Best House Plants to Detoxify Your Home

In this article, you’ll find out what are the best plants to detoxify your home. There are many air-purifying plants that you can order online and many of them have been scientifically shown to reduce the amount of toxic chemicals indoors.

According to NASA, many plants can remove airborne toxins released by cleaning products, paints, and furniture (such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene), as well as dust and germs. However, it’s important to remember that the role of plants in purifying indoor air and filtering out toxic chemicals is minor, and you’ll have to take more steps to make your home chemical-free. Let’s take a look at these plants:

 

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

Bamboo Palm

 

Bamboo Palm has been shown to significantly reduce trichloroethylene, benzene, and formaldehyde levels in indoor air. It’s worth placing it close to new furniture, a new mattress, or in a recently painted room.

Keep this plant away from dry, cool air, and make sure it gets plenty of water in spring and summer. Sometimes, this plants flowers and produces small berries, which are pretty but definitely inedible.

 

air purifying house plants

 

English Ivy

 

English Ivy is a low-maintenance plant that has been shown to remove fecal particles from indoor air effectively, so it’s recommended to keep it in the bathroom. This air-purifying plant can also help reduce the levels of mold and formaldehyde in your home. This plant needs regular watering and a few hours of direct sunlight a day.

 

air purifying house plants

Snake Plant (Mother-in-Law’s Tongue)

 

Snake Plant is known for releasing large amounts of oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide at night, so it’s a perfect plant to keep in your bedroom. It’s also been found to remove toxic chemicals commonly found in indoor air, so it will surely help you achieve healthy sleep. This plant does not need much watering and maintenance to thrive.

 

air detoxifying plants

 

Read More: Where to buy non-toxic paints?

 

Lacy Tree Philodendron

 

Lacy Tree Philodendron is especially effective when it comes to reducing levels of formaldehyde and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) at home. It’s a plant that’s easy to maintain, as long as you don’t change its environment too often.

It requires a bright space without direct sunlight and watering when the soil surface becomes dry. I don’t recommend this plant if you’ve got pets or small children at home as it can be toxic when ingested.

 

air purifying plants

 

Chrysanthemum

 

Chrysanthemum is a plant with beautiful flowers available in different colors to brighten up your home. It’s known for its air-filtering properties, so it will help you remove common indoor air pollutants, such as benzene, ammonia and formaldehyde. Make sure to keep the chrysanthemum in direct sunlight.

 

air detoxifying plants

 

Janet Craig

 

Janet Craig is a type of dracaena with rich green leaves. It effectively removes benzene from the air and filters out trichloroethylene and formaldehyde. It’s a low-maintenance air-purifying plant that thrives in low-lit places.

Janet Craig also needs liquid fertilizer once a month, and as its leaves are shiny, make sure to regularly remove dust with a damp cloth to get the most of its beauty.

 

air detoxifying plants

 

Spider Plant

 

Spider Plant is a low-maintenance plant with fantastic air-purifying qualities. It’s been shown to reduce the levels of carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and xylene in indoor air. Spider Plant is not toxic, so it’s great for homes with small children or pets, to animals.

It’s also very easy to maintain, as it’s very resistant and easy to regrow using its “spiders” that you can plant in a new pot with soil.

 

air purifying house plants

Mass Cane

 

Mass Cane is also called Corn Plant because its leaves remind corn leaves. This exotic plant can remove large amounts of formaldehyde and benzene from the air.  Mass Cane should be kept in moderately lit places with good humidity, it can be watered once a week.

 

air purifying house plants

Aloe Vera

 

Aloe vera is another low-maintenance plant that will help you remove formaldehyde and benzene (commonly found in paint and certain chemical cleaners) from the air. If you notice brown spots on its leaves, it may be an indicator of a high concentration of toxic pollutants in the air.

Aloe Vera is also used as a home remedy to soothe irritated skin, another good reason to keep it on your window sill.  Just make sure you keep it in a sunny place and don’t water it too often.

 

air detoxifying plants

 

Warneckii

 

Warneckii is a type of dracaena and it’s been shown to remove benzene, xylene, toluene, and trichloroethylene from indoor air. Keep it in a bright place without direct sunshine and water when the surface soil becomes dry. You can keep it in low-lit spaces, but it will grow much slower.

