It's a mouthful and you might have never heard of it, but formaldehyde is a chemical that is present in many living rooms, offices and other indoor areas. Sounds like science talk, but it's really just a chemical that can't be seen but can cause health problems. Should we be worried? Of course not! We will just surround ourselves with house plants.
Air purifying plants
Take a deep breath, smell the outside air. In the forest, the jungle and or a room full of plants you might notice that it's nice and fresh and full of oxygen. They turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, so we can live off it. But some green heroes go the extra mile! Research from, yes that's right, NASA, shows that certain plants also filter the air of other toxins. Chemicals, such as formaldehyde, that are often used in building materials, lime and textiles.
Green heroes
Five plants that remove formaldehyde:
- Nephrolepis exalta 'Bostoniensis'
- Chrysanthemum morifolium (garden chrysanthemum)
- Gerbera jamesonii
- Phoenix Roebelenii (Dwarf Dadelpalm)
- Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig'