topsverseTwo years ago, I bought into the houseplant hype completely. My apartment reeked of fresh paint and that weird chemical smell you get from new furniture, so naturally, I thought a few snake plants would solve everything. I had read somewhere that NASA proved plants could clean your air, and honestly, that sounded way better than dropping money on an actual air purifier.
Here’s what actually happened: nothing. Well, not nothing exactly, but definitely not what I expected.
5 Best Plants That Purify Indoor Air
Look, I still have plants everywhere. Just not because I think they’re magical air filters. Here are the ones that have earned their keep:
1. Snake Plant
This thing is practically indestructible. I’ve forgotten to water mine for weeks, and it just shrugs it off. Plus, it does something interesting—it releases oxygen at night instead of during the day like most plants. Not enough to matter for air quality, but kind of neat.
2. Peace Lily
Dramatic as hell. When it needs water, it flops over like it’s dying, then perks right back up after you water it. It’s like having a plant that speaks your language. Fair warning though—toxic to pets and kids.
3. Pothos
The training wheels plant. If you can kill a pothos, maybe stick to artificial plants. It grows fast, looks good trailing from shelves, and tolerates pretty much any lighting situation. Also toxic to pets, unfortunately.
4. Rubber Plant
This one actually did remove some formaldehyde in studies, though not enough to matter in real homes. I keep mine because it looks like something from a fancy hotel lobby, and the big glossy leaves are satisfying to wipe down.
5. Spider Plant
Pet-safe, which is huge if you have cats or dogs. Plus it makes little baby plants you can give away and look like you know what you’re doing with gardening.
The NASA Study Everyone Misunderstands
Let me tell you about that famous 1989 NASA study everyone quotes. I actually tracked down the original research because I’m stubborn like that. NASA was trying to figure out how to keep astronauts from suffocating in sealed space stations—not how to freshen up your living room.
They stuck single plants in tiny sealed chambers and pumped them full of chemicals. Think about your house for a second. You have windows, doors that open, your HVAC system running. Your space is nothing like those little plexiglass boxes NASA used.
Here’s the kicker: according to a 2019 study from Drexel University, you would need somewhere between 680 to 5,000 plants in your home to match what one decent air purifier can do. My apartment is maybe 900 square feet. Do the math.
What Plants Actually Do (And Don’t Do)
Plants do absorb some chemicals through their leaves—that part is real. But most of the action happens in the soil around their roots. There’s this whole ecosystem of bacteria and fungi down there that breaks down pollutants and feeds them back to the plant. It’s actually pretty cool from a science perspective.
The problem is scale. Your average houseplant working at full capacity might clean the air in a phone booth. Maybe.
I learned this the hard way when I bought an air quality monitor last year. My dozen plants barely moved the needle on formaldehyde levels, but running my air purifier for an hour? Night and day difference.
What Plants Are Actually Good For
After living with plants for two years, here’s what I’ve noticed they actually do:
They make me feel less stressed. There’s something about having living things around that just works. I’ve read studies backing this up—something about lowering cortisol levels—but honestly, I don’t need research to tell me that watering plants in the morning helps me start my day better.
My apartment feels more humid in winter. Not dramatically, but enough that my skin doesn’t feel like sandpaper when the heat’s running.
They give me something to do with my hands when I’m anxious. Repotting, pruning, moving them around—it’s meditative in a way I didn’t expect.
They make my place look like an actual home instead of a college dorm room.
The Myths That Need to Die
“Just add more plants for better air” Wrong. More plants mean more soil, more watering, and potentially more mold if you’re not careful. Quality over quantity.
“All plants are safe” Nope. Tons of popular houseplants are toxic to pets and children. Do your homework before you buy anything if you have curious cats or toddlers.
“Plants can replace an air purifier” Only if you want to turn your home into the Amazon rainforest. And even then, probably not.
What Actually Works for Indoor Air Quality
Want to improve your air? Here’s what made a real difference in my place:
- Fix the source first – I sealed up some gaps where VOCs were leaking in from the hallway
- Ventilation – Opening windows when weather permits does more than any plant ever will
- A decent air purifier – Mine covers 500 square feet and cycles the air multiple times per hour
- Regular cleaning – Dust and vacuum regularly to reduce particulates
The air purifier was the game-changer. Within a day of running it, my air quality monitor showed measurable improvements. My plants? Still beautiful, still stress-relieving, still basically decorative when it comes to air cleaning.
Conclusion
Plants won’t solve your air quality problems, but they might solve other problems you didn’t know you had. They’ve made my apartment feel more like home and given me a hobby that doesn’t involve staring at a screen.
If you want cleaner air, buy an air purifier and address the sources of pollution. If you want a more peaceful, beautiful living space, buy some plants. Just be honest about what you’re getting.
I still recommend starting small—maybe a pothos and a snake plant. See how you do with those before you turn your place into a botanical garden. And if you have pets, check toxicity lists first. Your cat will definitely try to eat whatever you bring home.
The NASA study was groundbreaking for space travel. For your living room? Not so much. But that doesn’t mean plants aren’t worth having—they’re just not the miracle air scrubbers we wanted them to be.