In fact, in an average four by five metre room, one plant can make your air 25 per cent cleaner and five plants make the air up to 75 per cent cleaner. The magic number for optimum purification and wellbeing benefits was 10 plants in an average four by five metre room.
To reduce VOCs enough to impact air quality would require around 10 plants per square foot. In a small 500-square foot apartment, that's 5,000 plants, a veritable forest.
Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum morifolium)
Florist's chrysanthemums or “mums” are ranked the highest for air purification. They're shown to eliminate common toxins as well as ammonia. Treat yourself to a fresh pot, as this flower only blooms for about six weeks.
The actual number you should have in your bedroom again varies depending on how many of you are sleeping in there. But as a general rule of thumb, follow the recommended NASA amount of having at least 1 plant per 100 square foot.
According to the scientists' calculations, you'll need between 100 to 1,000 plants for every 10 square feet to start making a measurable difference in fighting indoor air pollution. So, if you live in a home that's roughly 1,000 square feet, you'll need anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 plants.
"Plants are great, but they don't actually clean indoor air quickly enough to have an effect on the air quality of your home or office environment." The idea for this myth really took root in 1989, when NASA conducted a study on plants to see if they could filter cancer-causing chemicals on space stations.
Can my house plants be making me sick? Yes, it is possible. Some plants emit gaseous toxins that are toxic to humans and animals. The most common toxic indoor plants are dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane), philodendron (Philodendron), and aloe vera (Aloe Vera).
"Since plants are really active and represent growth, they may not be great for such a passive, restful, quiet room," explains feng shui master and mbg class instructor Dana Claudat.
It's totally true that many houseplants do this. But the reality is that the amount of Carbon Dioxide released and Oxygen absorbed is minimal (figures will be given and explained a little later). This means that it's absolutely safe to have plants in your bedroom.
Some people believe it may be harmful because plants may respire as humans do, emitting carbon dioxide at night as a reverse response to photosynthesis, but humans and pets produce more CO2 than plants do. Despite the scare stories, carbon dioxide is actually relatively harmless in small amounts.
Houseplants vs.
Although some plants can clean the air in our homes, they don't offer the same effect as using an air purifier. While plants naturally eliminate VOCs in our homes, they work very slowly, especially if you have few indoor potted plants.
An Indian household is usually incomplete without the presence of a sacred Tulsi plant. Every day, Tulsi gives out oxygen for 20 out of the 24 hours day. It absorbs toxic pollutants from the air such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide.
Existing research has identified certain benefits of plants in interior spaces: Indoor air quality. Studies funded by NASA showed that plants reduced levels of some indoor pollutants and can raise relative humidity to healthier and more comfortable levels indoors.
They found that in just 24 hours, up to 87% of the formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene was removed from the air by the leaves and roots of the plants, while oxygen was returned to the room. Bottom-line: common, low-light houseplants absorbed toxins and helped purify the air!
Adding plants to interior spaces can increase oxygen levels.At night, photosynthesis ceases, and plants typically respire like humans, absorbing oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. A few plants –orchids, succulents and epiphytic bromeliads –do just the opposite, taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen.
Spider Plant
NASA's study found that spider plants were able to remove 95% of chemicals from the air in 24 hours. Spider plants filter toxins including: carbon monoxide.
Lavender. The best place for lavender is in the bedroom as it also brings luck and creates an atmosphere of love. This plant is easy to grow in India and as an indoor plant for home, it does not require too much fussing.
According to both Vastu and Fengshui Tamarind, Mehendi, cotton, date palm and babul are not auspicious to be grown at home. Never keep dead and withered plants at home.
Good news — the answer is yes. Plenty of plants can survive in an office with no windows (we'll get into the specifics later on). In fact, fluorescent lighting is actually good for a lot of plants. Another option for offices with no windows includes plants that require less light.
However, plants can also help remove mould from rooms by releasing phytochemicals that suppress mould spores and bacteria. In fact, rooms with plants have 40 to 60 percent fewer mould spores and bacteria. Bathrooms, kitchens and rooms that suffer with humidity, damp, mildew or mould could benefit from houseplants.
Just over half of participants reported owning one houseplant. 25% of survey respondents own 2-5 houseplants. About 12% of those surveyed own more than six houseplants.
Boston Fern, (nephrolepis exaltata)
Boston Ferns, like many other Fern species, are simply the toughest houseplants to keep alive! These plants thrive in humid environments and do well with moderate to low light conditions.