Indoor Air Quality refers to how clean the air indoors is. We spend 90-95% of our time indoors. Often times the air outside is cleaner. This leads to health problems like allergies, asthma, etc.

Consumer Product Safety Commission and EPA has a good guide on how to improve indoor air quality. EPA has an extensive list of items that affect indoor air quality.

Major air quality problems include: Smoking, Fireplaces, Mold, Dust, Radon, Stoves.

Some lesser known problems include: Offgassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other chemicals from paint, carpets, cleaners, gasoline, paint thinner, dryclean clothes, office equipment, furniture, and building materials.

Using Plants to Scrub the Air

NASA has done research to show that plants Clean Air and Water for Indoor Environments. Plants have been found to reduce dust, formaldehyde, benzene, and other harmful chemicals. Air purification using plants is called phytoremediation. Recent research conducted at universities found that certain plants reduced total VOC levels by up to 75%. Plants clean the air by absorbing chemicals through small leaf pores called stomata . And from microorganisms living in the soil.

Additional plants that are recommended include English ivy, mother in-laws tongue, weeping fig, Peace Lily, Devils ivy, flamingo flower, Janet Craig, and Asparagus fern.

An NCPA article states:
“For every 100 square feet of office area, one or two Boston ferns can clean so much formaldehyde out of the air that it is no longer detectable.

Other toxin-eating plants include the azalea, poinsettia, dieffenbachia, gerbera daisy, corn plant, pot mum, Chinese evergreen and various species of philodendron, schefflera, chrysanthemum, tulip orchid and ligustrum.”

Penn State recommends plants like Spider plants, Grape Ivy, Chinese evergreen, Snake plants and more.

If you have carpet, consider removing it or using modular green carpets such as Interface floor. Install using no voc adhesives.

Filtering your air

Putting a better filter on your heater, such as a 3M Filtrete will also improve indoor air quality.

In room portable air purifiers with HEPA filters also help clear the air. Look for ones that are whisper quiet.

Also consider installing a high-quality whole house air filtration system such as one from Aprilaire.  These filters, filter the year before it reaches your heating system. Neutralize most germs, dust, mold spores and other air borne pollutants.

This is a lot cheaper and more green and eco than buying lots of air purifiers or replacing every piece of furniture you have.

Be sure to Fix Leaky Ducts – Reducing Air Leaks