8 types of ornamental plants help purify the air in the house

Aloe vera, snake plant, fern, peace lily… are ornamental plants that can filter dust and toxic chemicals in the house.

MSc. Dr. La Quy Huong, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi, said that on average, a healthy person breathes 20,000 times a day. A person who breathes polluted air indoors causes headaches, eye irritation, allergies, fatigue, and can lead to many respiratory diseases such as sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), indoor air pollution causes about 3.2 million deaths each year, of which more than 237,000 are children under 5 years old.

Many studies have shown that plants have the ability to absorb dust and toxic substances in the air such as formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, etc., especially in closed spaces with poor air circulation. In addition, they also help increase humidity and reduce room temperature. Below are some types of ornamental plants that help purify the air in the house, as suggested by Dr. Huong.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera purifies the air of benzene and formaldehyde - toxic gases that can cause cancer and are released from wooden objects or materials such as plywood, fiberboard, insulation; paint; wallpaper; household cleaning products; cigarette smoke; glue... This plant absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and releases oxygen at night, so it can be placed in the bedroom.

Aloe vera has the ability to indicate the amount of pollution in the air that exceeds the allowable level through brown spots on the stem. When the plant has many brown spots, it means that the air around that area is heavily polluted.

Tiger tongue

Snake plants help filter the air of harmful compounds such as formaldehyde, xylene, benzene, toluene, and trichloroethylene. In particular, snake plants absorb CO2 and release oxygen at night, contrary to the normal respiratory process of most plants, helping you breathe easier while sleeping.

Snake plants filter many toxic gases such as formaldehyde, xylene, benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene. Photo: Freepik — Snake plants filter many toxic gases such as formaldehyde, xylene, benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene. Photo: *Freepik*

Fern

This plant is known as an air purifier because of its ability to remove formaldehyde, some toxic metals such as arsenic, mercury,... and improve air humidity.

Peace lily

Peace lilies can improve indoor air quality by about 60% thanks to their ability to clean the air of many toxic substances such as formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene from car engines, indoor paints; ammonia from cigarette smoke, electronic components. In addition, they also help reduce the level of mold spores in the air.

Ivy

Doctor Huong said that ivy helps remove more than 55% of toxins in the air such as formaldehyde, formic aldehyde, benzene... At the same time, it helps absorb dust and filter toxins from cigarette smoke.

Dieffenbachia

This plant grows well in many environments, has the effect of absorbing dust and filtering the air. In particular, the Dieffenbachia plant has the ability to absorb toxic gases from office machines such as computers, printers, remove formaldehyde and many other volatile chemicals.

Pothos

In addition to the advantages of being easy to grow, easy to care for, and growing well in many environments, the pothos plant has the ability to absorb dust and filter the air effectively.

Bamboo palm

Bamboo palms are considered effective dust and toxic filter for closed spaces. At the same time, they also help create natural humidity thanks to their ability to produce one liter of water in the air every day.

Dr. Huong added that with an area of about 185 square meters, families should plant about 15-20 plants, each plant should use a pot of over 15 cm2 and gather many plants in a corner of each room to have good air filtration quality. Families should find out in advance whether the types of ornamental plants they plan to use are toxic to children, people with allergies, or pets before planting. In addition, increasing the number of plants can also affect humidity and promote the growth and proliferation of mold. Therefore, you need to control the humidity in the house, making sure to regularly drain excess water in the drip tray.

To improve air quality, use an air purifier; open windows or exhaust fans to increase air circulation; vacuum your home and dust leaves regularly; and keep carpets and curtains clean.

Trinh Mai

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