Houseplants don't just add natural beauty and a sense of serenity to your home — numerous studies show that certain plants also absorb dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOC) and clean the air. To see the greatest air quality improvement, add two of the following beneficial houseplants per 100 square feet of living space.
- Peace lily. These attractive blooming plants effectively remove three of the most toxic VOCs — benzene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde, but they also tackle toluene, xylene and acetone vapors.
- Bamboo Palm. Compact and shade-loving, this palm scrubs the air of benzene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde.
- Golden pothos. This decorative, fast-growing vine absorbs formaldehyde, ozone, and benzene along with deadly carbon monoxide gas, so it's ideal to place near the entry to your attached garage.
- Snake plant. Also known as "mother-in-law's tongue," thus compact plant thrives in the low-light and humid conditions of a bathroom. It effectively scrubs the air of formaldehyde, a common VOC found in personal care, cleaning and paper products.
- Spider plant. The low-maintenance and resilient spider plant filters out the hazardous solvent xylene, along with carbon monoxide, ozone, benzene and formaldehyde.
- Chrysanthemum. A "mum" needs a sunny spot to produce its cheery, colorful blooms but it's the abundant greenery that works hard to rid the air of ammonia, benzene, xylene and formaldehyde.
- Asparagus fern. This lacy, low-maintenance relative of the garden vegetable draws out octane, toluene, benzene and alpha-pinene, a chemical found in deodorizers and air fresheners.
- Red-edged dracaena. Here's a distinctive potted plant that thrives even if you occasionally forget to water it, and it's a good choice for removing toxins like benzene, formaldehyde, toluene and xylene.
- English ivy. This fast-growing, climbing vine does well even in poorly-lit locations and its lush, dark-green leaves are mini-filters for formaldehyde and airborne mold spores.
- Lady palm. Place this leafy, compact palm in a bedroom or main living area and it can help eradicate ammonia that leaches from dyes, fabrics and cleaning products.
For more tips on using houseplants and other methods to clean the air in your Forty Wayne home, contact us today at Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about indoor air quality and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 260-376-2961.
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