3 Houseplants To Keep Your Air Clean & Keep You Healthy

Indoor air pollutants have been ranked among the top five environmental risks to public health. Given that people spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors, air quality matters. Living and working in places full of air contaminants (caused by pollen, bacteria, moulds, upholstery, synthetic building materials, and cleaning products) can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, and eye, ear, and nose irritation. All of these are made worse in small, poorly-ventilated spaces. 

Luckily there’s an easy and affordable way to clean the air we're breathing in every day… houseplants! Plants purify the air by absorbing some of the particulates from the air at the same time that they take in carbon dioxide, which is then processed into oxygen through photosynthesis. Microbes present in the potting soil are also responsible for much of the cleaning effect. For the best results, put 2-3 plants in the rooms you use the most. Be sure not to overwater, as too much soil moisture can lead to mould growth.

Our Top 3 Indoor Plants:

1. Snake Plant

Also known as mother-in-law's tongue, this sharp-leafed plant thrives in bright, indirect light and doesn’t need to be watered too often. In addition to helping lower carbon dioxide and increasing oxygen, the snake plant rids the air of formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, and xylene.

2. Spider Plant

Known to be one of the most effective air cleaners (according to NASA), this indoor plant is also pet-friendly. It filters out formaldehyde, xylene and toluene from your indoor air and can be easily grown indoors. A fan of bright, indirect sunlight, spider plants will send out shoots with flowers that eventually grow into baby spider plants.

3. Gold Pothos

One of the easiest indoor plants to grow, these fast-growing vines prefer indirect sunlight and moist soil. Like many other vines, it filters out formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and benzene to improve general indoor air quality. Needs less water in colder temps and partial sun.