Breathe Clean: 6 Best Indoor Plants to Purify the Air in Your Home

House plants can make your house look super stylish and lush. But did you know that while they are sitting pretty in your room they are also purifying the air? As closed spaces, our home is vulnerable to toxic gases which build up over time. We further hurt the indoor air quality of our home with all the fragrances, detergents and cleaners. Fortunately, these houseplants can help you breathe easy by increasing the amount of oxygen in the air and filtering out the harmful compounds.

1 Snake Plant or Sansevieria trifasciata

With this plant in your bedroom, you are in for a great night's sleep. This succulent releases oxygen at night, helping you breathe better while sleeping. It is also one of the best plants for filtering the air of formaldehyde, xylene, benzene, toluene, and trichloroethylene. You must water it every two weeks and be mindful not to over water as the roots are prone to rotting in moist soil.

2 Aloe vera

Apart from being a healing plant, aloe vera can be excellent to eliminate formaldehyde and benzene found in floor finishes and detergents. Water in about every two or three weeks in full sun, when the soil is dry and leaves start to curl. Direct light or full sun is ideal for this plant.

3 English Ivy or Hedera helix

This easy-growing perennial vine is particularly effective in reducing airborne faecal particles which makes it the perfect air purifier for your bathroom. Further, studies have shown that the ivy can also help combat mould levels in the home. Simply provide your English ivy with generous watering and four hours of direct sunlight a day, and it will return the love to you with clean, detoxified air. How Each Season Can Trigger and Worsen Asthma.

4 Spider Plant or Chlorophytum comosum

If you are a newbie to houseplants, the resilient spider plant can be a perfect choice. It will battle toxins including carbon monoxide and xylene.  This is one of the few houseplants that are non-toxic to animals so you are in luck if you have pets. The best part is that you can also re-pot the tiny plants and grow a whole family of plants that will pretty much take care of themselves.

5 Weeping Fig or Ficus benjamina

A popular house plant, weeping figs can help tackle levels of formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene in air. They are fairly fussy plants that don't like change so taking care of them is particularly easy. Keep your weeping fig in bright, indirect light away from drafts, and it will be a trusty purifier for many years to come. Aloe Vera, Peace Lily and Boston Ferns: 7 Indoor Plants That Will Keep Your Home Pollutant Free.

6 Rubber Plant or Ficus elastica

This plant is proven to be an effective cleanser of formaldehyde and carbon monoxide. You only need to water it weekly allowing the soil to dry out between watering. This plant enjoys light to place it near a windowsill.

Just be sure to carefully position the plants in your house, to make your abode a healthier place to relax.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 30, 2019 03:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).