5 Easy to Grow Houseplants That Also Help Clean the Air

As the temperatures drop during autumn in many part of the US, we gardeners are forced to turn our attention to indoor activities. Houseplants have long been a way to get a ‘gardening fix’ as we put our outdoor gardens to rest.

One of the main reasons to start adding indoor plants to your gardening habit is that studies have shown that these plants can help to clean harmful chemicals out of the air. These chemicals can enter our home and work environments from new carpeting, building materials, etc.

For a comprehensive list you can check out The NASA Clean Air Study Wikipedia Page. (While this page tells you which plants help to remove which chemicals, it doesn’t cover the growing conditions they need.)

So, to help you get started on the right plants for your home or office, I’ve compiled a list of 5 easy to grow plants that also help remove those nasty chemicals. The good news is that these are truly easy to grow and require minimal care.

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

Chemical Removed: formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene

Growing Conditions: moderate to bright indirect sunlight; cooler temperatures

Bonus: It makes more plants by sending out shoots of babies that you can plant in their own pots.

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllu m'Mauna Loa')

Chemical Removed: benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, toluene, and ammonia

Growing Conditions: moderate to low indirect sunlight

Bonus: Beautiful white "flowers," that are actually leaf bracts

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Chemical Removed: benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene

Growing Conditions: moderate to low indirect sunlight

Bonus: Keeps growing even under not so ideal conditions which is why it is nicknamed “the cubical plant”

Snake Plant/Mother-in-law’s Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata'Laurentii')

Chemical Removed: benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene

Growing Conditions: moderate to low indirect sunlight. Does well in drier conditions.

Bonus: Almost impossible to kill

Aloe (Aloe vera)

Chemical Removed: benzene and formaldehyde

Growing Conditions: direct sunlight and sandy soil

Bonus: The plant's leaves contain a clear liquid that is known to have wound-healing, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Happy Indoor Gardening!