Odor-Neutralizing Plants

The benefits of sharing space with plants is resounding and includes neutralizing odors, balancing humidity, eliminating stress, and even allergy relief. Plants enhance the beauty of any space and are amazing wonders of nature. They convert light, water, and the carbon dioxide you exhale into energy and oxygen. They even absorb pollutants and gases from the air so that you can breathe easier.

While one or two plants might not make much of a difference when it comes to ridding the home of volatile organic compounds and other toxins, a few plants can still help when it comes to absorbing odors, and in high enough quantities, plants can make an impact on air quality.

If you are looking for odor-neutralizing plants, there are plenty of indoor and outdoor options. Select large, leafy plants with ample surface area for maximum photosynthesis. Utilize large containers with exposed soil for potted plants and always keep your plants as healthy as possible.

Remember, though, that mechanical air filtration systems are an effective and efficient option for cleaning indoor air. Removing the cause of the odor if possible will be the best solution in the long run.

Snake plants look great in any space and are an extremely low-maintenance houseplant. In fact, they thrive on neglect. Snake plants are said to remove toxins, such as benzene and formaldehyde, from the air. Other common houseplant staples that are capable of combating odors are the philodendron and the golden pothos. These fast-growing, easygoing vining plants love to hang from baskets and climb up trellises, neutralizing odors and cleansing toxins in the air along the way.

For a flowering options, add a peace lily or geranium basket to your space. The peace lily offers year-round blooms while ridding the air of acetone, which is often emitted from electronics. Geraniums are low-maintenance air purifying pros, and both the white bloom of the peace lily and the more than 200 types of geranium flowers provide a delicate aroma that can at least mask any lingering odors in your home for a bit.

Plants that you can use outdoors will vary depending on where you live, but outdoor plants can also absorb odor and air pollution. Ferns, both in hanging baskets and in the ground, love shady areas and will often thrive where other plants don't. They are terrific odor absorbers and have been proven capable of ridding the soil of toxic metals, such as arsenic and mercury.

The thick, fast-growing foliage of the hearty English ivy vine is a master of odor neutralization. It is especially known for absorbing formaldehyde, which is commonly found in building materials.

Flowering plants, such as gerbera daisies and chrysanthemums, not only add a splash of color to your landscape but both are natural odor and air pollutant absorbers. Both cleanse the air of toxic chemicals, including benzene, which is found in cigarette smoke and smog.