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Source: Ecofriend

You might be thinking that staying indoors is the best way to remain pollution-free, but you are seriously wrong. Research shows that the air content indoors is 30 percent more polluted than the air outside - particularly during the winters, when doors and windows are mostly kept closed. Indoor pollution is also one of the reasons behind asthma and allergies as it stimulates the same. The major air pollutants that we find indoors are benzene, formaldehyde and Trichloroethylene (TCE). However, if you have green indoor plants, your exposure to indoor air pollutants would greatly be reduced due to the pollutant-absorbing properties of such plants. Here are ten indoor plants that would clean your air indoors and provide you a cleaner haven.

1. The Areca Palm is a very popular indoor plant and has been tested as the best in detoxifying the air indoors. The plant looks like a small tree or a shrub with long feather-like fronds. Palm trees do need some amount of sunlight as they cannot thrive in dimly lit areas, leading to the withering away of its lower fronds. Hence, semi sunlight would be optimum for these plants. These plants keep themselves moist, however they do require more water during the summers as their soil begins to get dry. However, beware of over watering these plants as they are sensitive to excess water which ultimately leads to root rot. Fertilizer inputs during the autumn season are ideal, but make sure that it is adequate as excess fertilizing can turn the green foliage to yellow. The Areca Palm fronds attract spiders, so try to keep the fronds clean.

2. The Lady Palm can acclimatize to various soils, environments and climates and are blessed with longevity. The Lady Palm is a very easy palm to grow and amongst the best plants that improve indoor air quality. This large palm has fans that comprise of shiny and thick leaves. The Lady Palm can flourish in temperatures ranging from 20′ - 100′F. Since these plants grow slowly, the requirement for fertilizer is very little. They are susceptible to mealy bugs and spider mites. The water required by the Lady Palm is very little as they are sensitive to over-watering. The optimum sunlight for them would be light, as over exposure to the direct sun could leave the leaves bleached and spotted.

3. The Bamboo Palm is a cheap indoor plant that greatly enhances the air quality indoors. The Bamboo Palm is also known as the “Reed Palm” and is a relatively low-maintenance plant that prefers natural rainwater to tap water. Keep the plants clean as they are susceptible to mealy bugs and spider mites. Make sure that you provide these plants indirect sunlight and water it moderately.

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