Best Plants For Purifying The Air In Your Home

Houseplants offer lots of great benefits. They are wonderful splashes of nature indoors, adding lush color and presence to any room. There is also evidence that having houseplants can help relax and calm the mind. There are even many houseplants that help purify the air you breathe. The key is knowing what plants are most effective at cleaning the air around you.

If you want to introduce a plant into your home to help purify the air, consider an easy-to-maintain species like spider plants, snake plants, or pothos. Bamboo palms and the weeping fig are great indoor tree species that are great at removing toxins from the air. If you want a flowering plant that will clean the air, opt for a peace lily or Barberton daisy.

Plants are great natural air purifiers, but it’s important to know that not all species are equally skilled at removing toxins from the air. Some plants are much better than others at making the air in your home cleaner. Furthermore, some species are very easy to grow and maintain inside the home, while others take lots of upkeep and are challenging to keep alive inside. Keep reading to find some of the top plants that both purify the air and thrive indoors.

11 Houseplants That Are Great At Purifying The Air In Your Home

1. Spider Plant

There are several reasons why spider plants are one of the most common houseplants. They are very easy to grow, as they thrive in various light situations, and can go one week to 10 days without being watered. These plants also self-propagate, which makes it easy to grow more of these plants without trying too hard.

Spider plants are also some of the best air purifiers around. They are fantastic at absorbing both carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. One spider plant can purify a 200-square-foot room. They decompose poisons like nicotine, making them great for areas where cigarette smoke is present.

2. Pothos

Pothos is another wildly popular house plant that is great at cleaning the air inside your home. There are many different types of pothos plants, so it is easy to find one that suits your aesthetic and the level of care you can provide.

Pothos are very easy to care for, and several species can thrive in low light. They are great at removing many toxins found in the air. This makes pothos an amazing option for those looking to add a plant to the home to clean the air. Pathos is perfect for homes that don’t have a lot of light or people who don’t have much of a green thumb.

3. Rubber Plant

If you are looking for a strong and sturdy plant that can endure low light conditions, consider the resilient rubber plant. Rubber plants have deep and shiny green leaves that provide a great burst of natural color to even dimly lit spaces. They are one of the best houseplants for those who don’t get much natural light in the home in the daytime.

Rubber plants are also great air purifiers. They are particularly effective at removing the harmful toxin formaldehyde from the air. These plants also do well in areas with cooler temperatures.

4. Bamboo Palm

If you are looking for a great species of palm tree to place inside your home, consider a bamboo palm. Sure, other easy-to-grow species of palm thrive indoors, but a bamboo palm offers the added benefit of air purification and oxygen production.

This palm is easy to grow and is a fantastic and low-maintenance way to bring a tropical vibe into the home. These palms are great air purifiers. They are particularly great at removing the harmful chemicals formaldehyde and benzene from the air.

5. Aloe

Aloe vera is one of the most useful and helpful plants on the planet. You can consume this plant to help with digestive problems. You can use the liquid it creates to soothe skin irritation and sunburn. It is shockingly easy to grow and maintain, and it is even great at purifying the air.

Aloe is a true miracle succulent. It is not only low-maintenance but highly effective at removing several toxins from the air. It also gives a lot of oxygen back into the air as it cycles out carbon dioxide.

6. Barberton Daisy

If you are looking for a plant that can improve the air quality in your home and provide a pop of color, then look no further than the Barberton daisy. This plant produces stunning flowers of various colors, including red, yellow, orange, and pink.

In addition to being relatively low-maintenance flowering plants, Barberton daisies are also exceptional at filtering out toxic chemicals. Keep in mind these flowers like a good amount of sun, and well-drained soil. Therefore, make sure you are prepared to give these flowers a little more love than some of your lower-maintenance houseplants.

7. Snake Plant

If you are looking for a plant that you can almost completely forget about while it cleans the air in your home, consider purchasing a snake plant. This plant is commonly called “mother-in-law’s tongue” because it is almost impossible to get rid of. It can survive in low light, is drought-tolerant, and even grows hydroponically.

It takes very little work to maintain these plants, but they will work hard to remove benzene and formaldehyde from the air.

8. Boston Fern

If you are looking to introduce a fern into your home, you should seriously consider a Boston fern. The Boston has many benefits, including it being resilient and low maintenance as far as ferns go. These plants are also great natural air purifiers.

Ferns are known for their incredible ability to filter out toxins and purify the air. Boston ferns are a great example of this. Ensure you keep them watered, and for best results, provide them with occasional misting to help mimic their natural jungle environment.

9. Peace Lily

The peace lily is another flowering plant that helps add oxygen and remove harmful chemicals from the air. These white flowering plants provide elegance and sophistication to any room, and they are not very difficult to keep alive.

This is one of the best flowering plants for beginners or those with minimal natural light in the home. They are great at removing benzene, acetone, trichloroethylene, and other harmful chemicals from the air. Keep in mind, however, that these plants are toxic for dogs and cats.

10. English Ivy

If you want to introduce an elegant creeping vine into your home, consider English ivy. English ivy is an easy-to-grow species of ivy that is also quite attractive to look at. These plants are great for homes with mold, as they can remove 78% of mold from the air in your home.

English ivy is great at removing lots of toxins and is relatively low maintenance. This plant is also toxic to dogs and cats, so should only be introduced into homes that don’t have these pets.

11. Weeping Fig

Another tree you can grow indoors that is great at purifying the air is the weeping fig tree. This tree is captivating to look at, with its elegant hanging branches, and often braided roots. They are reminiscent of bonsai trees and offer the same zen-like qualities. They are also fantastic air purifiers.

Keep in mind that the weeping fig requires a lot more maintenance and specific growing conditions than other household trees. They like consistent filtered light, and regular mistings, and don’t do well when neglected even for short periods. If you can offer them the care they need, they are a great addition to your home, and your lungs will thank you.

Summing Up The Best Plants To Purify The Air In Your Home

Plants all help add oxygen and remove harmful carbon dioxide from the air. Some plants are even effective air purifiers, and do a great job removing harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, benzene, and acetone from the air. Some great low-maintenance plants that help clean the air in your home include snake plants, spider plants, peace lilies, rubber plants, and aloe. Barberton daisies produce colorful flowers and effectively remove toxins from the air, while bamboo palms are a great way to purify the air while giving your home a tropical feel.

Related Guides:

• Do Houseplants Improve Indoor Air Quality?
• How To Grow Tropical Plants Indoors
• Best Plants For Allergies And Asthma