Best Indoor Air Cleaning Plants

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 9 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #1,264 in How-To, #12,664 overall

Air cleaning plants that make a difference

What started as a small idea, kept growing and growing - into an extensive list with accompanying images - of air cleaning plants that proved to remove the most pollutants out of the air we breathe inside our homes.

The conventional way of building new houses might be fast and convenient, however, it also "implements" our indoor environments with numerous toxins that cause all kinds of health issues to the residents of these homes.

Let's look at some of the most well known indoor air toxins - and where they come from:

  • formaldehyde - ubiquitous chemical found in virtually all indoor environments


    • foam insulation

    • particle board or pressed wood products used in manufacturing of the office furniture

    • consumer paper products which have been treated with UF resins, including grocery bags, waxed papers, facial tissues and paper towels

    • common household cleaners

    • UF resins are known to be used as stiffeners, wrinkle resisters, water repellents, fire retardants and adhesive binders in floor coverings, carpet backings and permanent-press clothes

    • other sources: heating and cooking fuels like natural gas, kerosene, and cigarette smoke

  • benzene - commonly used solvent, found in


    • gasoline

    • inks

    • oils and paints

    • plastics and rubber

    • also used in the manufacturing of detergents, explosives, pharmaceuticals, and dyes


  • carbon monoxide

  • trichloroethylene (TCE) - commercial product found in


    • metal degreasing and dry cleaning products

    • printing inks

    • paints and lacquers

    • varnishes and adhesives



    This lens is not about what kind of health-related problems each of the chemicals, mentioned above might be causing. Instead, we're focusing on solutions and improvement of the indoor air - with air cleaning plants.

    Every green plant helps cleaning the air. The ones, mentioned below just proved to be the most efficient ones in numerous studies, including those done by NASA.

Some general rules of thumb for air cleaning plants 

I spent quite some time to find all the beautiful photos of air cleaning plants listed. For a good reason. I'm quite sure that You'll take better care of your plants if they are also visually appealing to you, not just useful. For that - your plants will thank you with their best oxygen-producing performance.
  • air cleaning plants purify and renew our stale indoor air - by filtering out toxins, pollutants and carbon dioxide we exhale - and replacing them with pure oxygen
  • one houseplant per 100 square feet of living area or three plants per room should do the work (recommendations vary, some sources recommend the number of plants per person)
  • keep in mind that the more vigorous the plant, the more air it can filter
  • air cleaning plants indoor will perform best if they are not exposed to the draft
  • leaves of the air cleaning plants should be free of dust

Aloe Vera, Burn plant (Aloe barbabensis) 


Aloe vera at home

Photo courtesy of girishkatke

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Areca palm (Chrysalidocarpus) 

Back of my palm

Photo courtesy of false_profit65

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Australian sword fern 'Kimberly Queen' (Nephrolepis obliterata) 

Kimberly Queen ferns

Photo courtesy of barefootprinter

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Azalea (Rhododendron obtusum / simsii) 

Bonsai Azalea

Photo courtesy of bonsaikiptb

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Bamboo palm / Reed palm (Chamaedorea seifritzii) 

DSC00851

Photo courtesy of edible_plum

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) 

Boston Fern

Photo courtesy of Andrea Mutz-Mercier

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema modestum) 

Aglaonema modestum 1

Photo courtesy of Araceae

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Dumbcane (Dieffenbachia sp.) 

Dieffenbachia Amoena 'Tropic Snow'

Photo courtesy of jayjayc

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Dwarf date palm (Phoenix roebelenii) 

Dwarf Date Palm

Photo courtesy of Brispics

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

English ivy (Hedera helix) 

bowler hat in english ivy

Photo courtesy of zen

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Ficus (Ficus sp.) 

Fred Grinned Greenly, His Smile Contagious.

Photo courtesy of evilgreg3000

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Gerbera daisies (Gerbera sp.) 

When all else fails, give the one you love gerbera daisies...

Photo courtesy of pieceoflace

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Heart leaf philodendron (Philodendron sp.) 

Vine in Bright Sunlight

Photo courtesy of Melina.