 

air purifying house plants

 

Broadleaf Lady Palm

 

Broadleaf Lady Palm will help you filter out formaldehyde, ammonia, and other chemicals found in house cleaning products. This plant will help you improve indoor air quality in spaces that have been recently refurbished or areas that are cleaned with harsh cleaning products on a daily basis.

This plant thrives in humid environments, so the best place to keep it is your bathroom. It doesn’t require much watering and can be kept in low-lit areas.

 

air purifying house plants

 

Red-Edged Dracena (Dragon Tree)

 

The Nasa study I mentioned before found that different types of Dracena can have air-purifying properties. These plants can remove trichloroethylene and xylene (one of the toxic solvents commonly used in the leather, rubber, and printing industries) from indoor air helping you improve indoor air quality.

This plant grows pretty fast and can become quite high, so keep it in a room with enough space for it to grow.

 

air detoxifying plants

Weeping Fig

 

Weeping figs (Ficus Benjamina) have been shown to be especially good at removing formaldehyde and xylene particles from the air. Formaldehyde is a chemical that is released by carpets, mattresses, furniture, and paints, while xylene is a gasoline additive that can evaporate into the air.

If you’re looking for a plant to help improve the air quality in your home, weeping figs are a great option. Just keep in mind that they’re quite delicate plants, so make sure you keep them away from drafts in a bright place with indirect sunlight.

 

air purifying house plants

Peace Lily

 

Peace Lily is known for its beautiful green leaves and flowers, it’s a very elegant plant and it will look great in modern interiors, it’s also easy to maintain. This plant has been shown to reduce formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, benzene, toluene, and xylene levels in indoor air. Make sure that this plant is kept in a humid place (such as your bathroom) and keep the soil moist, but don’t overwater.

 

air purifying house plants

Chinese Evergreen

 

Chinese Evergreen is a tropical plant that has been scientifically shown to filter out formaldehyde and benzene from indoor air. It should be kept in low-lit places and it likes humidity, so the best place to keep it is in your bathroom. Chinese Evergreen occasionally produces red berries that add an extra splash of color to this beautiful plant but remember that they are inedible.

 

air detoxifying plants

Golden Pothos

 

Golden Pothos, also known as Devil’s Daisy, is able to remove air pollutants such as benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, toluene and trichloroethylene from indoor air. This beautiful green plant has got thick, heart-shaped leaves. It will thrive in low-lit areas if you water it once a week and fertilize it once a month in warm months.

 

air purifying house plants

 

Banana Plant

 

Banana Plant has been shown to remove significant amounts of formaldehyde from the air. Banana Plant will help you filter out this toxic chemical from the air if you’ve just bought new furniture or refurbished your house. This plant should be kept in a well-lit place with plenty of water, especially in warm seasons.

 

air purifying house plants

Barberton Daisy (Gerbera Daisy)

 

Barberton Daisy has got beautiful yellow, orange, and pink flowers. This plant has been shown to effectively remove toxic chemicals, such as trichloroethylene and benzene, from indoor air. Make sure that the plant gets at least six hours of direct sunlight and plenty of water but maintain the soil well-drained, also make sure to mist the leaves a few times a week.

 

air purifying house plants

 

Read More: What is off gassing and how to reduce it?

 

Can I Buy Plants Online?

 

Amazon is a great place to buy plants online. You can find a wide variety of live house plants, seeds, and bulbs. The prices are reasonable; you can order them with beautiful pots, soil, and fertilizer. If you want to receive your plants as soon as possible, you can use Amazon Prime.

There are other online shops selling plants, including Terrain and Etsy. However, Amazon is one of the best places to buy plants online because of its variety and convenience.

Which plants produce oxygen at night?

 

Here are some of our favorite plants that produce oxygen at night:

  • Areca Palm
  • Snake plant
  • Gerbera
  • Christmas Cactus
  • Spider plant
  • Tulsi
  • Neem Tree
  • Aloe Vera
  • Peepal tree
  • Peace Lily
  • Orchid

Plants that produce oxygen at night should be placed on a windowsill or table near the head of your bed. These plants will:

  • Keep the air clean
  • Absorb carbon dioxide, which is harmful to humans
  • Help you sleep better knowing you’re breathing in fresh oxygen all night long
  • You’ll feel refreshed when you wake up each morning

 

Is it healthy to have plants in your bedroom?

