Detox your Air this Winter with These top Five Indoor plants. 

Are you feeling like you’re constantly fighting illness after illness? It could be your air.  Winter increases the risks of illness, with germs being trapped indoors. But that’s not all, the basic practices that we do to keep our house clean and warm, may in fact be contaminating our air.

What’s in your air? 

Air fresheners and common cleaning products can put more than ‘scents’ into the air, they often contain other toxins including phthalates, benzene and chlorine. But that’s not all, flooring, plastic bags, paint and even upholstery all release toxins into the air that we are breathing. In fact, the average home contains over 62 toxic chemicals. In the spring and summer, opening a window and fresh air helps to clean the air. In the winter, closed windows trap these volatile chemical compounds indoors. No one wants to keep the window open when it’s below freezing, so what can we do? The solution is simple: add more plants.

Scrub your Air Clean with Plant Power

According to NASA the following are the top five indoor air cleaners.

1) English Ivy: Cascading English ivy is the perfect plant for the brighter spots in your home. Known for cleaning the air from toxins found in common cleaning chemicals, this plant is ideal for high-density areas like bathrooms and kitchens.

2) Variegated Snake Plant: No green thumb required. This colourful tropical plant will grow virtually anywhere. It’s tall broad leaves make a wonderful accent in the corner or a room. Add a boost of oxygen in the darker spaces in your home, while cleaning your air of benzene and formaldehyde.

3) Peace Lily: This powerful plant combats not one but five different toxins. Perfect for the shaded areas in your home, peace lily can easily be maintained with weekly water.

4) Florist’s Chrysanthemum: Are you seeking a burst of blooms in the winter months? The indoor mum is the perfect table plant to brighten your day; all it requires is sunlight and a bit of love. This little gem works wonders for cleaning up the toxins that are released from upholstery, carpets and paint.

5) Dracaena:  Enhance your indoor environment while fighting toxins released from new furniture and flooring, with the dramatic dracaena. This slow growing plant comes in all sizes from a 4-inch pot to up to 15 feet tall. Ideal for the sunlit entry room or a bright kitchen.

Plants do much more than make an environment pretty. They work hard to clean your air. This winter improve both your health and mood by adding indoor plants to your living space. As an added bonus, you will get a boost of oxygen while you rest.