Want Cleaner and Purer Air? Try Air-Cleaning Plants, NASA Says

There’s a simple solution you can use at home to make your air much cleaner. While air purifiers might help, air purifying plants are a great and natural way to clean your home’s air supply.


Elizabeth Renter – NASA knows a thing or two about keeping air clean, sending astronauts into space with a limited amont of breathable air for months on end. Afterall, they can’t simply open a window when things get stuffy in space. What NASA researchers have learned about air quality in the home concerning air-cleaning plants, however, is refreshing to say the least.

They’ve found several common houseplant varieties can essentially clean the air of certain chemicals. They tested a variety of plants  to see which was best at removing carcinogens like trichloroethylene, formaldehyde, and benzene. But, these chemicals aren’t in my home—you might be thinking. And you would be wrong.

Cleansing the air with Air-Cleaning Plants

According to the NY Times:

“Formaldehyde is commonly found in drapes, glues and coating products. Benzene is a component of paint supplies and tobacco smoke, and trichloroethylene is used in adhesives, spot removers and other household products.”

And with asbestos, formaldehyde, and other VOCs leaching off every wall of our home, it’s no surprise that indoor pollution may be causing 50% of illnesses worldwide. Those headaches you have on a regular basis, where the cause just can’t be pinpointed, may actually be a result of poor air quality in your home. The good news is that you can cleanse the air with air-cleaning plants – what better way to solve a problem than with nature.

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