10 Best Houseplants for Indoor Air Quality Benefits

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I will be the first to admit it, I have a plant problem. I know that there are people out there who have way more plants than me, but I am a plant sucker. Every time I am at Home Depot, Trader Joe’s, or now even scrolling Amazon,  you better believe I am taking home a new plant friend. The Costa Farms Shop on Amazon has literally any plant you could want or imagine and they ship it directly to you! What’s even cooler? Plants not only look great and make you feel happy and alive, but they benefit you!  An even bigger plus, is you don’t need a green thumb. Plants are pretty hard to kill, trust me I know! Plants are also amazing air purifiers. This blog post will cover the best indoor plants for air quality. Clean air is so important, especially in your living space!

Taylor(The Clean Living Nurse) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

**If you have pets and are concerned about toxicity of plants always do research on what plants are toxic to pets. I tried to include if possible, but I am not an expert on plant toxicity to pets.

Plants bring so much to a home!

How do indoor plants purify the air?

Plants are so cool! Not only do they add a great aesthetic appeal to any home environment, but most are actually pretty low maintenance(the only way I have been able to keep many alive!) 

They are great in any home environment, and an added benefit is that they will help purify the air you breathe. Plants use a process called phytoremediation to clear the environment from pollutants. Plants are living and breathing! According to Fronteirsin.org, plants purify the air through different mechanisms such as absorption, dilution, precipitation, and filtration. Remember learning about photosynthesis in science class? Photosynthesis is the process through which plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, this process cleanses the air as well.

What is our indoor air quality?

Did you know that indoor air quality is actually more poor than the air outside? The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)  reports that indoor air pollution can be 2-5x higher pollution than outdoor air quality. The American Lung Association reports that the average person spends 90% of their time indoors. Unfortunately, most of the products we use are made of potentially harmful ingredients to our health. VOCs (Volatile organic compounds) are found in our homes from off-gassing from furniture, paint products, cleaning products we use, building materials, etc. All of these can give off VOCs that don’t smell usually and you cannot see them or taste them. They are, however, very bad for our health. 

If you have been around my page for any amount of time, you know that I want to help you clean up your living environment in the best possible way. There are so many free things you can do to help clean up your air quality if an air purifier is not in your budget currently. If you are in the market for the best air purifier check out my Air Doctor Review here.

What Can We Do?

Besides removing shoes in the home, using non-toxic cleaning products, and opening windows for fresh air whenever you can, plants are actually an amazing addition to your home environment to reduce the environmental pollution load! Common VOCs found in the home include: formaldehyde, benzene, ethylene glycol, xylene, trichloroethylene, parabens, phthalates, and the list goes on. Other potential offenders that not many people are aware are lurking in their homes are mold, radon, and asbestos. While plants can potentially help a good majority of these offenders, you should always get your home professionally tested and remediated for things such as mold, radon, and asbestos. The term “sick building syndrome” is a very real thing. People can get very sick from the environments they live in.

Let’s get into the best indoor plants for air quality!

All of these listed are considered low-maintenance plants and rank high as the best indoor plants for air quality. This is by no means a definitive guide on how to care for these plants, so always do your own watering research!

1. Pothos Plant– I feel like this is one of the most popular and common house plants as they are usually very simple to care for and they look great! These plants usually need water about every 9 days or so. Pothos are known to help remove formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, and trichloroethylene.

2. Snake Plants– This is also another very common house plant, and I have to say, this is definitely the plant that requires the LEAST maintenance! They actually thrive in dry conditions and I have to admit I probably water mine once every couple months and it is thriving! They also are known to flourish in all forms of lighting: low indirect light to high light. They are great air purifiers and are known to help remove carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, and trichloroethylene.

3. Monstera– you have probably seen this plant around a lot as it is a very “trendy” plant. Its signature “swiss cheese” look on the large leaves gives it its signature appearance, although my Monstera only has one leaf with the “swiss cheese” leaf. Monstera plants are considered tropical plants but seem to adapt well in all climates. They are known for helping to remove benzene and formaldehyde.

4.  Dumb Cane Plant– this plant is super easy to care for and low maintenance as well, but it should be known that it is toxic to both humans and pets if ingested! It is known to help remove xylene from the air.

5.  Chinese Money Plant or UFO Plant– this is one of my favorite plants! You will notice it gets its name from the leaves as they look like UFOs! Chinese money plants like bright but indirect lighting and usually watering every week or so depending on the soil’s dryness. The cool thing about this plant is that it will grow its own little plants called “pups” or babies. You can propagate these and grow them separately! I am no propagating expert and have not done this, so I am not one to tell you how to do that! These plants are known to help remove xylene, benzene, and formaldehyde. 

6. Gerbera Daisy– this is not one I would have thought of as an indoor plant, but this plant does well inside. Also, it adds more beauty with its flowers compared to traditional houseplants. I would have never thought to bring it indoors, but as long as it has direct sunlight and a good watering schedule it will thrive indoors! It can take up to 24 weeks for the flowers to bloom after planting Here is a great article on “winterizing” these flowers if you choose to do so. It is known to help remove toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide.

7.  Boston Fern– this plant just reminds me of summertime and makes me so happy! I normally would think this plant is an outdoor plant only, as you usually see them on a lot of front porches during the summertime, but it is also an indoor plant! This plant looks great in hanging planters. It prefers filtered light. It is known to help remove toxins like xylene and formaldehyde.

8.  Peace Lilly– Not only is this a beautiful plant, but it is a powerhouse in air purification! Peace lilies according to NASA are one of the best air purifying plants for indoor environments. Did you know NASA did a clean-air study? Super cool! The Peace lily is great at absorbing mold spores and removing excess moisture from the air. It doesn’t need much light and is great for places with humidity like a bathroom. If you suffer from asthma or allergies, this is a great plant for you. The leaves are known to be toxic to pets, however. They are also known to help reduce benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, xylene, and trichloroethylene.

9. Palms– all forms of palm plants like the areca palm, bamboo palms, and the lady palm are considered easy to low maintenance and are a great addition to larger areas with their lush foliage like a living room. They do well in filtered light. There are several different types of palms and they are all great air purifiers. They are also known to help reduce formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, and chloroform.

10.  Chinese Evergreen– Also a great low-maintenance, low light plant option. There are different types of chinese evergreens but all do well at purifying the air. They are known to help remove benzene and formaldehyde. 

Which indoor plant purifies the air the most?

All of the above mentioned are great for indoor air pollutants. I wouldn’t say there is one specific plant that purifies the air the most. Other great plants to include as great popular houseplants that are great for air quality include: spider plants, English ivy, rubber plants, and aloe vera.

What plant removes 78% of airborne mold?

English Ivy can remove up to 78% of airborne mold. Peace Lilly is also a great plant for airborne mold

What plants are good for removing toxins from the air?

Really, you cannot go wrong with any plant! They are full of life and will help your living environment no matter the plant.

Costa Farms- has a “Clean Air Bundle” that gives you 3 easy to maintain plants that are powerhouse air cleaners. So great for housewarming gifts, Mother’s Day present, birthdays, or for yourself!

I hope this blog post was beneficial for you! You can clean up your living environment with the power of plants!