Breathe easy & skip the chore! Discover the best low-maintenance indoor plants that purify your air & thrive on neglect. Read on to boost your home’s health (and style!)
Craving a lush, vibrant home that practically takes care of itself? Indoor plants are the answer because they not only bring the outdoors in but also act as living air purifiers, filtering out toxins and boosting your mood.
I know not all of us have a green thumb (or the time!) for high-maintenance greenery. This post is your guide to the best low-maintenance indoor plants that clean the air, thriving on neglect while adding a touch of zen and coziness to your home.
Get ready to breathe easy and be the plant parent boss with these low-maintenance, hard-to-kill air-purifying indoor plants.
(Posts on stacyling.com may contain affiliate links. Click HERE for full disclosure.)
How Do Houseplants Purify the Air?
Houseplants clean the air through a process called photosynthesis. They remove toxins from the air by converting exhaled carbon dioxide into fresh oxygen.
Years ago, NASA researched how houseplants purify the air by diffusing toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene and filtering the air we breathe. It’s a pretty cool landmark study – you can read it here.
When I first started gardening, I was more of an outdoor gardener than an indoor gardener. Over the years, I’ve been increasingly adding more plants to my home and the result is pretty amazing: we are sick less often.
Now I’m not suggesting or guaranteeing that you’ll never get sick but my family has experienced far fewer colds and viruses through the years since adding more houseplants to our home.
The Benefits of Adding Houseplants that Clean the Air
By adding a few plants, we have the ability to improve indoor air quality. Do you get sick a lot or have bad indoor allergies?
Indoor air pollution directly impacts our health and comes from a variety of sources include benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene.
In addition to purifying the air, houseplants add life and character to both indoor and outdoor spaces. They boost our mood and breathe life into otherwise empty spaces.
So it’s a really good idea to grow some indoor plants.
Best Low Maintenance Indoor Plants that Clean the Air
Forget finicky ferns and temperamental orchids!
For best practices, you’ll need about two plants per 100 square feet. But since I’m giving you an easy-care, hard-to-kill list of air purifying plants, having more plants around will be pretty simple.
Here’s a list of stunning, low-maintenance indoor plants that not only add a touch of green to your home but also act as natural air purifiers, removing toxins and boosting your well-being:
Snake Plant
Snake plants are one of my favorite houseplants that clean the air. Sansevierias are super low-maintenance, hardy succulents that thrive on neglect. Sounds pretty easy right?
This architectural wonder, with its upright, sword-like leaves, thrives on neglect. It filters out formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, and xylene, making it ideal for bedrooms and living rooms. Plus, it releases oxygen at night, promoting better sleep.
They can handle almost any light conditions. Put them in a room with at least one window and don’t over-water them.
To give you a frame of reference, when mine is indoors, I water them maybe once a month. The sansevieria plant is so cool because it can live on very little water and light as well as add lots of drama and life to living spaces.
My husband thought I was nuts for keeping this one at the Vermont cabin because there are times when we aren’t there for several weeks to possibly months, but it can go a long time without care.
If you are new to gardening or think you kill everything, try caring for a snake plant. You’ll find the most success with this one. And it is the first plant I recommend to newbie indoor gardeners and those with busy schedules.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera plants are another succulent plant that is super easy to care for and are another great houseplant that cleans the air. They love a bright sunny spot with indirect light and well-draining soil.
And do not overwater them because they prefer dry conditions. Much like the snake plant, I probably water my aloe plants once a month or a little less.
More than just a sunburn soother, Aloe Vera is a champion air purifier. It removes formaldehyde, benzene, and toluene, all while adding a touch of desert chic to your space.
In my old house, I kept mine in the bay window on the north side. But here, my aloe vera plants reside in the sunroom (also on the north side) and are living their best life!
And I’ve got more than one now because I have to keep dividing them. The mother plant keeps producing babies, so I pot them up and either keep them or give them away.
If you’ve got aloe vera plants and aren’t sure how to divide them, I shared a post about how to propagate aloe plants here.
Chinese Evergreen
The Chinese Evergreen is a great starter plant for beginning gardeners because it tolerates low light and drought but also loves humidity. It’s one of the best low maintenance indoor plants that I’ve found to be a very forgiving and resilient plant that can take pretty much whatever you throw at it.
This versatile beauty comes in a variety of shades and patterns, adding a pop of color to any room. It tackles formaldehyde, benzene, and xylene, making it a great choice for offices or homes with new furniture. It thrives in low light and enjoys occasional misting.
