I haven’t enjoyed houseplants in a long time since my cats love nothing more than to dig them out of the pots or chew on the leaves until the plant simply dies. The only ones sustaining in this house are an aloe plant (remember that little plant I bought?) that is locked away in the back room (it had first managed to survive a fierce kitty attack) and a poor bamboo plant that somehow survives but never has any leaves.
However, I decided this has to change after recently reading that houseplants are not only enjoyable, but can absorb some serious indoor air pollutants and toxins such as formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, etc. These toxins find ways into our homes in a variety of ways like dry cleaning, paint, synthetic fibers, and wood products (more specifics here at Natural News), but my question is with such good insulation do they ever find a way out?
So, I’ve made a goal as part of my spring cleaning efforts to get a few new plants in the main living areas of our house to help clean up the air. Luckily, I’ve came across some cat deterrents (such as spraying plants with bitter apple taste or placing a cotton ball dipped in clove oil under the soil). I will report back with what works for me :) Some of the best plants to start with for good pollutant absorption are English Ivy, spider plants, and chrysanthemum so I’ll be looking into those first!
