is safer, but in many cases, the closed environment indoors can lead to a build-up of a toxic soup of chemicals from tracked in dirt and pesticides to harmful off-gassing from carpets and cleaning chemicals.

Top 11 Houseplants for Clean Air in Your Home

Here are 11 plants that are not only beautiful but have also been proven to clean the air of harmful toxins!

1. Rubber Plant: This plant is perfect for those with a not-so-green thumb. It removes formaldehyde from the air and can be placed in low or indirect light.
2. Snake Plant: Also known as Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, this attractive plant is great for bedrooms because it actively converts CO2 into oxygen at night.
3. Money Plant: An adorable little tree for any corner of your home, this plant can remove formaldehyde from the air. Formaldehyde can cause cancer and is found in many home furnishings, including carpets, synthetic fabrics, and wood glues.
4. Peace Lily: As beautiful in person as it is in name, the peace lily will bring peace and light to your home with its toxin-busting power. It was proven by a NASA study to remove a wide range of chemicals, including gasoline, paint fumes, tobacco smoke, and more. Read MORE about Peace Lily houseplant care HERE. 
5. Aloe Vera: Long known for its skin-soothing properties, this hardy succulent is also great at soaking up toxic chemicals like benzene, which is found in paint and many indoor cleaners.
6. Spider Plant: This tidy little tropical plant doesn’t require much care and absorbs mold and common allergens like pet dander.
7. English Ivy: No houseplant collection is complete without a charming creeper, and what is better than a pretty ivy that can suck formaldehyde, benzene, arsenic, and even trace amounts of carbon monoxide out of the air.
8. Boston Fern: This houseplant is a regular favorite because of its pleasing appearance and because it generates more oxygen per square inch than almost any other plant. It also transpires water, making it a natural humidifier.
9. African Violets: These pretty flowers offer a much-needed punch of color to the usual houseplant lineup and are easy to care for with their minimal sunlight requirements; they are great oxygen creators and pollutant reducers.
10. Chinese Evergreen As well as offering a splash of color to any decor, the Chinese Evergreen is lush, lovely, and easy to care for. Bonus: It has been proven to remove the airborne toxins from using common household cleaners and detergents.
11. Chrysanthemums: These beautiful plants are usually associated with decorating cemeteries; these lovely flowers are easy to grow indoors and can remove toxins from indoor air. As well as purifying the air and brightening your home, they also make a healthy tea that can boost your immune system and offer anti-inflammatory properties.

Out of this list, the Peace Lily is my favorite. We have ours in our sunroom, which flowers every couple of weeks during the Spring/Summer Months. It is relatively easy to take care of and adds a beautiful pop of green to our overly white-sunporch.

RELATED: 6 Houseplants That Would Love to Live in Your Bathroom

FAQS

Can houseplants improve air quality?

Houseplants add beauty to your indoor spaces and play a crucial role in improving air quality. Through a process called photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Additionally, many houseplants can remove toxins such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene from the air, making your living environment healthier.

How many houseplants do I need to clean the air in my home?

According to scientists, you would need between 100 to 1,000 plants for every 10 square feet to make a measurable difference in fighting indoor air pollution.

Conclusion

Improving the air quality in your home has never been easier, thanks to these top 11 houseplants for clean air. Buy just one or a few, and enjoy the aesthetic and health benefits they provide!

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