We are always talking about pollution, fine dust, smog… but rarely do we address the quality of the air inside our homes. Yet indoor pollution is a reality, so much so that it is the subject of several publications on the website of the Ministry of Health.
What are the causes?
There are numerous causes, many of which we don’t even realize we are contributing to such as through the use of overly aggressive cleaning products, scented candles, forgetting to clean the filters of the air conditioner or forgetting to vacuum regularly.
Or by choosing heating products which don’t have a recognised environmental certification, such as Clean Air.
In short: proper house cleaning and environmental awareness can really help. If you have green fingers, however, you can do even more: the right plant can really improve the quality of air in your home!
5 plants to reduce pollution indoors
In 1989 NASA carried out some experiments to evaluate the best indoor plants: plants able to reduce the percentage of volatile compounds such as benzene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde.
Which plants are they? Here are just a few!
- Pothos – A classic Italian house plant: it needs little care, survives even with limited light and is fast growing.
- Sansevieria – Place it in the bathroom: it is “very good” at filtering formaldehyde, often found in cosmetics and… toilet paper!
- Dracaena marginata – Very good at removing benzene from the air, but be aware, it’s toxic to dogs and cats.
- Aloe Vera – It is not only used in the wellness industry or to treat burns: place it in a sunny spot of the house to improve air quality!
- Tronchetto della felicità – It lasts for decades, requires little care and purifies the air of many pollutants: maybe that’s why it is often given as a gift when we move house?
The list could go on, but our advice is very simple: choose the right plant according to your “gardening level”, the style of your home and the time you can dedicate to its care. The complete NASA list can be found at this link!
