Though some people worry about air pollution and cover their faces with masks when going out of their homes, very few people are aware that the air they breathe inside is much more polluted. This is why air-purifying plants are a necessity in homes and workspaces. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air is estimated to be five times more polluted than outside air. Thus, it is important to naturally purify this polluted air.
Air-purifying plants for your home and work
Sansevieria trifasciata
These plants have long leaves that look like tongues. As a result, they are also known as mother-in-law’s tongue. Some also call them the snake plant because of the geometric patterns on the leaves. It has been found that the plant removes about 107 pollutants from the air, including benzene, chloroform, nitrogen monoxide, carbon monoxide, xylene, and so on, making them great air-purifying plants. In addition, they also produce large quantities of oxygen all through the night. As such, Sansevieria is an excellent plant to have in your bedroom.
Bromeliad
If you burn paraffin candles at home, this is one plant you must definitely have. The candles are known to emit toluene, which causes weakness and tiredness even at very low levels. In addition, benzene is also emitted and that is known to be carcinogenic. Bromeliads not only remove toluene, but also purge out 92 percent of any benzene in the air within 12 hours. These chemicals can damage your liver so this makes bromeliads important air-purifying plants.
Bromeliads are good choices for homes where paraffin candles are burned. (Image: via Pixabay)
Bamboo palm
Native to Madagascar, the plant also goes by the name areca palm, or butterfly palm. It is an excellent solution to remove carbon monoxide, benzene, and formaldehyde from the surrounding air. Being a good humidifier, the plant produces almost one liter of water every 24 hours, making it ideal in case you are living in a dry climate. The reason why they filter a lot of air in the room is that the plant can grow up to 12 feet in height. If you are not comfortable with such tall plants, you can confine these air-purifying plants to smaller pots.
Jade plant
In case you are looking for something that removes toluene, a jade plant is your best bet. It reportedly sucks out almost 91 percent of toluene present in the atmosphere. Plus, these air-purifying plants will also remove 80 percent of benzene, ethylbenzene, o-Xylene, and p-Xylene. When it comes to the pollutant acetone, the removal rate is slightly lower at 70 percent. These plants are also popularly known as friendship trees.
Money plant
The plant is seen as a “prosperity booster” in Chinese traditions. Hence, it came to be known as the money plant. It can grow rather tall and take over the entire room if not trimmed at regular intervals. Money plants are known to remove pollutants that come from carpets and synthetic paints. However, do keep in mind that their leaves can be poisonous if ingested. So if you have a child or pet at home, keep the money plant’s pot away from their reach.
Money plants are known to remove pollutants that come from carpets and synthetic paints. (Image: Mokkie via Wikimedia Commons)
Spider plant
These do not perform well when it comes to sucking up toluene and benzene. However, they have an 80 percent removal rate for pollutants like p-Xylenes, o-Xylenes, ethylbenzene, and acetone. Since these are very easy to grow, they are an excellent choice of air-purifying plants for people keeping plants in their bedroom for the first time. Spider plants love bright, indirect sunlight.
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