Pure and fresh air is gradually becoming a luxury and for that indoor plants plays crucial role. This is because environmental pollution is increasing very rapidly, which has led to the depletion of air quality. Major cities of India are suffering a lot from smog and other pollutants from vehicles and various factories.
Houseplants help in refreshing and also revitalizing the interiors of a house by reducing indoor air pollution. These pollutants can cause various health-related problems such as asthma, allergy, respiratory problems etc., for prolonged exposure to poor air quality.
Benefits Of Air Purifying Plants
Plants have been beneficial in filtering out (VOC) Volatile Organic Compounds such as benzene, formaldehyde, toluene and also the ammonia released from organic chemicals released from products kept in households. The air that we breathe both when indoors or outdoors continuously threatens the people’s health.
Following are some of the benefits of Air Purifying Indoor Plants:
- Absorption of Carbon Dioxide and emission of oxygen from the plants helps in refreshing the air.
- Reduction of certain compounds or pollutants such as trichloroethylene, nitrogen dioxide etc.
- Controlling the humidity within the optimum level for improved human health.
- Helps in the reduction of the stress levels of the people living in the house.
- Helps by increasing the positive feelings by reducing the feeling of anger, anxiety, and sadness.
- Helps in faster recovering from mental tiredness.
- Helps in keeping the air temperature at a lower level.
Air Purifying Plants
When the air we are breathing indoors is observed to be worse off than that of outdoors, and it warrants the need for purification, here are eight air-purifying plants or anti-pollutant plants one can bring in. These can help a lot in the purification of the air and improving the air quality indoors.
- Aloe Vera
Aloe vera plant is one of the popular plants that is kept indoors in a house. This plant helps in filtering the formaldehyde and benzene out from the air indoors. They also absorb carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide from the air. This plant proliferates with very little maintenance. Moist soil and mild sunlight are enough for quickly propagating a single plant to multiple plants in a brief period of time.
- Peace Lily
The peace lily is being recognised as one of the best cleansing plants. Its classic and delicate plant with a power absorbing capability makes it the best plant for indoors. This plant also helps absorb benzene and formaldehyde, and other air pollutants, specifically in areas with poor ventilation. It is a plant that snowballs with very minimum effort and has pretty white flowers that grow.
- Golden Pothos
Golden pothos is being recognised as one of the most effective air-purifying plants. It is one of the best air purifiers to combat toxins such as formaldehyde, xylene, carbon monoxide etc. It is a plant that grows very easily and also can remain green even if it’s kept in a dark place indoors.
- Bamboo palm
It is also popularly known as butterfly palm or areca palm. It is one of the best air-purifying plants. It is a very hardy plant that helps filter benzene, formaldehyde, etc., from the air and makes it purified to breathe in for humans. It requires very moist soil and good air circulation for growing.
- Indian Basil
Indian basil plane is generally the name of the tulsi plant. It is one of the best air purifying or air cleansing plants. It has an anti-pollutant quality and is also used for very medicinal purposes. The tulsi plant requires regular sunlight for staying green and growing. So. It is a plant that should be kept near the window, and also it needs to be watered regularly.
- Snake Plant
The snake plant is known to help remove 107 air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen monoxide, chloroform etc. This plant is perfect for beginners with minimal knowledge about plantation and gardening as it requires very minimal attention and caretaking to grow.
- Blooming Orchids
- An orchid plant is a blooming and colourful plant to be kept indoors. It offers attention and beauty in the living room of the house. Dendrobium orchids help in getting rid of xylene. Xylene is a pollutant that comes from glue and paints. Orchids, when kept in a bright lighting space, thrive well.
- Green Spider Plant
The Green Spider plant is a plant that helps in eliminating xylene and even formaldehyde that is present indoors. It is a beneficial air purifying plant to be kept in the bedroom. This plant is a very safe plant and a non-toxic plant that is very safe for pets and children.
How Indoor Plants Cleans/Purifies the Air?
Indoor Plants kept inside the house cleans the air by the process of photosynthesis. Human beings breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide from the body. In the same way, plants follow the opposite approach of breathing in carbon dioxide and breathing out oxygen from it. Plants absorb carbon dioxide, light and also water to manufacture sugar. This chemical process helps create oxygen as a by-product that is being released into the air.
