Clean the Air in Your Home, Naturally!

Ok, so in the debut issue of Mother Earth Living, a wonderful magazine btw, they had an article discussing a home that had an atrium in it. The owner’s testified to how the oxygen levels in the home cured asthma and allergies. Yes, we are all a bunch of Earth loving hippies. The thing is, I thought there might be something to that. We all know plants put some much needed oxygen into the air.

But did you know the extent to which plants actually filter out harmful chemicals? Think chemicals from the paint on your walls, the chemicals in your carpet, and those awfully smelly (and toxic!) cleaning supplies. And our homes are so well insulated these days that these harmful pathogens (no I am not a doctor so I may have used this word incorrectly) just hang around in our homes until the get trapped in the air filter.

My solution? Fill your house with plants! According to those genius people at NASA (yup! Geniushood is required for employment at NASA), house plants are AMAZING!

Here’s why:

The plants listed below filter out benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and carbon dioxide. Some plants filter different airborne bad guys better than others, so be creative and mix and match! Also, Boston Ferns act as natural humidifiers! How cool is that?!

For those of you lacking a green thumb or are serial plant murderers, FEAR NOT! At least one plant on the below list is impossible to kill, short of setting it on fire and dancing naked around it while chanting, of course. Please do not do that. In fact, please do not do anything I suggest. Except give houseplants a try. They need homes too.

               Some of my plant babies, mmmm, smell that clean air!

 

Ok, so NASA studied plants:

(not sure if there are any pet/child toxic plants on here-double check before you buy!)

English Ivy (so pretty and low maintenance!)

Spider plant (also very low maintenance)

Golden Pothos

Peace Lily

Chinese Evergreen

Snake Plant (If you kill this plant, well nevermind, you CANNOT kill this plant. That’s why it’s commonly called a “mother-in-law” plant—no kidding).

Heartleaf Pholdendron

Selloum Philodendron

Red-Edged Dracarna

Elephant Ear Philodendron

Cornstalk Dracaena

Janet Craig Dracaena

Warneck Dracaena

Weeping Fig

Now, those are the ones NASA focused on. If you are a serial plant murderer, I am going to suggest the snake plant, spider plant, and English ivy combo. These are very easy to keep alive even under the harshest, most neglectful conditions. Also talk to the employees in the garden center where you shop, they are there for a reason and plant knowledge is that reason. Ask them what plants you can’t kill, what plants will do well in bathrooms, kitchens, low light, highlight, and so on.

Also, very very important note: For optimal results in cleaning air, it is recommended to use 1 houseplant for every 100 sq. ft. of house. So you live in a 1200 ft apartment? You need 12 plants.

Happy House Planting!

Yours Truly,

Isabelle

As always, if you enjoy please talk about it, share it, pin it, follow it!

 

Some information taken from  http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h110indoorair.html,specifically.

Google search NASA study on houseplants and clean air and a plethora of results will come up. J