On average, each of us breathes over 3,000 gallons of air each day. The cleaner the air, the healthier we can be, and with all the chemicals we use and eat in our day to day lives, it should come as no surprise that the air inside our homes is actually more polluted than the air outside!

Houseplant - Spathiphyllum floribundum (Peace Lily). White Flower on the background of green leaves

What can we do to correct this problem? According to NASA, the following plants clean indoor well very well:

1. Spider plant. Spider plants are incredibly easy to grow, making them a great choice for beginners. They thrive with bright, indirect sunlight and remove formaldehyde and xylene from the air.

2. Garden Mum. The garden mum is relatively inexpensive and can be purchased at just about any garden store. They remove several chemicals such as ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and xylene.

3. Ficus. The ficus plant can grow anywhere between 2 and 10 feet tall. It’s a low-maintenance houseplant that needs bright, indirect sunlight. Be sure to let its soil dry out between waterings as well. It removes benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene from the air.

4. Peace Lily. Peace lily plants are easy to grow, have fragrant blooms throughout the summer, and require shade and moist soil to thrive. They can remove ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene!

5. Boston Fern. This plan needs a cool location with high humidity and indirect light. Check the plant’s soil each day to see if it needs water, and give it a good soak once a month. Boston fern’s remove formaldehyde and xylene.

6. Snake Plant. The snake plant is incredibly hard to kill! It needs to be watered occasionally, but prefers drier conditions and some sunlight. It removes benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene pollutants.

7. Bamboo Palm. The bamboo palm can grow anywhere from 4 to 12 feet high while removing benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene. They thrive in full sun or bright light.