The houseplant that absorbs humidity and purifies the air

Green in your home not only serves to beautify rooms and reduce stress, but it is also useful in combating domestic pollution, since some indoor plants have among their properties that of absorbing pollutants such as formaldehyde and benzene.

Surrounding  yourself with plants in your home  brings a number of benefits, there is no doubt about it. Most may think it’s just a matter of  aesthetics  (they beautify interior spaces) and  psychological well-being  (they eliminate stress and help us relax). It’s not like that. We often forget that green can also help purify the air and limit  domestic pollution  .

We know that contaminants can come from glues, paints and sealants used for household finishes, printers in use, cigarette smoke, detergents, etc. Even frying foods,  like a Milanese schnitzel  , pollutes indoor environments. Here are some plants capable of absorbing small quantities of  volatile organic compounds  (we are mainly talking about aldehydes and aliphatic, aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons). We have selected five for you, let’s see them together.

ficus

You probably already recognized him from the photo.  In fact, it’s not that uncommon to find a Ficus elastica plant  in the living room of an apartment. One of its great virtues (which it also shares with  Ficus benjamina  and other species of the same family) is its ability to absorb discreet quantities of  formaldehyde  : up to 12 micrograms per hour. It prefers humid environments that are not too cold. In addition, it is a plant that is suitable for people who are a little more lazy: it does not require special attention and is very resistant.

Aloe

As you know, Aloe  vera  is a  succulent plant  that has a number of  beneficial properties  . It doesn’t need too much maintenance, a bright environment and a little water from time to time are enough.  Aloe vera  also helps purify the air in the home by eliminating pollutants, including benzene and formaldehyde.

Dracaena

Dracaena fragrans  (or  log of happiness  ) is one of the best allies for purifying the apartment of  trichloroethylene  , also known by the commercial name of trichloroethylene, but it is also effective in eliminating formaldehyde, toluene and xylene. An evergreen plant, it prefers bright environments, although it is not recommended to leave it exposed to direct sun, and it needs uniformly moist but not soggy soil, which is why it should be watered once or twice per week.

Pothos

Like the previous plants, Pothos (scientific name  Epipremnum aureum  ) requires little attention. Which, however, returns the favor by helping to remove formaldehyde, xylene, toluene, benzene and carbon monoxide. It likes light, but not direct sunlight, and it has the particularity of  developing quickly and abundantly  : you can leave it hanging with its leaves out of the pot or let it climb on a support.

Sansevieria

Mother-in-law’s tongue or snake plant? No matter what you prefer to call it, just know that sanseveria is another useful plant for making the air in your four walls cleaner. Consider that it is capable of absorbing at least  107 pollutants  , including formaldehyde, benzene, xylene and trichlorethylene. Don’t consider yourself a green thumb? Peaceful, it does not need constant monitoring, since it is a very hardy evergreen plant   , capable of going weeks without water and thriving in any environment, even in low light conditions .