A two year study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration found that greenery in a room really does act like an air purifier in removing pollutants. They also discovered that some plants worked better than others when removing different types of toxins. Studies show that plants can remove pollutants from the air within your home or work place.
It is a fact that having houseplants can greatly improve indoor air quality. Just place a plant or two in each room of your home or office and the air that you and breathe on a daily basis can be much cleaner courtesy of a plants ability to remove the contaminants around them.
Many individuals are unaware that the air they and their families are breathing may be contaminated by a variety of household toxins.
There are a number of indoor air pollutants that may be floating around in your home or office. Radon gas, Formaldehyde, Carbon Monoxide, lead dust, asbestos fibres, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Monoxide, pollen, dust mites, mildew, mold, bacteria, pet dander are just a few of the pollutants that may be poisoning the air within your home.
Studies by the Environmental Protection Agency indicate that air levels within enclosed buildings may be up to two to five times more polluted than that of outdoor air levels. These studies also found that the air within some enclosed areas was actually up to one hundred times more polluted than outdoor air pollution levels.
Wondering how all this bad air gets inside your home when you spend a great deal of your time trying to keep the house germ free? It sounds illogical that the air inside a building can be more polluted than air outdoors but it can be. Much of this indoor pollution is actually produced within the residence itself. Cigarette smoking, radon gas leakage, mildew, and mould are obvious contributors to indoor toxins within the home. What most people are not aware of though is the seriousness of chemical leakage as a contributor to the toxicity of your home's air. Chemicals leach from common household items such as rugs, paint, pressed wood products, household cleaners, pesticides, photo copiers, and plastics.
There are a number of indoor air pollutants that may be floating around in your home or office. Radon gas, Formaldehyde, Carbon Monoxide, lead dust, asbestos fibres, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Monoxide, pollen, dust mites, mildew, mold, bacteria, pet dander are just a few of the pollutants that may be poisoning the air within your home.
Studies by the Environmental Protection Agency indicate that air levels within enclosed buildings may be up to two to five times more polluted than that of outdoor air levels. These studies also found that the air within some enclosed areas was actually up to one hundred times more polluted than outdoor air pollution levels.
Wondering how all this bad air gets inside your home when you spend a great deal of your time trying to keep the house germ free? It sounds illogical that the air inside a building can be more polluted than air outdoors but it can be. Much of this indoor pollution is actually produced within the residence itself. Cigarette smoking, radon gas leakage, mildew, and mould are obvious contributors to indoor toxins within the home. What most people are not aware of though is the seriousness of chemical leakage as a contributor to the toxicity of your home's air. Chemicals leach from common household items such as rugs, paint, pressed wood products, household cleaners, pesticides, photo copiers, and plastics.
Radon Gas is the Second Leading Cause of Lung Cancer
Cleaners and air fresheners designed to mask those annoying odors within your home may actually add additional pollutants to the air that you and your family are breathing. To add even more toxins may be the fact that outdoor air pollutants may also be entering your home through an improper ventilation system. Inadequate or faulty ventilation systems allow for the entry of harmful outdoor gases into otherwise air secure buildings.
It is important to insure that your house is free from toxic materials and it can help if you invite a few houseplants to live in your humble abode with you. Allow them to help filter and cleanse the pollutants from the air within your home.In the summer months you could simply open a window and let the less polluted outdoor air into your home. Unfortunately there are a few issues that can arise from this plan.
2. Cooler temperatures and an open window could have your heating bills sending you out to hunt for a second job. This would not be much of an option for the winter months.
So your first line of defence is in knowing what possible trouble spots you might have in your home and then removing these to the best of your ability.
1. Check for mold and mildew.
2. Check to insure your basement is free from Radon gas leakage.
3. Store all paint, varnish, chemicals, cleaners, and other possible contaminants in a shed or garage.
4.Vacuum often. Wash your bed sheets and blankets often to keep dust mites to a minimum.
5. Become a non-smoking home. Smoke only outdoors.
6. Keep a window open about an inch to release contaminants.
You could also purchase an air purifier and for a slight rise in your electricity bill you can allow it to clean your household air. Unfortunately most air purifiers cleanse the air within a certain perimeter so you will usually require more than one to really make an effective difference in your home.
Wondering which plants remove which toxins? Most houseplants can help to remove pollutants but there are some that work better than others to filter the air. It was discovered during the study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration that some species of plants were better at removing specific toxins from the air around them.
The plants that were most effective in cleaning polluted air were of a wide variety of species. The flowering Gerbera daisy and Chrysanthemum were the best plants for removing benzene from the air. While the Spider plant, Philodendron, and Golden Pothos were most effective in removing formaldehyde from the air. The Bamboo palm, Dracaena Massangeana cane, Mother-in-Law's tongue, English Ivy, Peace lily (Spathiphyllum), Fig tree (Ficus) as well as Chinese evergreen species of plants were all shown to be very good air purifying plants.
Having houseplants within your home can make your living space a much healthier atmosphere to live which makes the decision to have plants in your home much more than just a decorative one. Having them help to filter and purify your household air may be a health smart lifestyle choice. Virtually any type of plant in your living area will help but if you are looking for the top of the crop to take home with you then any of the above listed plants will work very well towards helping to remove the indoor pollutants from your home. They are the best houseplants to filter out toxins from the air around them.
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