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Buying guide · Plants

Do indoor plants purify the air? The research, and six easy plants

The idea comes from a 1989 NASA study that put plants in small sealed chambers. A 2020 review of that research and later studies, by Cummings and Waring, found that in a real home you'd need 10 to 1,000 plants per square meter to match what ordinary ventilation already does.

So no houseplant measurably cleans a room's air; a purifier or an open window does. Plants are still worth growing for a greener, calmer room, and these six are the easiest.

Updated · 5 picks · figures from AHAM, Energy Star, NIOSH and the makers · no brand pays to be listed

Our 5 picks at a glance

We earn a small commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. It never decides what's listed. As an Amazon Associate, Airleaf earns from qualifying purchases.

How we chose

  • Hard to kill

    Plants that forgive low light and missed waterings.

  • Honest labels

    No 'air-purifying' claims; the ASPCA's pet-safety note on each.

  • Easy to find

    Common plants sold widely, not collectors' rarities.

We haven't lab-tested these ourselves. The rankings rest on independent ratings (AHAM's verified CADR, Energy Star's listings, NIOSH approvals) and the makers' own figures, each shown on the product's page with where it's from. No brand pays to be listed, and the order doesn't change with commission. We earn a small commission when you buy through our links.

Questions

Did NASA prove plants clean the air?
NASA's 1989 study tested plants in small sealed chambers. Those results don't carry over to homes, where air is exchanged with outdoors far faster than plants can clean it.
What actually cleans indoor air?
Ventilation, when the outdoor air is clean, and a HEPA air purifier, when it isn't. For smoke and smog, a purifier sized for the room.

Before you buy

Check how bad the air gets where you live

A purifier matters most where the air is often unhealthy. See today's reading and the past week for your city, from the nearest ground stations.

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