Bathrooms are a great spot for them. If kept in a less humid room, mist the leaves occasionally to keep them from browning. Add a humidifier or group them together with other plants to create a more humid microclimate.
Also, if it gets enough sunlight, it may produce a bloom. I haven’t seen one yet on mine, but I’ll let you know when it happens!
When I first bought this plant, I kept it on the north side of my former home in the bay window. But here at the new house, it resides in the sunroom, which is also located on the north side too.
Flamingo Lily
Flamingo lilies are gorgeous flowering houseplants that can bloom year-round but need indirect sunlight, humid temperatures, and water to thrive.
Anthuriums do not like wet feet though, so check the soil before watering to be sure it is dry. This is one of those plants you are better off underwatering than overwatering.
With its elegant flowers and lush green foliage, the Flamingo Lily is a visual treat but also purifies the air we breathe. It removes formaldehyde and ammonia, making it perfect for kitchens and bathrooms.
My daughter is a new plant mom and chose this one to start with a few year ago. Don’t you love those pretty flowers?
It’s a really great starter plant for beginners as it is pretty resilient. We’ve had this plant for two years now. And it took a little abuse this summer on the front porch because I had it in these tall boho planters that kept falling over.
Every time it would fall, the pot broke. And it sometimes took me a little bit of time to repot it up. It wasn’t happy with me for a little while but it lives to tell about it! And is doing quite well in the sunroom today.
Peace Lily
Peace Lily symbolizes sympathy, grows well in partial sunlight, humid climates, and produces pretty blooms.
This graceful plant, with its glossy leaves and white flowers that resemble calla lilies, is as calming as its name suggests. It filters formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, and xylene, making it ideal for bedrooms and living rooms.
To me, it’s one of the best low maintenance indoor plants because it lets you know when it needs watering by drooping its leaves! But don’t stress seeing it do that because it’s just letting you know it’s thirsty! The leaves will perk back up but I recommend paying attention to its watering needs so it’s not constantly going into a state of stress.
Be conscious of not overwatering them because they don’t love it. Peace lilies don’t respond well to wet feet so lean more towards underwatering. Check the soil before you water them and really get to know your plant.
If you have a pet, peace lily’s can be toxic to them. So be sure to keep out of their reach.
I used to bring mine outdoors and if I sited it well, it would thrive. Since moving, I haven’t found the right spot outdoors because it does not like direct light at all and I don’t want to risk it.
It’s currently hanging out in my foyer and seems to love the location so I just leave it there.
The tips of the foliage are getting a little crisp as it’s lived in this plastic nursery pot for a few years. So she’ll be getting repotted this spring to give it fresh soil and larger accommodations.
Spider Plant
Spider plants are resilient houseplants that grow well in bright, indirect sunlight with lots of water. This easy-to-care-for plant produces cascading greenery and adorable spiderettes (baby plants) that you can propagate with ease.
It tackles formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene, making it a versatile choice for any room. Just give it bright, indirect light and occasional watering.
I’ve got two huge plants in my sunroom right now. The smaller one was a baby of the larger one. And both are producing more babies.
Spider plants are super easy to grow. I’ve kept mine in several different locations in my homes. But they seem to do best near a sunny window.
Pothos or Devil’s Ivy
Pothos is one of my favorite houseplants because it looks great on a shelf and vines down. This fast-growing vine, with its heart-shaped leaves, is perfect for adding a touch of jungle vibes to your home.
It removes formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene, making it ideal for living rooms and offices. Just give it something to climb on and let it trail its lush greenery.
This plant loves indirect sunlight and only needs to be watered when dry. If you are a self-proclaimed plant killer, try pothos because it’s nearly impossible to kill.
If you want to grow more pothos for free, read my post about how to propagate pothos here.
Philodendron
With its glossy, heart-shaped leaves, the Philodendron comes in a variety of stunning varieties. It removes formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene, making it a great choice for any room.
Philodendrons thrive on very little care but they do need a good amount of light, so when indoors keep them near a bright sunny window.
There are so many varieties of philodendrons. I have a gorgeous philodendron that I picked up from Lowe’s several years ago.
When I purchased my lacy tree philodendron, it was in a small pot and only had five leaves. After one summer on my deck, it grew exponentially and gives off a tropical vibe.
It requires such little care throughout the year and it so easy to grow. During the winter months, I might water these like once a month, maybe a little less. But when they are outside in the heat of summer, they get watered almost daily depending on the weather.
While these plants are known for their ability to remove toxins from the air, they also increase humidity levels and can help reduce the dryness caused by heating systems in the winter.
