Purifying Plants to Detox Your Home
Remove harmful air pollutants easily and cheaply
The air inside our homes is considered more polluted than the air outside. Chemical gases from furniture and flooring, cleaning products, paint and personal care products (to name a few) disperse into the atmosphere and are absorbed into the body with each breath taken.
Indoor air pollution compromises health and contributes to chronic conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. It can also cause breathing problems, headaches, dizziness, and itchy eyes. Exposure to toxins or pollution of any nature weakens the immune system.
The good news though is there is a cheap and easy way to dramatically reduce your exposure to indoor air pollutants by using plants, especially if an air purifier isn’t an option. Not only do plants add splashes of greenery to your home, they are highly beneficial to your health.
Learn how plants purify indoor air, which pollutants pose the most risk and the best plants to clean the air inside your home.
How do plants purify indoor air?
Plants act as natural air filters through a process called transpiration whereby they pull airborne pollutants into their leaves and roots. The toxins are absorbed through microscopic openings in the leaves and transformed into non-toxic molecules. Plants also naturally clean the air through photosynthesis and respiration where they take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen back into the air. According to NASA research, rooms filled with plants contain up to 60% less airborne mould than plant-less rooms.[1]
Certain indoor plants such as peace lilies and English ivy can absorb a range of toxic pollutants including ammonia, formaldehyde, nitrates, benzenes and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In a room that is 10 x 10 metres or 100 square foot, one 6-inch (15cm) diameter plant is said to absorb 87% of the toxins in the room.[2] Most rooms in a house will require two plants, so in a house with five rooms, you will need ten plants.
Flamingo Lily
Snake Plant
Spider Plant
Which indoor air pollutants are most toxic?
| Toxin | What it is | Where it’s found | Potential health risks |
| Formaldehyde | Colourless gas with a strong odour used as a preservative and disinfectant. | Furniture, plywood, foam isolations, paints, glues, carpeting. Softener in napkins, toilet papers, tissues, cosmetics, baby creams, napkins, washing up liquids. Fertilizers and pesticides, vaccines, and animal feed. | Irritation and burning to the skin, lung, eyes, nose and throat.
It’s a known carcinogen linked to cancerous tumour growth. |
| Benzene | Solvent to dilute other substances. | Oil, paint, plastics, rubber, fabrics, household cleaning products, personal care products, pesticides, cigarette smoke. | Drowsiness, headaches, loss of appetite, neurological problems, heart and lung complications, anaemia and bone barrow diseases. |
| Trichloroethylene | An industrial degreasing solvent. | Printing ink, paints, varnish, paint removers, tool cleaners, carpet cleaners, dry cleaning, spot removers, cleaning wipes. | Irritation to skin and eyes, headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion, mood depression.
It’s a known carcinogen and long-term exposure is associated with kidney and liver cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. |
| Carbon monoxide | Odourless, colourless gas produced by burning carbon-based fuels. | Cigarette smoke, central heating boilers, gas stoves and heaters, open fires – both wood and gas. | Lack of oxygen delivery to the brain causes dizziness, confusion, headaches, fatigue and in some cases, death. |
| Ammonia | Colourless gas with a pungent, suffocating smell used as an industrial chemical. | Cleaning products to remove stains, clean mirrors, glass, tubs, leathers. | Burning, itching and irritation of the nose, throat and respiratory tract. |
Gerbera Daisy
Dracaena Marginata
Golden Pothos
Plants to purify indoor air
| Toxin | Best plant |
| Formaldehyde |
|
| Benzene |
|
| Trichloroethylene |
|
| Carbon monoxide |
|
| Ammonia |
|
Dracaena Janet Craig
English Ivy
Bamboo Palm
Some of these plants are poisonous to cats and dogs so they should be kept out of reach – peace lily, English ivy, golden pothos, snake plant, dracaena plants.
Only buy organic plants that haven’t been treated with systemic pesticides or chemicals. Most plants found in garden centres are imported, set in plastic pots and filled with peat compost which contains no nutrients for the plant. A good way to obtain organic plants is go to local plant swap group where you can get a cutting from someone. Alternatively, you can grow your own from organic seeds.
Tips for caring for your plants
- Water your plants with filtered water. The fluoride and chlorine that is added to tap water is incredibly damaging to the soil of the plant, causing the plant to wither.
- Don’t over water your plants by allowing them to become soggy. Each plant requires different amounts of water so be sure to check the care guidelines when you purchase your plants.
- Some plants are best kept out of sunlight whereas others thrive in it. Ensure your plants have the best environment to flourish – if your plants are healthy, they can keep you healthy.
- Jasmine plants are a great alternative to toxic synthetic air fresheners. With its sweet-smelling scent, jasmine neutralises horrible odours and purifies the air.
To learn more about household toxins and detoxifying your home and body naturally, take a look at the following short courses and resources:
