We spend about 90% of our times indoors – It’s important to breathe clean, healthy air because of this! In our own homes we can be surrounded by toxins can cause illnesses and allergies.
Some of those toxins include:
- + Xylene, a pollutant found in paint and glues.
- + Benzene is found in paints, glues, detergents and tobacco smoke.
- + Formaldehyde is a toxin found in wood products, foam insulation, cosmetics and some fabrics.
- + Chloroform is a chemical used as a solvent; it is a substance that helps other substances dissolve.
- + Trichloroethylene is mainly found in paint removers, rug cleaning solutions, adhesives and more.
- + Carbon Monoxide is found in fumes produced every time you burn fuel (cars, grills, lanterns, stoves, fireplaces, etc).
House plants have proven to help reduce the amount of pollutants in the air we breathe; they balance indoor humidity, absorb excess carbon dioxide and pollutants, as well as, release oxygen.
There are many plants that purify and clean the air, these are just a few of our favorites:
- + Portulacaceae from the Purslane family: Apart from being great air purifying plants, they are also edible! Their leaves are extremely high in omega-3 fatty acids; more than any other leafy vegetable plant. Purslane is also rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals.
- + Orchidaceae or Orchid: Effective at removing xylene from the air by absorbing carbon dioxide, while also releasing oxygen at night, making them a great plant for the bedroom. Not only effective but also beautiful.
- + Boston Fern or Nephrolepis Exaltata: Eliminates formaldehyde and xylene. The Boston Fern is effective at removing formaldehyde and xylene while adding humidity to the indoor environment.
- + Aloe Vera from the Asphidelaceae family: It absorbs formaldehyde, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide. They say that one pot of aloe is equal to nine biological air cleaners. Apart from purifying the air, the Aloe Vera plant can also be used for lots of different recipes!
- + Cacti or Cactus: Cacti not only helps with cleaning the air around you, but is also very strong in eliminating bacteria and reducing radiation.
- + Elephant Ear Philodendron: This plant can grow to be pretty big, so definitely for a place with space. This ‘tropical plant’ consumes unsafe gases and other toxins in the air while rejuvenating air quality.
- + Snake Plant or Sansevieria Trifasciata: The Snake plant is especially good at clearing formaldehyde from the air indoors. It also produces oxygen and removes carbon dioxide at night.
- + Areca Palm or Dypsis Lutescens: Apart from being good looking, this palm reduces harmful toxins and increases the amount of oxygen in a room.
- + Monstera: This big beauty is great at absorbing formaldehyde and improving air quality at night. The Monstera plant is also very visually/aesthetically pleasing.
Just remember, every plant has it’s own specific care instructions. Follow those instructions accordingly to assure that your plant grows and purifies as effectively as it should!