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Janet Craig dracaena (Dracaena deremensis "Janet Craig") 

Dracaena Janet Craig Compacta

Photo courtesy of GreenScaper

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Marginata / Red-edged dracaena (Dracaena marginata) 

Madagascar Dragon Tree,Red Edged Dracaena

Photo courtesy of Siti Mariam Binti Othman

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Mass cane / Corn plant / Cane plant (Dracaena massangeana) 

Dracaena Massangeana Cane Plant

Photo courtesy of Donnie Lee

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Mother-in-law's tongue / Snake plant (Sansevieria laurentii / Sansevieria trifasciata) 

More light and shadows

Photo courtesy of sandiv999



For detailed description of this air cleaning plant, for care instructions, requirements and propagation click on the link below (a new window will open):
Mother in law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata) or Snake plant

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Mums (Chrysanthemum sp.) 

Mums

Photo courtesy of Grandma BJ

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Peace lily (Spatiphyllum "Mauna Loa") 

PEACE

Photo courtesy of algo

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Philodendron / Elephant ear philodendron (Philodendron domesticum) 

Philodendron melanochrysum

Photo courtesy of van swearingen

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Pothos, Golden Pothos (Epipremnum sp.) 

Be big!!

Photo courtesy of yoshiko314



For detailed description of this air cleaning plant, for care instructions, requirements and propagation click on the link below (a new window will open):
Pothos plant (Epipremnum aureum)

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Selloum philodendron (Philodendron selloum) 

Flower Hall Expo Garden, Kunming

Photo courtesy of Berl M Thomas

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Rubber plant (Ficus elastica) 

Ficus Elastica

Photo courtesy of greywood

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Spider Plants (Chlorophytum comosum) 

Chlorophytum comosum and others in our garden

Photo courtesy of jayjayc



For detailed description of this air cleaning plant, for care instructions, requirements and propagation click on the link below (a new window will open):
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Warneckii (Dracaena deremensis "Warneckii") 

Warneckii

Photo courtesy of found_drama

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) 

Ficus benjamina - 7 1/2 years old

Photo courtesy of GreenScaper

 

Plant clean air

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Do you have your favorite indoor air cleaning plant? 

How effective dou you think air cleaning plants are?

submit

Air cleaning plants and more 

Air cleaning plants and more - resources and reviewes 

How to with herbs in Daria's World

Nov 5, 2009 @ 12:03 pmBenefits of Elderberry from Daria's World
Benefits of Elderberry seem to be numerous - yet they are most often appreciated for their antioxidant properties, to lower cholesterol, boost the immune system, improve vision, heart health, for cold...
Nov 5, 2009 @ 10:56 amNatural Cold and Flu Rememedies: Elderberry Remedy from Daria's World
Natural Cold and Flu Remedies is a new series of posts on the topic of winter time most common health issues - cold and flu. Using Elderberry Remedy is just one of the natural ways to stay cold and fl...
Nov 3, 2009 @ 3:35 pmVitamin C Foods from Daria's World
There is not much vitamin C available in whole grains, seeds and beans. However, when whole grains, seeds and beans are sprouted, their vitamin C content boosts up and therefore, sprouts are good (vit...
Nov 3, 2009 @ 2:54 pmAscorbic Acid from Daria's World
Ascorbic acid vitamin C is the simplest, water soluble, and most readily available form of Vitamin C.
Nov 3, 2009 @ 2:20 pmCloves - Holiday Spice and More from Daria's World
Another favorite from our List of Herbs and What They're Used for category - Cloves - are well known to the majority of population as aromatic holiday spice in ham or cake. However, for centuries long...
Nov 3, 2009 @ 1:48 pmBest absorbing vitamin C from Daria's World
Ascorbyl palmitate or Ester C - is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C. Consequently, because it is not water soluble, ascorbyl palmitate can be stored in cell membranes and readily available until it is...
Nov 3, 2009 @ 5:00 amVitamin C Benefits from Daria's World
Most people believe that vitamin C is only used by the body for immune support. However, this popular and well known vitamin has many other important functions.
Nov 2, 2009 @ 11:29 amArnica - Arnica montana from Daria's World
Arnica - Mountain Arnica - Arnica montana - Leopard's bane - Mountain tobacco, Arnica photo and what has Arnica herb traditionally been used for
Nov 2, 2009 @ 10:25 amTorn Ligament from Daria's World
Torn Ligament? Check out the summary of online available solutions for torn ligament, visit How To with Herbs category, and List of Herbs and What They're Used for - and more.

by daria369

I'm a blogger and a lensmaster, a student for life and Arted 4 Life. I love flowers and trees, beautiful arts, happy music and happy people. May You... (more)
Create a Lens!