Purifying with Plants
[ This article is from: Easy Ways to Go Green , Green Cleaning ]

Learn more about how plants can clear the air >>
By Marie Hofer
Looking to freshen up your indoor air with some good old natural plants? Here are some points to keep in mind:

1. Plants aren't a panacea. You can't offset the effect of polyurethane with even two dozen areca palms. Plants, no matter how many you have or what kind, are no substitute for good ventilation and, more important, eliminating or reducing the source of the pollution in your home whenever possible.
2. Plants aren't powerful vacuum cleaners that suck contaminants from across a large room. Put them near where you spend a lot of time — by your computer, in the kitchen, beside a comfortable chair.
3. Over-watering or a continuously damp soil surface leads to the production of mold spores. Place an inert material such as pea gravel on the surface of your potted plants or use a hydroponic (growing in water, not soil) system.
4. Keep your houseplants as vigorous as possible. The healthier they are, the better job they'll do at reducing air pollutants.
5. Add extra eco-style by potting plants in recycled materials. Pick up an old crock pot liner, baskets or hammered tins from the local thrift store or see what's lurking in your shed or basement. Just be sure to add a hole to the bottom of the container to allow excess water to drain.
Top purifying plants:Areca palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)Lady palm (Rhapis excelsa)Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)Rubber plant (Ficus elastica)Dracaena 'Janet Craig' (Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig')Pygmy date palm (Phoenix roebelenii)Fig 'Alii' (Ficus macleilandii 'Alii')Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)Peace lily (Spathiphyllum sp.)Corn plant (Dracaena fragrans)Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum)Florist mum (Chrysanthemum morifolium)Gerbera daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)
Note: Some plants — such as golden pothos, dieffenbachia, some philodendrons and dracaenas, and peace lily — can be toxic to dogs; depending on the variety of plant and the size and weight of the dog, effects can range from mild oral irritation to poisoning. If you have a dog that likes to nibble, place these plants out of reach.
Learn more about how plants can clear the air >>