Hayward Score identifies the major issues in your home that can impact your health and gives you personalized actionable recommendations to fix them!
What is Hayward Score?
Hayward Score identifies the major issues in your home that can impact your health and gives you personalized actionable recommendations to fix them!
While some green plants can help you breathe a little easier, they aren’t going to do much to mitigate the unintended side effects of some energy-efficient homes like reduced airflow and ventilation. “Tight homes” mean that the toxic chemicals in your cleaning products, laundry detergents, air freshener, as well as other pollutants all stay trapped inside your home. Add in items like furniture, carpeting, vinyl flooring, and synthetic building materials all of which can off-gas chemicals and your house can quickly become more polluted indoors than you think!
Houseplants are decorative, though in a large enough quantity (and in the right potting medium) they can absorb few of the harmful toxins from the air, especially in very small, enclosed spaces with little airflow. They don’t have anything close to the horsepower of a mechanical ventilation system or an air purifier and won’t do the heavy lifting but they are natural, inexpensive, and can even help improve your mood and productivity, enhance concentration, and reduce stress!
Note: You need more than 1-2 plants to have any measurable impact…so buy in bulk!
What chemicals will they tackle? Plants will differ in what they absorb so having a variety is best. But most are effective on formaldehyde, xylene, toluene, benzene, and carbon monoxide. Certain plants can also absorb trichloroethylene, ammonia, and chloroform.
Which indoor plants are best? There are lots of options, so you will have to do a little legwork to figure out which will thrive in your home by understanding your indoor environment (warm/cool, sunny/shady, humid/dry) and how much attention you want to give them.
Here are 9 indoor plants commonly recommended for cleaner air as they are easy to care for:
- Aloe Vera
- Bamboo
- Boston Fern
- Dracaenas
- English Ivy
- Peace Lily
- Rubber Plant
- Snake Plant
- Spider Plant
Chrysanthemums, Devil’s Ivy (Golden Pothos), Areca Palms, and Chinese evergreen are also good choices.
Two Cautions:
- Many plants are toxic to cats and dogs – so if you have pets that are prone to nibble at leaves, be sure to choose non-toxic options. (the ASPCA has an excellent online resource, click here)
- Indoor plants can also affect humidity and promote mold growth. Don’t over water and make sure water drains into a pan or tray where it can be removed easily. Covering the top of the soil with Spanish moss or aquarium gravel can also help minimize mold. For more tips, read our blog here on avoiding mold growth.
While we love houseplants — they WILL NOT do a complete job of removing toxins from your indoor air. Make sure your home is properly ventilated and switch to non-toxic, fragrance-free cleaning and laundry products and skipping any and all air fresheners – it is the best way to reduce your home’s indoor chemical load and your family’s exposure!
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Dana is a seasoned marketing and communications professional with over 20 years experience helping companies achieve awareness and financial goals in consumer, technology, and non-profit industries. Most recently she was Director of Communications at Castilleja School and began her career in brand marketing with Clorox. She received her MBA from Harvard University and BA from Wellesley College.
ARE YOU CONCERNED YOUR HOME IS MAKING YOU SICK?
Our guide on indoor quality will help you diagnose possible issues and implement intelligent solutions to improve the quality of the air inside your home.