Monstera Plants
When learning how to be a plant parent, it’s best to start with plants that are easy to grow and easy to care for while cozying up our living spaces.
Monstera plants are high on this list of plants to grow for newbie gardeners and home decor enthusiasts. These tropical beauties, with their iconic split leaves, add a touch of drama to any space. They remove formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene, making them ideal for large rooms. Just give them bright, indirect light and well-draining soil.
With lots of different varieties available, you can grow so many beautiful options that make an incredible statement in your home. The foliage is incredibly beautiful and they boost our moods to boot.
I grow both Monstera deliciosa and adansonii and have had my plants for more than a few years now. They are easily one of my favorite low-maintenance houseplants to grow!
Pilea Peperomioides
If you are interested in growing an easy-care plant that looks unique, cleans the air, and propagates with ease, look no further than the money plant.
I was inspired to purchase my first pilea plant from Martha Stewart. She did a show on houseplants and spoke highly of them so of course, I had to try growing one.
This adorable little plant, with its round, coin-shaped leaves, is perfect for desktops or windowsills. It removes formaldehyde and toluene, making it ideal for small spaces. Just give it bright, indirect light and well-draining soil.
And let me tell you how much I LOVE growing pilea peperomioides. I started with one plant that I probably paid a few dollars for and now have 4 separate plants from that first plant.
The mother plant continues to produce baby plants too. So once a year, I divide them off and repot them in new terracotta pots.
But because I have so many now, I can’t keep them all. I’ve kept a few to decorate my home and purify the air. And the rest I gift away to family and friends.
Best Low Maintenance Indoor Plants That Clean the Air FAQs
Are air-purifying plants safe for pets?
Every houseplant is different so it’s really important to know what you are growing before you bring them home to live with your furry friends. Some air-purifying plants are toxic to pets if ingested, so it is important to choose plants that are safe for pets. Some safe options include snake plants, spider plants, and peace lilies.
Can air-purifying plants replace an air purifier?
I am not really sure whether or not they can replace them or not. Not all plants clean all toxins out of the air, whereas I suppose air purifiers remove more. Thus, houseplants alone, may be not the best at totally purifying the air. That said, I don’t have an air purifier in my home and care for a jungle of plants instead!
Where should I place my air-purifying plants?
Place your air-purifying plants in areas where you spend the most time, such as your bedroom, living room, or home office. You can also place them near sources of pollution, such as your fireplace or kitchen. Just make sure the plants you have can handle the light conditions in those living spaces or they may not thrive.
How often should I repot my air-purifying plants?
You should repot your air-purifying plants every two or three years. Because nutrients wash out of the soil everytime we water, it is a good idea to freshen up that soil. When you repot them, you can either go one pot size up or repot them in the same container. Keep in mind when you pot plants up a size, they tend to grow larger.
Can I fertilize my air-purifying plants?
Yes, you should fertilize your air-purifying plants once a month during the growing season. Use a balanced fertilizer that is diluted to half-strength. But if you want an easier approach to fertilizing, go with a slow-release fertilizer so there are less applications and it’s set and forget.
Air-Purifying Plants: Wrapping It Up
Keep in mind that all plants have different light and water requirements, so it’s important to research the specific needs of the plants you choose to ensure they thrive in your home environment.
If you are new to gardening or feel like you kill everything, start with one plant from this list and follow my tips on houseplant care.
You’ll be amazed at how good of a plant parent you actually are!
If you want to know how to care for these air-purifying houseplants, read this post for easy houseplant care tips.
And if you are reading this post in the middle of winter, there are a few things you should do to keep indoor plants happy while they are in dormancy. Read this post to learn how to care for housplants in winter.
More About Low Maintenance Indoor Plants That Clean the Air
Are you new to growing indoor plants or have you been growing them for a while? If so, what do you like to grow? I would love to know more in the comments below.
Thanks for stopping by the blog today!
Enjoy your day! xoxo
More Houseplant Care Tips and Tricks
- 7 Simple Ways to Keep Your Houseplants Alive
- How to Revive Plants to Save Them
- How to Style Your Houseplants
- Monstera Plants and Why You Should Grow One
- How to Grow Pilea Plant
- Snake Plant Care
- Propagating Pothos Plant
- 7 Easy Indoor Gardening Ideas for Beginners
- What You Need to Know About Easy Care Houseplants that Purify the Air
- The Secret to Keeping Houseplants Alive
- How to Propagate Pothos Plant
- Have a Green Thumb With These Indoor Gardening Ideas
- Christmas Cactus Care
- Dividing an Aloe Plant
- Amaryllis Care
- Potting Bench Idea
