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Air purifiers vs plants, which is better? An air purifier essentially works in getting rid of pollutants, allergens, and toxins, this is considered to be the best way to clean your air indoors and over the years there have been debates on which is better between natural air filtration which is plants and mechanical air filtration which is the air purifier.
Air purifiers offer just as many benefits as plants but carefully selecting and positioning the best air purifier in your house can be comforting, it makes your house healthier and detoxifies places you have to rest and when it comes to this two air purifiers, each has its merits and demerits.
Houseplants not just purify the house but offer other benefits like helping you sleep.
Studies have shown that indoor air quality could be worst than outdoor air quality which is why it’s essential to have an air purifier in the house, this helps to reduce the indoor pollution and let fresh air inside the house however your choice of air purifier matters a lot as you can decide to go a natural filtration or an artificial one.
Can an air purifier really purify the air better than a plant? In this post, we will carefully answer this question and help you tackle other concerns on how to choose between plants and artificial air purifier.
Read this: Which Plants Are Not Good For The Home?
How Artificial Air Purifiers Purify The Air
Image: Envato Elements
Artificial air purifiers purify the air through an activated carbon filter, UV filtering, HEPAA filter, nd iconic generators, each of these works in slightly different ways but these tools and techniques are all for the purpose of removing dirt particles however this is all expensive processes.
Air purifies filters air pollution that can not be seen by the human eye, it typically uses filters, ozone, or electrical attraction and it uses a filter sieve to filter particles out of the circulating air.
How Plants Clean The Air
Plants are a more natural way of filtering the air of pollution and they can also remove toxins from the air we breathe.
Houseplants purify the house through respiration, this process involves absorbing CO2 and releasing oxygen which cleans the air, this is a natural type of filter and this is inexpensive and besides that they very easy to maintain while adding some flair to your aesthetics.
Indoor plants are great at really cleaning the air, they can also get rid of harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, benzene, acetone, and volatile organic compounds, they can improve indoor air quality however they are different kinds of plants and there are houseplants which are considered specifically for purification purposes.
Image: Envato Elements
Are Plants Better Than Artificial Air Purifiers?
Yes, plants are better than artificial air purifiers however both of these air cleaners bring something to the table, while plants can purify the house to some level, this process can be really slow while artificial air purifiers work at a faster pace to clean the air.
Plants are considered better options to air purifiers as this is a more natural process, also inexpensive compared to artificial purifiers which are really expensive, houseplants keep it home free from toxic and harmful pollutions.
Studies have shown that plants are the best air cleaners however artificial air cleaners remove even the minute’s dirt particles and might be the perfect choice for some houses.
So, Which Should You Choose, Air Purifier Or Houseplants?
Air purifiers and indoor plants both purify the air and while indoor plants might be considered the best option, you may not exactly know which side to lean on as these two air cleaners bring the same to the table in terms of purification purposes.
Now that you know how plants and air purifiers work, you may not know which one to have in the house, here are few tips to help you make the right choice.
An air purifier is better for:
- People who are not so good at keeping plants healthy and alive
- Homes that don’t contain lot’s of dust or pet dander
- Homes that don’t have extra space to accommodate a number of houseplants
- People who don’t mind using a mechanical air filtration
- People who want to remove a large variety of contaminants from the air, such as dust, allergens, mold, smoke or pet dander
- People who have mild to severe allergies or asthma
Houseplants are better for:
- People who prefer natural air purification
- Homes that don’t accumulate much of pet dander or dust
- People who are good at maintaining and caring for plants and also find them comforting around the home
- Homes that have enough room space to accommodate lot’s of plants
- People who take extra steps to keep their home free of toxic pollutants (i.e green living)
- Homes that have a higher level of VOCs such as new construction or renovations, new furniture, use an abundance of cleaning products, and more.
Final Thoughts
Taking a closer look at plants and air purifier, you did realize these two air cleaners has its benefits and when it comes to a comparison between this two, both bring something different to the table even though the purpose of this two is air purification.
Recent studies have shown that indoor plants can scrub the air of cancer-causing volatile compounds like benzene and formaldehyde and air purifies can also help to destroy bacteria and viruses in your home air.
Regardless of the direction, you choose to go in your choice of a purifier, your home will smell cleaner and the air quality will be improved.