These 10 Plants Can Actually Help Clean the Air in Your Home

NASA’s “Clean Air Study” may have been published in 1989, but it still holds true today. The study found that several houseplants can improve air quality by removing trace organic pollutants—such as cigarette smoke and potentially dangerous chemicals—from the air.

Three specific chemicals were measured in the study: benzene (one of the top 20 most-used chemicals in the U.S. that’s known to cause cancer, according to the American Cancer Society); trichloroethylene (a lesser-used chemical that in small amounts, could make you sleepy or give you headaches, but is deadly in high amounts, according to the CDC); and formaldehyde ( It’s used in some building materials and household products. The American Cancer Society says most homes have low levels of formaldehyde and it’s a potential carcinogen).

While NASA’s experiments were performed in a chamber rather than in spread-out rooms of a house, plants may still be able to reduce small amounts of these airborne chemicals and improve your home’s air quality. Here are some plants to stock up on for fresher air (and cute decor):