10 Best Houseplants That Clean the Air in Your Home

Nature’s Air Purifiers

Plants are an excellent idea to have in your home. They have been demonstrated in studies to reduce stress and add an element of relaxation. Houseplants also provide a positive ambiance and can help add a decorative flourish to help fill in those “lonely” areas in your home that could use a little “extra something.”

Plants not only transform carbon dioxide into clean, freshly oxygenated air but some plants also have demonstrated the ability to filter out common toxic chemicals that float around our homes like benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, toluene and ammonia.

Indoor Air Quality and Health

We usually think indoor air is clean but the truth is that indoor air is typically far more toxic than outside air. It’s stagnant, provides reservoirs for microorganisms to flourish and contains items created with toxic chemicals. Even with quality air filtration and optimal environmental conditions within your home, you can have a toxic buildup of dangerous compounds and your health can suffer because of it. The American Lung Association provides good information on indoor air quality to help identify and mitigate this serious threat.

We underestimate the pollutants and toxins we have circulating in our household air. From harsh cleaning chemicals to cooking byproducts, there’s a lot of harmful stuff floating around the house. We can’t forget about toxins of a biological nature either; mold, mildew, bacteria, viruses, pollen and animal dander also pose a grave threat to our health. The EPA has provided a resource to reducing exposure to biological contaminants.

NASA Study Provides List of Detoxifying Plants

In the late 1980’s, NASA, conducted a study to determine the ability of certain plants to filter out common contaminants found in space vehicles / structures. [1] Other studies have been conducted since then that contribute to this information. These same airborne contaminants are also in our homes.

Some plants are better than others at removing these toxins from the air. Wikipedia actually has a fantastic table that illustrates a comprehensive list of plants and their ability to filter out various toxins, all based on the peer-reviewed published studies I just alluded to. They also include whether each plant is safe for your pets or children if they happened to ingest the plant.

Household Chemical Contaminants & Their Sources

Benzene – Inks, paints, dyes, oils, plastics, rubber, detergent, gasoline, pharmaceuticals, tobacco smoke and synthetic fibers

Formaldehyde – Drapes, grocery bags, waxed paper, cigarette smoke, natural gas, coating products, foam insulation, plywood, pressed-wood products, adhesive binders in floor coverings and fire retardants

Trichloroethylene – Adhesives, spot removers, printing inks, paints, lacquers and varnishes

Xylene – Paints, lacquers, adhesives, rust preventers, thinners, gasoline and permanent magic markers

Toluene – Gasoline, paints, coatings, synthetic fragrances, adhesives, inks and cleaning agents

Ammonia – Cleaning supplies

Radon – Radon exposure (the second leading cause of lung cancer according to the American Lung Association) is found in the bedrock beneath a home and should be tested for

Luckily, we live in a remarkable time where we have achieved enough of an understanding of our world to not only identify toxic substances in our environment but also research plants that can remove them. Here is my list of the 10 best houseplants that can clean the air in your home.

The 10 Best Air Detoxifying Houseplants

#1 Peace Lily

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum ‘Mauna Loa’) – A beautiful flowering plant with unique blooms. An easy plant to care for, it likes shade and only needs to be watered weekly. FILTERS: Benzene, formaldehyde, trichlorethyelene, xylene, toluene and ammonia

#2 Florist’s Chrysanthemum

Florist’s Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium) – Also known as Florist’s Daisy and Hardy Garden Mum, is a beautiful perennial of the family Asteraceae. It requires monthly fertilization and watering 2-3 times a week. FILTERS: Benzene, formaldehyde, trichlorethyelene, xylene, toluene and ammonia

#3 Red-Edged Dracaena

Red-Edged Dracaena (Dracaena reflexa) – This native of Madagascar is an evergreen shrub with a mesmerizing irregular stem and elegant red edges. FILTERS: Benzene, formaldehyde, trichlorethyelene, xylene and toluene

#4 Snake Plant / Mother-in-Law’s Tongue

Variegated Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’) – Common nicknames for this perennial evergreen are Mother-in-Law’s Tongue and Saint George’s Sword. It is known for it’s long, stiff green leaves with yellow highlights. This is a pretty hardy plant that doesn’t require a lot of light and can handle irregular watering. FILTERS: Benzene, formaldehyde, trichlorethyelene, xylene and toluene

#5 Golden Pothos / Devil’s Ivy

Golden Pothos / Devil’s Ivy (Epipremnum aureum) – A beautiful climbing vine that despite not liking a lot of sunlight stays bright and luscious green. It’s a great hanging plant as the vines will naturally grow downward. FILTERS: Benzene, formaldehyde, trichlorethyelene, xylene and toluene WARNING: Poisonous to pets and children

#6 Gerber Daisy / Barberton Daisy

Gerber Daisy / Barberton Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) – A stunning flowering plant whose bright blooms can be red, yellow, pink or orange. It requires more sunlight than the plants we’ve mentioned so far. FILTERS: Benzene, formaldehyde and trichlorethyelene

#7 Broadleaf Lady Palm

Broadleaf Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa) – This species of fan palm is a favorite for offices and malls because it requires little sunlight and humidity. It’s saw-toothed leaf-ends are a distinguishing feature. FILTERS: Formaldehyde, xylene, toluene and ammonia

#8 Lilyturf

Lilyturf (Liriope spicata) – This detoxifier is an herbaceous, flowering evergreen that has a grass-like appearance. FILTERS: Formaldehyde, xylene, toluene and ammonia

#9 English Ivy

English Ivy (Hedera helix) – This evergreen clinging vine is none other than the common vine you see adorning old tutor cottages in England. It’s incredibly easy to grow, requires moderate sunlight and NASA considers it the BEST plant to filter formaldehyde. FILTERS: Benzene, formaldehyde, xylene and toluene

#10 Flamingo Lily

Flamingo Lily (Anthurium andraeanum) – A breathtaking flowering plant that requires minimal light, moist soil, moderate temperature (60-72 F) and a weak fertilizer monthly. FILTERS: Formaldehyde, xylene, toluene and ammonia

More Resources on Plant Air Purification

Use of Living Pot-Plants to Cleanse Indoor Air – Research Review – Tarran, Torpy and Burchett
http://plantsolutions.com/documents/PlantsCleanseIndoorAir.pdf

Interior Plants: Their Influence on Airborne Microbes inside Energy-efficient Buildings – B.C. Wolverton and John D. Wolverton
http://www.wolvertonenvironmental.com/MsAcad-96.pdf

The impact of plants on the reduction of volatile organic compounds in a small space – Song, Kim and Sohn
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18174668

How Indoor Air Pollution Works – HowStuffWorks.com
http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-safety/tips/indoor-air-pollution1.htm

Fantastic Book, Highly Esteemed Author

If you want to dig more into this house plant business you might want a guide that teaches you how to take care of these little biological air purifiers. How to Grow Fresh Air – 50 House Plants That Purify Your Home or Office was written by B.C. Wolverton, the same guy who did the original NASA research on house plants removing VOCs (volatile organic compounds) referenced in this article. The book is great and even has each plant rated for effectiveness at removing VOCs. He explains how to nurture and take care of these plants.

Some of these plants are fussier than others; there are little tips and tricks to keep your plants flourishing. You should be able to find everything you need on the internet but sometimes its nice to have a quality resource like this that has everything you need all in one package.