What do a spaceship and your living quarters or office have in common? Unfortunately, the most likely answer is poor air quality. Indoor air pollutants are one of the top five environmental risks to our health. Stagnant indoor environments allow pollutants to accumulate at a higher level than people should be breathing in. Exposure to these spaces for prolonged periods can have a range of negative effects on the human body, leading to headaches, dizziness, nausea and skin irritation. Luckily for us, NASA has discovered a simple solution for its spacecraft that is suitable for everyone - using plants to purify the air.
How do plants help clean up polluted air?
Considering that people spend around 90% a day inside, air quality is extremely important. Furniture, cushions, synthetic building materials and cleaning products can emit a whole range of toxic compounds, such as formaldehyde. Other indoor air pollutants include pollen, bacteria and mould. Poor indoor ventilation further aggravates the situation.
Fortunately, there is good news - there is a very easy and cheap way to control air pollution - plants. Adding potted plants to your room has been proven to reduce the presence of air pollutants.
How do potted plants clean the air? When plants take in carbon dioxide, they also pick up some particles from the air. In addition, certain plant-associated micro-organisms, which are mainly found in the soil of potted plants, help to clean it. In addition to cleaning the air, plants also help to improve our general well-being. As an example, we give the example of patients who installed plants in their rooms and the results were significant - patients who were placed in rooms with plants were more positive and had lower blood pressure and lower stress levels. And some studies also suggest that plants "make us smarter" through increased concentration and reduced mental fatigue.
Suitable plants for purifying indoor air
At first glance, we may have preconceived ideas about incorporating plants into our living spaces. Concerns about the care of these plants are often at the forefront of our minds, but we are lucky - in fact, most plants are very easy to care for. We will even go one step further and say that, for most of them, you would have to do a pretty good job if you wanted to kill them. So below we've compiled a list of six almost indestructible plants that will help you clean the air in your home. Each of them has its own favourite conditions in terms of heat, water and sun, which we'll cover in this article.
Chrysanthemum
According to NASA research, it is the winner among plant-based air purifiers because it removes ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde and benzene from the air. It is very popular and inexpensive, and can be transplanted outside when it has finished flowering. Its soil should be kept regularly moist. They love plenty of sun. Water moderately or once a week.
Crested Zelenčica
One of the easiest pot plants to care for on this list. Very suitable for beginners and people who like to forget things. It loves strong and indirect sunlight, but does not need much heat (anything above 5 degrees Celsius) or humidity. It should be watered heavily during peak growth and fertilised once a week in mid-year. It removes formaldehyde and xylene from the air.
Dragonfly
There are more than 40 different types of kites, so it's easy to find the right one for your home or office. They are common deciduous plants with long and broad leaves, often variegated with red, white or cream lines. They are best placed in a room where there is sufficient light and where the temperature is above 13 degrees Celsius. The soil must be kept evenly moist. Pet owners should, however, stay away from dragonflies, as they are toxic or even poisonous to cats and dogs. Removes benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene and xylene.
Spatifil
They are relatively small compared to most of the other plants on this list, but still have surprisingly high air purifying abilities. Easy to maintain, they flower for most of the summer. The only thing to be aware of is that this flowering means adding scent and pollen to the air. So if you are prone to hay fever, it may not be the best idea to have too many of them in your home. They like shade and moist soil (make sure you don't overwater). They thrive in room temperatures (above 20 degrees is optimum) and fertilise twice a week. Regular watering is necessary. Removes ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.
Green fern
One of the best known plants on this list, it has light green or dark green leaves. It likes cooler rooms with high humidity and indirect light. They respond best at temperatures between 15 and 24 degrees Celsius. They are fairly easy to care for but need to stay moist. They need to be checked daily to see if they need water (and watering 2-3 times a week is generally a good idea), but once a month it is a good idea to give them a fair soaking. Removes formaldehyde and xylene.
The Thai language
One of the hardest pot plants to kill, with thick and fleshy green leaves (sometimes with yellow edging). Prefers dry places, a little sun and only needs watering occasionally - recommended twice a week. Keep it in rooms above 13 degrees, as anything below that it will not tolerate. Removes benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, trichloroethylene.
Air ioniser as a replacement and upgrade for plant use
Sometimes it happens that we really don't have time to look after the plants, we have pollen allergies, or we have pets that are not compatible with the pot plants we want. In this case, an air ioniser is the perfect solution - not only does it remove even the smallest micrometer-sized harmful particles (which plants and other air purifiers can't), it also saves us from allergies, pollen, asthma high blood pressure and generally improves our well-being. You can read more about its uses and benefits at this link.
