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Do Houseplants Clean the Air? What the Evidence Says
A 1980s lab study showed plants can remove some chemicals in a sealed chamber, which led to the claim that they clean home air. Later reviews found that in real homes you would need hundreds of plants per room to match normal ventilation. Plants are pleasant, but ventilation and source control work better.
Written by the PureLung label deskUpdated · 5 min read
Where the claim came from
In 1989, NASA researchers studied whether plants could clean air in sealed space habitats. They found plants removed small amounts of some chemicals in a small, sealed chamber over many hours. Articles later cited this as proof that houseplants purify homes.
Why homes are different
A home is not a sealed chamber. Air moves in and out through doors, windows, gaps and vents, many times per hour. Reviews of studies found that plants clear pollutants far too slowly to compete with that air exchange. One analysis estimated that you would need on the order of ten to a thousand plants per square metre to match the effect of ordinary ventilation.
What plants do give
Plants can look good, lift mood for some people and add a connection to nature. They may also add humidity, which is not always good for allergy. These are fair reasons to keep them, and they are not air cleaning. Caring for a plant is also a small daily routine that gets some people outdoors or by a window, which has its own value.
Wet soil can grow mould, which is a trigger for allergy and asthma. Keep soil only damp, not soggy, and remove dead leaves. Use a saucer and empty it after watering, and wipe leaves now and then so dust does not collect.
What does clean indoor air
The fixes that work are mostly about the air itself, not what is placed in a room.
- Stop smoking indoors and ventilate.
- Fix sources such as damp, gas leaks and fumes.
- Open windows when the outdoor air is good.
- Use a HEPA filter for particles where needed.
- Keep a bathroom and kitchen fan in use.
Pet and child safety
Some popular plants are toxic to cats, dogs and children if chewed. Check names against a pet poison list before you buy.
PureLung: 60 capsules a bottlePacks of 1, 3 or 6 bottles · live price shown at checkout · guarantee as printed on the live listing
See packsWhat this means for lung products
If a houseplant cannot clean your air in practice, then a capsule cannot clean the lungs by itself either. Clean air comes from fewer pollutants and cleaner surroundings. PureLung makes no air or lung cleaning claim. The ALA lists clean air steps in its guidance for lung health (ALA, Tips to Keep Your Lungs Healthy).
What does the PureLung label say?
The label shows 60 capsules, a serving of 2 and a 600 mg Proprietary Blend of eleven names with no single amount; it names no disease.
| Item | As printed |
|---|---|
| Form and count | Capsules, 60 per bottle; serving size 2 capsules; 30 servings |
| Blend per serving | Proprietary Blend, 600 mg: eleven names, no single amount printed |
| Inactive | Rice Flour, Magnesium Stearate, Silica Dioxide |
| Distributor | MJO, Sheridan, WY 82801 |
A sensible plan
Keep plants if you enjoy them. Rely on real fixes for your air. For a fuller approach, read the indoor air quality post and the HEPA purifier post.
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FAQ01
PureLung questions people ask
Do snake plants purify air?
Not enough to notice in a home.
Can plants make asthma worse?
Damp soil mould can.
Is it worth buying plants for air?
Buy them for pleasure, not for purifying.
What works better?
Ventilation and source control.
Do capsules clean lungs?
No such effect is shown.
Who wrote this02
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label images, seller information and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site for a U.S. authorized retailer for PureLung. It is not the manufacturer or the distributor named on the label. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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