5 House plants for cleaner air

Certain house plants help purify indoor air, removing harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other pollutants, which can improve air quality and give you a cleaner, healthier work environment.


Aloe Vera



This short-stemmed succulent has been used in alternative medicines for centuries — the gel inside aloe vera can help treat cuts and burns. It's also an efficient air cleaner and it requires little water, so it's a good, hard-to-kill choice for your desk.

English Ivy


Although a more common sight outside, English ivy is a great trailing indoor plant. This evergreen climber will eat up VOCs, leaving your office air fresher and cleaner.

Peace Lily


Peace lillies don't need a lot of light or watering, so they're ideal for office environments. NASA's Clean Air Study revealed peace lilies can remove benzene, formaldehyde, ammonia and other nasties from stale, indoor air.

Golden Pathos


This evergreen vine doesn't require the kid glove treatment, and it's an attractive, leafy option. It rids the air of indoor pollutants such as formaldehyde, xylene and benzene. Golden pothos (also known as devil's ivy and silver vine) can grow more than 65 feet tall, so it makes for great foliage.


Spider Plants



Spider plants are like the honey badgers of the house plant world. They withstand neglect and make little spider plant babies all the time. In NASA's study, they were shown to get rid of formaldehyde, xylene and toluene.