Indoor plants that keep the air clean
Some of the indoor plants that clean air in the room are Peace lillies above, mother-in-law’s tongue, .PHOTO BY COLEB MUGUME
What you need to know:
There are quite a number of plants you can have for your indoors but there are specific types that clean the air in your house
Lillian Katiso is a certified accountant with a passion for growing decorative plants. She is the proprietor of the Kensington based Maua and More, a centre for all things horticultural.
She has grown her business from selling just flowers, spices, plants and herbs to a resource centre that provides accessories and advisory services for clients.
Katiso gives us the top ten plants with the most effective air filters that you should have in your house.
Aloe Vera
If you decided to use any of these indoors plants for purposes of keeping the air in your house clean, opt for a number of them and in different sizes. You can decide to place specific types in hanging pots, some in flower vases which you can put in the corner of the room and others can act as you coffee or dining table centre piece. However, if you do not like having plants in the house, you can place the containers with these plants on either the kitchen, dining or sitting room window sill.
This easy-to-grow, sun-loving succulent helps clear formaldehyde and benzene, which can be a byproduct of chemical-based cleaners, paints and more. “Aloe is a smart choice for a sunny kitchen window.
Beyond its air-clearing abilities, the gel inside an aloe plant can help heal cuts and burns,” she explains.
Spider plant
Also known as airplane plants, spider plants are resilient. Not only are they hard to kill but they are also easy to grow because they thrive in average home temperatures and prefer dry soil.
Golden pothos
This fast-growing vine will create an elegant cascade of green from a hanging basket. They thrive in bright, indirect light and need minimum watering.
English Ivy
The plant is great for a family with smokers because of its ability to soak up carcinogens from second-hand smoke. It’s also versatile when it comes to growing conditions and doesn’t require much maintenance.
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
Snake Plant as it’s commonly known is popular for its indestructibility and clutter free properties. It is one of the most carefree house plants you can grow. It thrives in just about any light and prefers dry air and soil.
Boston Fern
This lush plant is the most popular of all ferns grown indoors and has been found to be one of the easiest to care for and maintain, it functions really well as a natural air humidifier.
Bathrooms are an ideal location to place this fern because of the higher humidity levels provided from the water and condensation within the bathroom. It looks great hanging from a basket or potted on a pedestal.
Bamboo Palm
The Bamboo Palm can easily fit into smaller areas with indirect lighting. A National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) research found it to be one of the best air filters for benzene and trichloroethylene, and a great humidifier.
This palm is a bit smaller than others and easy to grow in shady areas. It releases a good deal of moisture into the air and is considerably resistant to insect infestation.
Care
Most of these plants need minimum care; water fortnightly or once a month. Make sure that plants have enough sunlight.
Clean the leaves with a soft cloth dipped in water or milk to unclog the pores.
In case your plants seem to have stopped growing, uproot, cut off the roots and replant them.
For those that seem to be infested, treat them with a solution of garlic, pepper, onion grated and filtered in a half litre of water.
Add a table spoonful of liquid soap to the solution and spray on your plants till they look better. If you have water plants, change the water every two weeks.
