Plants in your home are so much more than just aesthetic I promise! They also can have actual benefits to your health and wellbeing. How awesome is that?? And today we are going to chat about a specific benefit that plants can bring for you: their ability to purify air.
Below I go into the best house plants to grow for purifying air and a little bit about each of them.
But before we get into that I want to explain HOW plants purify air (but feel free to skip this part if you don’t care, but as a skeptical person I feel you if you are curious!) –
How do plants purify air??
- Absorbing Pollutants: Plants pull in harmful chemicals like formaldehyde and benzene through their leaves and break them down.
- Releasing Oxygen: Through photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, improving air quality. Some, like snake plants, even produce oxygen at night.
- Increasing Humidity: Plants release moisture into the air, helping with dry indoor environments and reducing respiratory irritation.
- Filtering Through Soil: Microorganisms in the soil also help break down toxins, contributing to cleaner air.
- Trapping Dust & Improving Airflow: Plant leaves catch dust particles, preventing them from settling around your home.
I tried to keep that as simple as possible but if you have questions please feel free to ask in the comments! But let’s get into the reason we are chatting aka the house plants that purify your air.
Houseplants That Purify Your Air: Gorgeous & Helpful!
Which plants help purify air in your house-
1: Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
The snake plant is basically the perfect low-maintenance air purifier!
It’s one of the few plants that releases oxygen at night, making it perfect for bedrooms. This hardy plant removes toxins like benzene, formaldehyde, and xylene (remember we talked about this a bit ago!!) from the air while also being the easiest plant you can keep in your home. Seriously snake plants are a breeze to grow.
It can handle low light, irregular watering, and even forgetful plant parents. If you’re new to houseplants but want something that genuinely improves air quality, a snake plant is a great pick.
I also have a lot of helpful guides about snake plants that I recommend reading next if you want to get a snake plant:
- How To Repot Your Snake Plant
- 5 Benefits of Having a Snake Plant in Your Home
- Snake Plants: How to Care For Them
- How To Rescue a Dying Snake Plant
2: Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
The spider plant is one of the best plants for improving indoor air quality, especially for beginners. It’s non-toxic to pets (and I am a dog mom so this is valuable to me too!) and is ridiculously easy to care for.
This plant excels at removing pollutants like carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and benzene, making it ideal for kitchens or areas with poor air circulation. It grows quickly, produces adorable baby plants (spiderettes aka the cutest little things), and thrives in low to bright indirect light. If you want an air-purifying plant that requires almost no effort, the spider plant is the way to go.
3: Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
Boston ferns not only purify the air but also add humidity, which makes them a great choice for dry indoor environments. They’re excellent at filtering out formaldehyde, xylene, and benzene, helping to keep the air fresh and clean. Boston ferns do best in bright, indirect light and humid conditions, so they’re perfect for bathrooms or kitchens. Keep the soil consistently moist and mist the leaves occasionally to prevent them from drying out.
I have a whole guide on growing Boston ferns to read if you are interested in one of these gorgeous plants: An Actually Helpful Guide to Growing Boston Ferns!
4: Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)
The rubber plant is an attractive, easy-to-care-for houseplant that effectively removes toxins like formaldehyde from the air.
Rubber plants have these large, glossy leaves make it a BEAUTIFUL addition to any home, and it’s relatively low maintenance. Rubber plants prefer bright, indirect light and occasional watering, but they can tolerate lower light conditions as well. They also help increase oxygen levels indoors, making them both decorative and functional.
5: Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
Pothos is one of the most popular and easiest houseplants to grow and it also happens to be great for air purification. It removes common household toxins like formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide, helping to keep the air fresh. Pothos is super adaptable, thriving in low to bright light and tolerating occasional neglect when it comes to watering. Its trailing vines look beautiful in hanging baskets, on bookshelves, or cascading from a high surface.
Have to share a picture of one of my (many, manyyy) pothos plants hanging:
6: Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)
The bamboo palm is both beautiful and effective at removing indoor air pollutants. It helps eliminate toxins like benzene and formaldehyde while also adding humidity to the air (how cool?!) making it a great plant for dry spaces. Bamboo palms prefer bright, indirect light and consistent moisture, so they do well in areas with plenty of natural light. They’re also non-toxic to pets, making them a safe option for homes with cat or dog family members!
Interested? Then read this care guide for bamboo palms next: Bamboo Palm Plant: How To Care For Them!
Talk Plant To Me
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