Posted by Isidore Goodfellow in Health & Fitness | 1 Comment
Improve Indoor Air Quality With These…
Every time I see a plant in the house, I see the beauty of the Nature. I am not talking about artificial plants, but real living plants in pots inside our homes.
Interior designers have used them to make houses more welcoming for many years. It is always nice to live with nature inside our big cities. Plants are our friends. They retain carbon and free oxygen for us to breathe. They give us a shade when it is too sunny and hot outside. We love to see them around our streets and in our garden.
Outside, the air is generally well filtered but inside our home, we might be alarmed if we could see in the microscope how polluted is the air we breathe. Remember that the material used for the construction of our homes, the equipment we use inside etc., can be a source of indoor air pollution.
Julie Knapp, a “Mother Nature Network” contributor, tells us more about some plants that can make our indoor living more healthy.
Julie Knapp, 15 houseplants for improving indoor air quality-A breath of fresh air
In the late ’80s, NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America studied houseplants as a way to purify the air in space facilities. They found several plants that filter out common volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Lucky for us, the plants can also help clean indoor air on Earth, which is typically far more polluted than outdoor air. Other studies have since been published in the Journal of American Society of Horticultural Science, further proving the science. Want to see the best plants? Read on. (Text: Julie Knapp)
Aloe (Aloe Vera)
This easy-to-grow, sun-loving succulent helps clear formaldehyde and benzene, which can be a byproduct of chemical-based cleaners, paints and more. Aloe is a smart choice for a sunny kitchen window. Beyond its air-clearing abilities, the gel inside an aloe plant can help heal cuts and burns.
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Even if you tend to neglect houseplants, you’ll have a hard time killing this resilient plant. With lots of rich foliage and tiny white flowers, the spider plant battles benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and xylene, a solvent used in the leather, rubber and printing industries. As an added bonus, this plant is also considered a safe houseplant if you have pets in the house. (Find more houseplants that are safe for pets.)
Gerber daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)
This bright, flowering plant is effective at removing trichloroethylene, which you may bring home with your dry cleaning. It’s also good for filtering out the benzene that comes with inks. Add one to your laundry room or bedroom — presuming you can give it lots of light.
Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’)
Also known as mother-in-law’s tongue, this plant is one of the best for filtering out formaldehyde, which is common in cleaning products, toilet paper, tissues and personal care products. Put one in your bathroom — it’ll thrive with low light and steamy humid conditions while helping filter out air pollutants.
Golden pothos (Scindapsus aures)
Another powerful plant for tackling formaldehyde, this fast-growing vine will create a cascade of green from a hanging basket. Consider it for your garage because car exhaust is filled with formaldehyde. (Bonus: Golden pothos, also know as devil’s ivy, stays green even when kept in the dark.)
Chrysanthemum (Chrysantheium morifolium)
The colorful flowers of a mum can do a lot more than brighten a home office or living room; the blooms also help filter out benzene, which is commonly found in glue, paint, plastics and detergent. This plant loves bright light, and to encourage buds to open, you’ll need to find a spot near an open window with direct sunlight.
Red-edged dracaena (Dracaena marginata)
The red edges of this easy dracaena bring a pop of color, and the shrub can grow to reach your ceiling. This plant is best for removing xylene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde, which can be introduced to indoor air through lacquers, varnishes and gasoline.
Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina)
A ficus in your living room can help filter out pollutants that typically accompany carpeting and furniture such as formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethylene. Caring for a ficus can be tricky, but once you get the watering and light conditions right, they will last a long time.
Azalea (Rhododendron simsii)
Bring this beautiful flowering shrub into your home to combat formaldehyde from sources such as plywood or foam insulation. Because azaleas do best in cool areas around 60 to 65 degrees, they’re a good option for improving indoor air in your basement if you can find a bright spot.
English ivy (Hedera helix)
A study found that this plant reduces airborne fecal-matter particles. It has also been shown to filter out formaldehyde found in some household cleaning products.
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