I thought I was pretty cool until I realized plants can eat sun and poop out oxygen.
Some of you might know that the air in our homes is more toxic then outdoor air. There are benefits of indoor plants many clean indoor air, are easy to take care of and require little sun. Another fact many do not know is that the majority of plants stop giving off oxygen at night. We will discover the plants that can clean our indoor air of toxins and the plants that give us oxygen 24/7.
Toxins in Indoor Air
There are many toxins we are exposed to in our homes. I’ll share with you which toxins are in indoor air and where they are coming from.
- Benzine – lubricants, dyes, rubber, detergent and drugs
- Carbon Monoxide – Diapers, textiles and water treatments
- Formaldehyde – Cabinets, clothing, furniture, curtains, flooring, carpets, glue, paint, caulks, pesticides, cosmetics, soap, shampoo and detergents
- Xylene – Paint, nail polish, varnishes, rubber cement and adhesives
- Trichloroethylene – Paint, stain removers, dry cleaning, carpet cleaners, metal cleaners and varnish
- Toluene – Nail products and hair dyes
- Ammonia – Window cleaners
Some of the health issues associated with these toxins are, cancer, headaches, itchy eyes, reproductive issues, negative effect on the nervous system, coughs, sore throat and more. While we know some of these can be other issues why take a chance instead buy some plants
Plants for Clean Air
Here is a list of plants for clean air, also the ones that give off oxygen 24/7 and how to care for them.
Warning: Most of these are toxic to animals if ingested
Cleans the air of formaldehyde, higher oxygen producer, indirect bright light, water when leaves start to droop.
Cleans the air of Carbon Monoxide, Benzene, Formaldehyde, Xylene and Trichloroethylene, higher oxygen producer, full to partial sun, moist, but do not over water. Can grow up to 8 feet indooors.
Cleans air from Ammonia, Benzene, Formaldehyde, Xylene, best air purifier, higher oxygen producer, best started from seed in a planter, full sun, moist soil, do not over water, grows 4 to 36 inches tall depending on the breed.
Cleans air of Benzene and Trichloroethylene, high oxygen provider, releases oxygen at night, start in the garden and then cut some and put them in a vase near a place with partial sun
Cleans air of Xylene, releases oxygen 24/7, grows to 1 to 4 feet indoors, partial sun, moist do not over water.
Cleans air of Benzene, Formaldehyde, Xylene, Trichloroethylene, provides high oxygen, partial sun, keep moist do not over water, requires regular pruning as it can quickly reach the ceiling.
Cleans air of Benzene and Trichloroethylene, high oxygen provider, releases oxygen at night, start in the garden and then cut some and put them in a vase near a place with partial sun/
Cleans air of Formaldehyde, Benzene, Xylene, Trichloroethylene, provides oxygen 24/7, partial sun, I water mine about once a month. I had another one that I over watered and it died.
Cleans air of Formaldehyde, Xylene, partial light, water when leaves begin to go downwards, releases high levels of oxygen.
There are more than these if you want to take a look you can go to 23-Highest Oxygen Producing Air Purifying Plants. I choose these due to their ability to put off more oxygen. To find out more about them you can go to The Spruce and do a search.
I have a Spider plant, Snake plant and Aloe Vera and my experience with them is that they require little water. I think I water them once a month. Bothe the Spider and Aloe Vera start to get weepy, meaning their leaves start going down instead of standing up. All the plants I have reproduce on their own.
Do not repot them until they get used to their new home or they will get stressed and die. Where ever you place them be sure they can grow into their space. When you do repot, place the plant back where it was, as repotting it and moving it will shock it and it will die. No, I’m not an expert, just did these things wrong and talked to a gardener about my experience. To learn more about these plants go to The Spruce Plants A – Z.
Buying Plants on Amazon
I have bought multiple plants off of Amazon and never had an issue with any of them. The links are affiliate of which I receive a small percentage, to contribute funds to my business, at no additional cost to you
Do you have any of the plants mentioned? Share your experience so others may learn from your knowledge.
Enjoy your cleaner air.