Before the Winter Sniffles and Vomiting Bugs make their rounds, why not buy some houseplants rather than dose your child up with Medicine.

NASA has done a load of research into “Clean Air”, for the purpose of finding ways that they could clean the air in space stations. We all know the fact that plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, however NASA’s results show that the common house plant could also provide a natural way of removing harmful toxins from our air.  NASA have managed to prove that all indoor plants, flowering or not are able to purify the indoor air to some degree, just with their normal photosynthesis processes. The most interesting finding is that they have identified certain plants are more beneficial than others in removing the harmful household toxins, seeing 90% of the harmful chemicals being removed from the air within only twenty-four hours.

Some of the benefits that have been identified by bringing House Plants into the home are:

• Provide Prevention to Common Cold and illness
• Improved Air Quality
• Improved Allergies Symptoms
• Provides Headache Relief
• Boosted Moods
• Reduced Stress and Anxiety
• Improved Smell, absorbing Odours and Moulds
• Lowered Blood Pressure
• Improved Immune System and Boosts Healing
• Improved Brain Function
• Improved Productivity
• Improved levels of energy
• Improved Asthma Symptoms
• Also been known to reduce noise levels within a room       

NASA’s entire study looked for a plants ability to calm and cleanse the environment and from that here is our Top 5 favourites for being the most effective house plants that will help purify the air in your home and boost your family’s immune system this Winter:

Peace Lily

This plant does not need a lot of light or water to survive. It is a toxic plant and therefore harmful to cats and dogs. Although it’s one of the most efficient air purifying plants, perfect for cleaning the air of benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene and toluene harmful toxins.

Spider Plant

This is an easy to grow, non-toxic house plant. Perfect for cleaning the air of formaldehyde, xylene and toluene harmful toxins. Grows to about 60cm and when it flowers they are white in colour. Spider plants can remove 96 per cent of carbon monoxide from the air.

Barberton Daisy

This plant is related to the gerbera flowering plant. Its flowers are either red, yellow, pink or orange and is fairly easy to grow and is non-toxic. It is perfect for cleaning the air of the main benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene harmful toxins.

Broadleaf Lady Palm

This plant can grow up to 4m in height and is fairly easy to grow. This is a non-toxic house plant and perfect for cleaning the air of formaldehyde, xylene, toluene and ammonia harmful toxins.

English Ivy

This is a rampant clinging vine plant, usually seen in gardens growing up walls or tree trunks. It is an invasive green plant, often found in kitchens as a house plant.  It is a toxic plant and harmful to cats and dogs. Although it’s one of the most efficient air purifying plants, perfect for cleaning the air of benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene and toluene harmful toxins.

These are just our Top 5 picks, there are actually heaps more indoor plants that are easy to grow so you don’t have to be green fingered to be able to improve your living space. We don’t tend to think of how clean the air is in our home, probably because we can’t see it.

Surprisingly poor air quality can affect your quality of sleep and mould and other airborne contaminants can be a major underlying factor in many illness and disease. By simply adding more indoor plants to your home, it will create a way healthier environment and as an added bonus may rid you of a few annoying symptoms you’ve have been experiencing for years!

Top Tips to get the Best out of your House Plants

• To get the best benefits from your house plants make sure you wipe off dust from the leaves every week, as this means they can properly filter the air.
• If you get plants with small leaves this can provide you with the maximum effect.
• There are three main household toxins of concern: Benzene, Formaldahyde and Trichloroethylene. Benzene can often be emitted from gas ranges during use, so having houseplants in the kitchen, would be really useful. Other great places in the home to have plants would be areas children do homework as it will lower toxins and improve their brain function and productivity, so you would help create a fab learning environment for them.  
• Any type of plant will help relieve stress and improve air quality, which is fantastic for childhood asthma.

It’s important to keep all plants out of reach of children. Some plants are toxic to Dogs and Cats so you should double check before you buy them if you are a pet owner.

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