 

A popular belief is that all plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air. But this is not true for all plants all the time. Some plants only produce oxygen during photosynthesis, such as during the day. Then at night, it’s reversed and they release carbon dioxide instead. This is why you must be aware of your bedroom’s plants.

Plants are perfectly safe and beneficial to keep in your bedroom but to avoid a slight decrease in oxygen, choose some plants that continue to produce oxygen at night.  

 

Is having too many plants in your room bad?

 

You would have to have an enormous amount of plants producing carbon dioxide to notice a change in your ease of breathing. And you would have to be in a tightly enclosed space, such as a spaceship. Since most of us don’t live in a spaceship, we’re safe to have as many plants as we like. Especially the oxygen-producing ones.

 

Do plants help with dust?

 

Ironically, they collect more dust than they get rid of. There is no magical conversion of dust into something else. But, they do reduce the dust in your home significantly. They do this through the leaves of the plant. The rougher and hairier the leaves, the more dust they can trap from the air.

 

Can plants filter viruses?

 

No, there is no evidence that plants can filter viruses. They might be able to reduce the levels of common household VOCs, like benzene or formaldehyde, but not viruses. They may also be able to filter out bacteria and germs. Even if they don’t filter viruses, they’re still handy to have around the house!

 

Which houseplants absorb the most co2?

 

Trees are generally considered to be the best means of absorbing co2. Their “woody biomass” is ideal for maximum storage of the gas. The size of the tree itself and its extensive root structure will determine its effectiveness.

Any tree will absorb co2, but there are some that are especially effective. Not everyone has space to keep a tree as a houseplant, but there are a few options. These are some trees and houseplants that absorb a lot of co2:

  • Spider plant
  • Golden Pothos
  • Kadaka Fern
  • Philodendron
  • Bamboo palm
  • Schefflera
  • Evergreen trees, such as the Douglas fir

 

How effective are plants at purifying the air?

 

Plants can absorb bad stuff and convert it to something useful like oxygen. But, the scale at which they do this means that they don’t scratch the surface of purifying indoor air in a typical office or home.

You cannot simply purify your air by having plants in your home. They don’t do harm, and they will aid your efforts, but they don’t get the job done on their own. You can read more about it through this study.

This is contrary to popular belief, nonetheless, the studies show that they are not as effective as many people make them out to be. This doesn’t negate the many other benefits indoor plants bring to your home:

  • They act as a great way to bring life to your room
  • They add oxygen to the air
  • They relieve stress, nature tends to have that effect
  • They can also release essential oils and natural fragrances that can aid in relaxation and sleep.

 

How many plants does it take to purify the air in a room?

 

National Geographic had this to say, “To reduce VOCs enough to impact air quality would require around 10 plants per square foot. In a small 500-square foot apartment, that’s 5,000 plants, a veritable forest.”

As nice as an indoor forest sounds, it’s not practical. The more plants, the better. As I said before, there is no such thing as too many plants. But, to take full advantage of the benefits of your many indoor plants, make sure you have a variety of different plants.

This study tells us that plants function differently from each other, meaning some will be able to process and absorb a chemical that another plant may not be able to. So having a good variety of plants will give you a better chance of reaping the benefits of indoor plants.

 

Conclusion

 

House plants are an excellent natural way of improving air quality in your home. They can be especially useful in newly painted or refurbished houses, rooms with new furniture and mattresses, and spaces often cleaned with harsh detergents.

Apart from removing toxins from the air, many of them produce a lot of oxygen at night, which will help improve your sleep quality so you can wake up feeling well-rested and refreshed. To further improve air quality at your home, vacuum frequently and follow our tips for a chemical-free home.

 

Read More: What’s the best air purifier?

 

About the Author Kamila Flieger

My name is Kamila, and I'm passionate about researching non-toxic, organic products for the home. I believe it's so important to create a safe and healthy environment for our families, and I enjoy helping others do the same.

follow me on:

Leave a Comment: