Clearing the Air: The benefits of House Plants
Do plants really clean the air? Which ones do it best? These were my questions when I began my research. Little did I know I was quickly to become disillusioned and even down-right mad at what I was reading - I had shared Facebook posts with the best house plants to clean the air in your home! Now, I find out this science-based theory had generally been debunked.
It took a couple weeks of me muddling this subject and even giving up on the idea of writing about it until a recent conversation with friends around a campfire. I realized - plants have so many other benefits! I know plants make me feel happy. Plants are beautiful and are a key element to my home décor. They give me something to nurture and care for now that our girls are grown and out of the house. So naturally, I sought out more information about plants and found some good stuff to share with you!
So, What Can Real Plants Do For Us? Well apparently quite a bit! Plants can;
Provide Allergy Relief - Rooms with plants have less dust and mold - but be sure to avoid plants with pollen or spores.
Produce Happy Blooms - Not only can flowers and plants brighten our surroundings, they can lift our mood. Employees who work near plants tend to feel better about their jobs, worry less, and take fewer sick days!
Help reduce stress - Heart leaf Philodendron or a Snake plant my help you relax. Several studies measured peoples blood pressure, heart-rate and stress hormone cortisol and found working with plants reduced stress levels. And, just being around plants has a calming effect on people.
Improve Your Attention, Alertness, and Focus - One study stated students with plants in a classroom performed better on math, spelling, reading and science tests. A good reason to add a Golden Pothos or Bamboo Palm to your child's home study area or give to a teacher who is doing in-class learning.
Be Therapeutic - Especially for those suffering from things like depression, anxiety, and dementia. Learning to nurture a living plant may help lower anxiety, improve attention, and lessen the severity of mental and emotional health.
Provide Faster Healing - Plants and flowers given to those who are ill or recovering are more than thoughtful, they can actually help speed recovery after surgery or illness. Studies even suggest the patient is more tolerant of pain when plants are around and utilize fewer pain medications.
First Aid - Aloe plants are a wonderful home remedy for sunburns, minor burns and even soothe psoriasis and other skin conditions. Plus, juice from aloe can even help you poop!
Restful Sleep - Gerber Daisies give off oxygen even after the sun goes down. Put a couple in your bedroom and you may sleep more soundly.
Relaxing Lavender - Herbs from plants make wonderful teas and aromatherepies to calm us down.
Improve Digestion - Herbs like mint and basil can help reduce indigestion and bloating. Steep the leaves in boiling water.
Boost Productivity and Creativity - Several studies in both classrooms and work environments showed improvement when plants were present.
Improve the Quality of Indoor Air - Sort of. Furnaces and air conditioners can sap the humidity indoors, especially in the winter. This can raise your chances of getting a cold or the flu or even make your skin itch. A collection of Spider plants in a room can raise humidity in the room from 20 to 30%.
Simple Beauty - Plants are a great source of home décor. Especially for those of us who live in a snowy winter climate. Their greenery and colors help us think of brighter days ahead when our whole yard and community are covered in every shade of the rainbow.
Note of Caution - Some plants are dangerous to pets and children. Please use caution and seek good information before you bring plants into your home.
About This Idea That Plants Clean The Air! - Let me clear the air.
This notion first grew after a 1989 study by NASA scientist Bill Wolverton. Wolverton studied how the common houseplant could remove “volatile organic compounds” or VOCs from the air. Nearly every product emits VOCs; house paints, shampoo, air fresheners, drywall – nearly everything with an odor or scent. These scents can affect us by causing a simple scratchy throat to full blown nasal cancer. Well to make a long story short, Wolverton DID prove that plants help remove VOCs from the air in his laboratory. Then nearly everyone from that point until today, took those results at face value. Then they expanded on it by studying which house plants cleaned which chemicals and continue to push the narrative that plants clean the air in our homes and offices. Some plants do help however, what was missing from general knowledge for more than 25 years, was that Wolverton’s laboratory where he performed the study was a hermetically sealed environment as would be a NASA space shuttle. Oh! There it is, a home is NOT a hermetic chamber. A home has doors, windows and lots of clutter.
Basically, I would need 1000 plants in a 10 x 10 room – That’s 10 plants per square foot of floor space to clean the air like a typical air exchange system in a home or like an office building ventilation system would do each hour! Obviously, this type of living is highly unlikely.
House plants have so many great benefits. My lesson learned is don’t always believe what you hear or read. Keep seeking the truth and keep enjoying your house plants for whatever reasons bring you joy!
For further details, I highly recommend reading this well write article from the Atlantic - What Indoor Plants Clean the Air Best? None of Them. - The Atlantic or any of my other good sources listed below.
Sources and additional articles that may be of interest:
Massive Review Confirms House Plants Aren't Actually 'Purifying' The Air in Your Home (sciencealert.com)
What Indoor Plants Clean the Air Best? None of Them. - The Atlantic
7 Science-Backed Benefits of Indoor Plants (healthline.com)
Top 20 Plants for Cleaning Indoor Air | HGTV
Health Benefits of Houseplants (webmd.com)
Health Benefits of Indoor Plants | Right as Rain by UW Medicine
17 Plants Poisonous to Pets | ASPCApro
Low-Maintenance Houseplants | HGTV