From Organic Gardening:
Next time you go shopping for home cleaning supplies, consider adding large-leaved plants for every room in the house. They reduce unhealthy pollutants as well as airborne bacteria and fungi while adding the humidity needed to combat respiratory and allergic conditions.
According to B. C. Wolverton, Ph.D., a retired NASA research scientist, indoor air pollution can be a major threat to our health. To determine how the earth produces and sustains clean air through plants, Wolverton and his fellow NASA scientists studied plants in controlled environments. The researchers found that houseplants can purify and revitalize air in our homes and offices, protecting us from the negative effects of such common toxins as ammonia, formaldehyde, and benzene.
For years, people have been told to stay indoors during smog alerts. Today, the list of known indoor pollutants is just as scary, reports the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Asbestos, pesticides, fumes from detergents and solvents, fibers from carpets, draperies, insulation, even glass””not to mention mold and tobacco smoke””all add up to a cleanup best tackled by Mother Nature. Plant leaves are able to absorb pollutants and send them to the roots, where they become food for microbes.
To get the most out of your houseplants, set them up (two to three per room) so there is plenty of space around each one for ideal air circulation. Keep the air moist by misting plants. Avoid locations in the rooms where there are drafts or sudden temperature changes. Pollutants are absorbed through the leaves, so keep the leaves clear of dust by wiping gently with a damp cloth.
In the future, we will be cleaning up environmental pollution with plants. Right now, add houseplants to each room to clean the air you and your family breathe.
Top 10 Air Cleaning Plants:
- Areca palm
- Reed palm
- Dwarf date palm
- Boston fern
- Pothos
- English ivy
- Australian sword fern
- Peace lily
- Rubber plant
- Weeping fig
Organic Gardening: Air Cleaning Plants
Similar information from a hobbyist site:
Houseplants can be very beneficial in our lives. They purify and renew our stale indoor air by filtering out toxins, pollutants and the carbon dioxide we exhale – replacing them with life sustaining oxygen!
Although it should be safe to presume that all plants are capable of removing toxins from our air, research by NASA showed that some house plants are more efficient in filtering out toxins than others. Philodendrons, Spider plants, and Pothos were found to be the most efficient in the removal of formaldehyde. Gerbera Daisies and Chrysanthemums were found to be effective in the removal of benzene, a known carcinogen.
As a rule of thumb, allow one houseplant per 100 square feet of living area. The more vigorous the plant, the more air it can filter. Keep in mind that plants will not do much to alleviate tobacco smoke or dust in the air.
The page includes links to eleven types of plants with photos and information about their sunlight and drainage needs and if they are poisonous to pets.
