5 Easy Air-Purifying Plants
For the longest time, I only had a single plant in my house. But after watching one too many home renovation TV shows and scrolling through my friend’s plant-based Instagram @rootandwell, I decided my house needed some plant love.
Plants are an easy and inexpensive way to decorate your house and purify the air! Many common varieties of houseplants can remove air pollutants such as benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene! These plants are not only NASA recommended for purifying air but they’re also easy to take care of! Easy care is super important for me since I have a full plate and some what of a black thumb.
These 5 plants are very common and can be found at your local nursery or hardware store.
Snake Plant
Snake plants are really hard to kill. For a few years the only plant I had was a snake plant. I kept it in the bathroom where I would forget to open the blinds so it would get enough light and I watered it sporadically. And despite my lack of effort it’s still going strong!
Now, I’m better about watering it weekly and making sure it gets bright indirect light.
Basic Care:
- Water: let soil dry between waterings
- Light: indirect light
Peace Lily
Peace lilies are the only one on this list that has a flower. These are stunning plants that are also great at removing contaminants in the air. Peace lilies prefer humid climates so make sure you keep it away from a draft.
Basic Care:
- Water: frequently in summer, less in winter; never let the plant dry out
- Light: indirect light
Golden Pothos
Golden Pathos goes by many names including devil’s ivy and money plant. These plants are one of the easiest to grow and can get up to 10+ feet long! You can trim the plants to make the base more full and put the cuttings in water to sprout a new plant!
Golden Pathos have a high air purification rate but can be toxic to animals. So, be sure to keep out of your pet’s reach.
Basic Care:
- Water: let soil dry out completely in between waterings
- Light: bright indirect light
Chinese Evergreen
Chinese Evergreens are popular in China for their ability to efficiently remove pollutants in the air. These plants do well in full shade and only need to be watered occasionally.
Basic Care:
- Water: water thoroughly in summer and mist occasionally, water less in the winter and do not let the soil dry out
- Light: indirect light
Spider Plant
For plant newbies, the Spider Plant is a great options because it is resilient and one of the few houseplants that is non-toxic to pets!
Basic Care:
- Water: allow soil to dry out in between waterings
- Light: bright indirect light
What do you think? Do you already have some of these at home? What are your favorite easy air-purifying house plants? Tell me in the comments!
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