Why Everyone Needs Live Plants at Home
If you’re like most people, you have a few houseplants sitting around – and whether you have a green thumb or the exact opposite, you need to know which plants do best in each room (and add a few plant-care tips to your arsenal of knowledge).
Why Everyone Needs Live Plants at Home
There are plenty of benefits to having live plants at home. Some of the most important are:
- Plants clean the air, removing carbon dioxide and some harmful toxins known as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.
- Plants release moisture vapor into the air, which increases humidity in your home. That water is clean because it’s been filtered through the plant.
- Researchers at Kansas State University say that adding plants to hospital rooms improves the recovery rates of surgical patients, while the Dutch Product Board for Horticulture says that workers who work in areas with plants report decreased fatigue, colds, headaches, coughs and sore throats.
- Plants can help sharpen focus, according to a study at The Royal College of Agriculture in Circencester, England – the study said that students demonstrated 70 percent greater attentiveness when they’re taught in rooms with plants.
So which plants do you need to choose, and where will they work best?
This table explains each plant, what it does and where it belongs:
| Plant | Benefits | Where it Belongs | How Much Light and Water it Needs | Important Info |
| Dragon tree (Dracaena marginata) | Purifies the air by removing formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and xylene | Living rooms, offices and dining rooms | Light: Bright, but not direct Water: Keep the soil slightly moist | This plant is toxic to cats and dogs. |
| Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) | Purifies air quickly by removing formaldehyde | Living rooms, offices and dining rooms | Light: Bright, but not direct Water: Keep the soil moist, but let the top dry out between waterings | Browning leaf tips will not harm the plant; it’s often because there’s fluoride in the water. |
| English ivy (Hedera helix) | Removes benzene from air | Home offices, bathrooms and small living spaces | Light: Partial or full shade Water: About 1 inch per week, but don’t get the foliage wet | Intense sun will damage the foliage |
| Peace lily (Spathiphyllum) | Removes mold from the air | Bathrooms and other damp areas | Light: Bright but indirect Water: Water every few days or when the leaves start to droop; let the soil dry out between waterings | If your peace lily droops, water it and spritz the leaves. It should perk back up in a few hours. |
Caring for Indoor Plants
When it comes to caring for your plants, you know they need light and water – but what most people don’t realize is that they need to be wiped down and dusted occasionally, too. Leaves are porous, and the plant can’t do its job if you’re letting dust build up and clog its pores. Make sure you wipe down your plants’ leaves with a damp cloth every week or so to keep them in great shape.
Do You Need Help Keeping Up On Household Chores?
We’ll dust your plants for you. In fact, we’ll clean your kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms while we’re at it.
Mack Maids can provide you with top-tier, professional cleaning services that include:
Call us at 910-725-3226 (Southern Pines, NC), 706-256-8771 (Columbus, GA) or 843-491-5526 (Myrtle Beach, SC). We serve all the communities around each of these major cities, as well, and we’d love to give you a free house-cleaning estimate so you can focus on more important things.
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