TOP TEN HOUSEPLANTS THAT HELP REMOVE POLLUTANTS FROM YOUR HOME

With the winter approaching and the weather turning cooler we spend more time indoors with the windows closed. Although you cannot see them the air in your house is filled with all kinds of pollutants. The good news is that there is an easy way to combat this problem and that is to grow one or more houseplants which act as natural air purifiers. I found an article by Tricia Drevets over at Dave’s Garden website which describes ten of the best hardy indoor plants for this purpose.

Did you know that the air inside our homes and workplaces is filled with all kinds of pollutants?

With the colder months of weather upon us, we are spending more time indoors. But did you know that the air inside our homes and workplaces is filled with all kinds of pollutants?
Indoor air pollution can be caused by a variety of factors, including molds, bacteria, pollen and pet hair. In addition, outdoor contaminants, such as vehicle exhaust and factory fumes, can enter our indoor spaces through doors, windows and other openings.
The good news is that there is an easy, inexpensive and effective way to clean you indoor air. By adding some easy to grow plants to your home, you can actually help purify your air.
Plants can actually absorb some of the dangerous air pollutants. In addition, they add fresh oxygen to our indoor environment. NASA, which has conducted extensive research on the effect of plants on indoor air, calls potted plants part “nature?s life support system.”
Here are 10 hardy indoor plants that will help clean the air in your home or office:
1. Spider Plant
These easy to grow plants practically thrive on neglect. Spider plants enjoy bright, indirect sunlight, and they can tolerate cooler temperatures. Best of all, they send out shoots, or spiderettes, that you can root in water or soil,
Spider plants help remove formaldehyde and xylene from your indoor environment.
2. Garden Mum
NASA research shows that the ubiquitous garden mum is a hard-working indoor air cleaner. Be sure to pick a few of these inexpensive colorful plants up from your garden center this fall to liven up your home. Then you can plant them outside next spring.
They can remove ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and xylene from the indoor air.
3. Dracaena
These hardy foliage plants are available in dozens of different varieties. They commonly have attractive long, wide leaves that are variegated with white or red lines.
They are hard workers too, removing dangerous benzene, formaldehyde, xylene and trichloroethylene from the air.
Please note that dracaena can be toxic to pets, so be sure to keep them out of reach of your furry friends.