In the United States it has recently been determined that poor air quality inside buildings is one of the top five harmful environmental factors that contribute to deterioration of the quality of life.
It is a rather sad fact that the majority of us spend most of our time indoors, not necessarily because we spend a lot of time at home, but because the majority of job sites are situated in office buildings. In the morning, millions of people leave for work by car or public transportation, so there’s a chance that time spent outdoors is reduced to a matter of a few minutes – unless, of course, one walks to work.
Fresh, oxygen-rich air is especially important for a healthy and balanced life, so it is essential to regularly ventilate the rooms and get rid of objects and harmful chemicals that pollute or even poison the air in your home.
Avoid the use of air fresheners, because that pleasant fragrance permeating the apartment will cause a lot of health problems for yourself and your family. Also, never use or keep in your home any products and materials that contain formaldehyde, which is a highly toxic substance.
In addition to regular ventilation, you should keep indoor plants that contribute to improving air quality. Here are the three best choices:
1. Crassula ovata is a rather common plant, also known as jade plant, friendship tree, lucky plant, or money tree. The small round leaves and woody stems filter and neutralize formaldehyde and other harmful chemicals in the air.
2. Sansevieria trifasciata, also called snake plant or mother-in-law’s tongue produces oxygen in the evenings, thereby improving the quality of the air in a room. It is recommended to keep 6-8 snake plants in every bedroom.
3. Areca palm is one of the favorite ornamental plants in living rooms. This beauty produces oxygen during the day, so it is recommended to keep up to four, at least 1.5 m tall palms in a room that your family uses in the daytime.
Of course, there are many other plants that improve air quality, such as Epipremnum aureum (devil’s ivy, golden pothos, hunter’s robe, ivy arum etc.), Dracena, ficus, Spathiphyllum (Spath or peace lilies), Boston ferns, hanging chlorophytum and Aloe Vera.
Of course, all these plants need to be fed and watered at regular intervals according to their needs, and they should be kept free of dust. If they are well maintained, they will reward our care with greatly improving air quality in our homes.