From air purifiers to air filters and HEPA vacuums, you're likely at some point in your life, to have fallen for an air cleansing system or product that is not natural or doesn't necessarily do what was promised on the box. According to the EPA, indoor levels of pollutants may be up to 100 times higher than outdoor pollutant levels and have been ranked among the top five environmental risks to the public. So, you can see why it's important that you tackle these pollutants in your living and work spaces.

What's the solution? It might seem a simple enough one or make you question why you hadn't thought about it before, but the answer is plants – eco-friendly, air purifying plants. NASA's Clean Air Study did the hard work for us (back in 1989) and found plants to be the most effective for cleaning the air in space stations; a finding that is still applicable to purifying the indoor spaces of today. 

Their study found that there were specific plants that were most effective at removing benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and ammonia from the air – harmful chemicals that have been linked to health effects like headaches, dizziness, nausea, and eye irritation.

NASA's results have stood the test of time and the most effective air purifying plants can be found below.

1. Garden Mum

2. Spider Plant

3. Peace Lily

4. Dracaena

5. Dwarf Date Palm

6. Boston Fern

7. Kimberley Queen Fern

8. Chinese Evergreen

9. Bamboo Palm

10. Weeping Fig

11. Devil's Ivy

12. Flamingo Lily

13. Lilyturf

14. Broadleaf Lady Palm

15. Barberton Daisy

16. Cornstalk Dracaena

17. English Ivy

18. Variegated Snake Plant

19. Red-Edged Dracaena

20. Florist's Chrysanthemum

Not only do these plants clean the air, but many of them are super easy to care for – plus they look great in any home. So, if you're looking to breath better and think clearer, consider adding some of these eco-friendly, air purifying plants to your home or office space.