Houseplants that Reduce Dust and Particulate Matter

Can we take a moment and talk about dust? It's the worst, right?

It gets everywhere, settles in hard-to-find places, even triggers asthma and allergy attacks, and heightens the risk of childhood leukemia. And anybody who's tried to make their home dust-free will know that it's impossible to eradicate. Well, almost… but how and what does this have to do with houseplants? 

Well, first, many people don't think of dust as a way of being exposed to a plethora of toxins. Many studies have found crazy amounts of toxicants in dust found throughout our homes, including arsenic, lead, phthalates, chemical flame retardants, and many pesticides. Crazy right?

Dust indoors also don’t diminish as easily as it would outside due to the lack of sun, water, wind, and bacteria to break them down. So, dust particles last longer in our homes, on our carpets, and in other areas within our living environments. 

That brings us to plants. Houseplants with large, shiny, and waxy foliage provide extensive surface area to attract and capture dust. Like outdoors, indoor plants trap these dust particles through precise processes and release fresh air. What's the process? When plants transpire, they emit water particles raising humidity levels which naturally lower dust levels. As there are more water particles in the air, they combine with the dust particles taking them out of the air and towards the floor as they air heavier and can no longer float around. 

Some of the best plants for controlling dust in your home are Aloe vera, Chinese Evergreen, Betel Leaf Plant, Ferns, Philodendron, Fittonia, Gerbera daisy, and Pot mum; these are also excellent choices to keep dust away.

According to a study, titled Assessing the Capacity of Plant Species to Accumulate Particulate Matter in Beijing, China, published with the National Library of Medicine, foliage with a more significant amount of pubescence and rough surface accumulates a higher amount of particulate matter. 

Sources:

Mo, L., Ma, Z., Xu, Y., Sun, F., Lun, X., Liu, X., Chen, J., & Yu, X. (2015). Assessing the Capacity of Plant Species to Accumulate Particulate Matter in Beijing, China. PloS one, 10(10), e0140664. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0140664