Breathe in, breathe out
There are some days when it’s difficult to breathe when walking outside. From the humidity to the pollution, our lungs just can’t get a break! Needless to say, living in the bustling city will bring less clean air into the home. Fresh air is not something we can enjoy in the city and indoor air can be filled with harmful pollutants. The intense humidity and use of a/c in Dubai escalates the risk of mould and stale air. Other contaminants come from furniture and the synthetic compounds used to manufacture them. Paint, glue and wood treatment emit harmful gas or VOCs (volatile organic compounds). These are found in furniture, appliances, fabric, plastic and much more. The harmful VOCs float around the air, so mamas, we really need to take certain measures to protect our health and our family’s!
Thankfully, we can make use of indoor plants to clean our air at home in addition to other air purifiers. Aside from purifying air, indoor plants have been proven to add energy and life to any given space. A touch of nature softens interiors and adds life and colour to any given space. While most plants generally clean the air, you will benefit from selecting these top 6 indoor plants for your home.
Spider Plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are easy to maintain, needing water only 2 to 3 times a week. These air plants can be hung from baskets or decorative containers which make for an aesthetically pleasing view in our concrete jungle! The spider plant eliminates formaldehyde and xylene.
The Snake Plant or Mother-in-Laws’ tongue (what a name!) is an easy indoor plant that requires little attention. Water this plant once a week and you will see that it is easy to keep alive. The snake plant cleans the air of trichloroethylene, formaldehyde, xylene and benzene.
Rubber plants (which can grow into trees!) thrive indoors because they require little sunlight. They are known to remove formaldehyde in the air which usually comes from furniture particle board and glue.
Although the English Ivy is not safe for small children and pets (aka keep this plant hung and away from curious hands), it is another great indoor plant that is known to get rid of mould and its harmful spores. They look great as hanging plants that will compliment your interiors. It requires indirect light and little watering.
Gerbera jamesonii (Barberton Daisy) is a pretty flowering plant that you can easily keep in small flower pots. It gets rid of formaldehyde, trichlorethylene and benzene. This plant requires direct sunlight to keep these flowers blooming. Keep them by a window and water it regularly.
Lady Palms (Raphis Excelsa) is another indoor plant we commonly see. It can tolerate low levels of light, so it will thrive indoors if you manage to water it twice a week to keep it moist but avoid root rot. The NASA Clean Air Study named Rhapis excelsa to be one of the best houseplants to clean the air of formaldehyde, ammonia, xylene and toluene.
