The 9 Best Houseplants for Cleaning Air and Filtering Toxins

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This fall and winter, as you close the windows and doors against the cold, you may be inviting trouble—indoor air pollution. According to the EPA, the level of pollutants in indoor air is generally at least two to five times higher than outdoor air, and the cold months of the year produce the dirtiest indoor air.

Fortunately, there’s an easy solution to controlling indoor air pollution—houseplants. In his groundbreaking research, former NASA scientist B.C. Wolverton, author of How to Grow Fresh Air, discovered that growing an indoor garden can greatly reduce indoor air pollution. Houseplants have two ways of cleaning indoor air. They absorb pollutants into their leaves, and the toxins go to the root zone where they are transformed into nutrients for the plant. Houseplants also emit water vapors that help the plant pull polluted air to the roots where the plant converts the toxins to plant food. Houseplants scour your indoor air, ensuring that it’s healthy to breathe. Indoor plants quickly and effectively get rid of a large number of toxic substances in the air. To ensure that your houseplants do their best at cleaning your air, place them within your personal breathing zone, which is the 6 to 8 cubic foot area where you spend the most of your time. And keep in mind that the more houseplants you have, the cleaner your indoor air will be. Wolverton identified 50 of the best air-cleaning houseplants. Here are nine easy-to-grow selections from that list. 1. Arrowhead Vine (Syngonium podophyllum). This plant is a vine that generally drapes, rather than climbs. The leaves are a lime-green and have a pointy tip. Arrowhead vine grows in low to medium light. Avoid putting the plant in bright light, as its leaves easily burn. Fertilize every two months. 2. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata `Bostoniensis’). This fern features ruffly foliage that readily hangs. It requires medium light and needs monthly fertilizing. 3. Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema modestum). This easy-to-grow plant features variegated leaves. It grows in low to high light and requires fertilizing every two months. 4. Croton. Striking plant with eye-catching, colorful foliage. Keep the plant evenly moist and place in bright light. Fertilize monthly. 5. Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia). This plant got its name from the fact that if you eat the foliage your mouth and vocal cords may numb. The plant requires medium light and rich, well-draining soil. Fertilize every two months. 6. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii). Well-known for its striking white flowers, this plant grows in medium to low light. It requires rich, well-draining soil that is kept evenly moist. If this plant is droughted, it generally comes back after watering. Fertilize monthly. 7. Philodendron (P. Scandens). This climbing vine has attractive, heart-shaped leaves. In its tropical home, it can grow 10 to 15 feet outdoors. It requires low to medium light. Fertilize every two months. 8. Pothos. This vining plant is green or variegated with yellow or white veining. It is easy to grow and thrives in just about any lighting situation, from dim to bright. Fertilize every three months. 9. Spider Plant. This plant made headlines in 1984 as a super air-cleaner for its superior ability to quickly scour a wide variety of toxins from the air. It does well as a hanging or cascading plant. Spider plants need medium to bright light. Fertilize every three months.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]