Here are our Top 4 Houseplants That Remove Carbon Monoxide and improve the air quality in your home!
Indoor air can be 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Our homes contain a host of invisible toxic compounds, including carbon monoxide, which can hurt our lungs and overall health with constant exposure. While air-purifying plants can be the perfect solution to make your home breathable again, they still can help!
Sources of Toxic Air in Homes
- Gas Stoves and Heaters: Burning different fuels, especially coal and wood, along with natural gas in stoves and heaters, can produce nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter
- Tobacco Smoke: Cigarette smoke, including passive inhalation, contains thousands of harmful substances, including asbestos, arsenic, radon, and CO.
- Boilers and Water Heaters: These emit smog compounds, CO, sulfur dioxide, air toxins, and greenhouse gases.
- Outdoor Air Pollution: Dirty air enters our homes from the outside and stays if there is a lack of ventilation. If you live near a busy street or an industrial area, your indoor air will likely be more polluted.
Synthetic building materials, paints, personal products, household cleaners, and pesticides are other common culprits for polluted air in homes.
Health Implications of Toxic Air in Our Homes
- Short-term exposure may irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, with more severe consequences in children.
- Long-term exposure can lead to respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic lung conditions.
How do Plants Clean out Carbon Monoxide
Plants possess an enzyme system that converts carbon monoxide to the less-harmful carbon dioxide, which plants require for photosynthesis.
Best Plants That Remove CO
Plants in this list not only make your indoor air better but also make your home look prettier. Just remember to water them properly and give them some food once in a while, and they’ll keep doing their job of cleaning the air for you.
1. Spider Plants
Botanical Name: Chlorophytum comosum
Recommended for clearing out carbon monoxide from breathable air in space and underwater stations, the unassuming spider plant is a must-have in your home! According to some studies, spider plants are said to remove nitrogen oxide, formaldehyde, xylene, toluene, and xylene from the air we breathe.
2. Snake Plant
Botanical Name: Dracaena trifasciata
Similar to other succulents, the snake plant helps filter indoor air of pollutants and is one of the few plants that convert carbon dioxide to oxygen at night!
3. English Ivy
Botanical Name: Hedera helix
According to this study, growing these climbing vines can decrease carbon dioxide along with traces of carbon monoxide.
4. Peace Lily
Botanical Name: Spathiphyllum
Peace lilies grow well indoors but love a bit of humidity and are said to remove ammonia, formaldehyde, toluene, xylene, and benzene.
By combining these houseplants with sustainable air purifiers, you can give the air you breathe a much-needed makeover!
