Do you think your thumb is green enough?

We live in a world that it polluted. Polluted with vehicle exhaust and factory fumes that taint our lives and fill our lungs so much so that we can’t wait to get to the countryside and breathe in the fresh air.

What if you can have this fresh air feeling right in your rental home? Well, it is possible. These five plants are going to reveal the secrets of air purification.

The Spider Plant

Spider Plants are very simple plants that remove pollutants such as formaldehyde and xylene from the air, two chemicals that are toxic to the human body. Keeping a Spider Plant in your rental is an easy way of filling your home with more oxygen, Spider Plants are one of the easiest plants to keep in the house especially if you are a forgetful owner. Make sure you keep your new plant in an area of the house with indirect sunlight if you want to see a collection of flowers that will eventually blossom into baby Spider Pants.

The Snake Plant/Mother-in-Law’s Tongue

Just as the name suggests, this is a hardy plant, that is ready to take on even the toughest pollutants. The Snake Plant is no match for formaldehyde and xylene, it sorts those in its sleep. The Snake Plant is so determined that it can target benzene - a chemical found in ink, as well as trichloroethylene, a tough cookie that promotes headaches and other unwanted aches and pains. Also known as the Mother-in-Law’s-Tongue, it is one of the toughest plants to kill. The Snake Plant enjoys dry conditions and short spouts of sun but it also enjoys to be watered occasionally.

The Bamboo Plant

The Bamboo Plant is a fun and cheerful plant to keep in your rental, it even gives off the idea of purifying the air just by looking at it. Mostly seen in kitchens, right by the sink window, Bamboo Plants thrive in full sun or bright light. These tall creatures are pet friendly and can filter a big amount of air due to their size. Some of the chemicals it wards away include benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.

The Aloe Vera Plant

A stunning plant that the Maltese island is adorned with outside the home but keeping this plant indoors is a clever way of keeping a multi-purpose tool. Full of a clear gel-like liquid, the Aloe Vera Plant is considered by some as a medicinal product, coating abrasions with it’s high-cellulose gel that cures and protects. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties too.

On the air purifying scale, it’s not too high but still a clever plant to keep at your desk in the study or in your rental home’s spare bathroom. It’s also an excellent fighter of formaldehyde.

The Gerbra Daisy

Some of the most colourful air purifiers around, Gerbra Daisies, scientifically known as Gerbra jamesonii, are plants that are super-efficient and effective at removing trichloroethylene - a chemical that is produced when drying clothes, especially through dry-cleaning.

The Gerbra also features properties that target benzene, this would serve as a nice gesture by giving your receptionist a bunch of Gerbras for doing such an excellent job at finding your new rental home. For your home, though, try and keep Gerber's in a well aired area with lots of light, maybe your bedroom or your laundry room is a good idea.

Seeing as we, 21st century folk, spend 90% of our time indoors, we need to make sure that our surroundings are as healthy as they can be for our mental, physical and ultimately spiritual health. Now, if that means we need to put a Bamboo Plant in our kitchen, give our buddy some Gerbra Daisies, or pop an Aloe Vera Plant on our office desk, I guess, that’s not so hard.