plants and fresh air!

Eliza252

My bedroom in my house get really stuffy, and tends to smell of things like shoes etc (its a general lived-in smell, there isnt old food festering somewhere or anything - you know what I mean!). I've been leaving the window open during the day, but now its getting quite cold this is annoying as i have to shiver in my socks for half an hour after i get home. I live in shared house and everyone keeps their bedroom doors closed when they are not there (the front door is not particularly secure!)
Is it true that having plants in the room will help to keep the air a bit fresher?
and of so does anyone know what type of plants?

I dont really like artificial air freshners - apart from the fact that they are expensive I dont really like the idea of having all those chemicals floating around all the time! Have got some smelly candles but cant burn those when am not there.

leonie_2

Well spider plants are supposed to be great at cleansing air, according to a trial that NASA did. They stated that aloe vera was second at doing a good job. I adore aloe vera for all its wonderful benefits and have the plants all over my home. Cant say the air is any sweeter but NASA cant be wrong! :-)

Also, aloe vera makes a great plant for the bedroom because its used to a really hot climate so it 'sleeps' through the hot day and at night gets to work cleaning the air.... just what you want in your bedroom!

Nile

It might be time to change your pillow(s) and buy new ones? A simple test for pillows is to balance the pillow on your arm. If it sags/droops downwards......it's time to buy a new one because it isn't giving your head and neck any support.;)

Also, your duvet might need a wash or you could just hang it outside on a washing line to air?

Do you fold back your bedding every day, to let the bed mattress air during the day?

The smelly shoes problem can be helped if you avoid wearing the same pair on consecutive days. So if you only posess two pairs of shoes, wear them on alternate days.

Try not to put shoes (or trainers) in a cupboard or sports bag immediately after you've worn them, let them air in a room first.

A spider plant (as suggested earlier) is a good idea...........and they're very easy to look after..........from my (non green fingers) experience.

squeaky

OK... spider plants... something like this you mean?



I think this is one where if you have a friend or relative with one you can ask them to sit one of the hanging bits in a pot for you, let it get rooted and established, and then cut the runner. (I think the proper name for this technique is layering.)

Free plant

Am I right?

Ted_Hutchinson

Common Name Scientific Name Bamboo Palm Chamaedorea Seifritzii Chinese Evergreen Aglaonema Modestum English Ivy Hedera Helix Gerbera Daisy Gerbera JamesoniiJanet CraigDracaena Janet Craig Marginata Dracaena Marginata Mass cane/Corn Plant Dracaena Massangeana Mother-in-Law's Tongue Sansevieria Laurentii Pot Mum Chrysantheium morifolium Peace Lily Spathiphyllum "Mauna Loa" Warneckii Dracaena "Warneckii" From NASA Study - Plants Clean the Air!!!

Eliza252

Hi, bedding gets washed once a week and mattress is new..
maybe i'll get some odour eaters for shoes - i really only have one pair at the moment for general wear.
I always wondered why spider plants were so popular considering they're not particularly attractive are they!

leonie_2

Interesting, it doesnt mention aloe vera in that study. I read about it from a book in the library. I wonder if it was a newer study that I read as it said in the book that NASA were now using them in space?

squeaky

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

Common Name Scientific Name Bamboo Palm Chamaedorea Seifritzii Chinese Evergreen Aglaonema Modestum English Ivy Hedera Helix Gerbera Daisy Gerbera JamesoniiJanet CraigDracaena Janet Craig Marginata Dracaena Marginata Mass cane/Corn Plant Dracaena Massangeana Mother-in-Law's Tongue Sansevieria Laurentii Pot Mum Chrysantheium morifolium Peace Lily Spathiphyllum "Mauna Loa" Warneckii Dracaena "Warneckii" From NASA Study - Plants Clean the Air!!!

OK OK enough with the fancy names already Do they look (something) like the plant in the picture? Please?

Edit: Sorry to be pedantic guv but the NASA study quoted above still isn't the NASA site - it's a site saying that NASA says... I have yet to find the study referrred to on the NASA site. And yes, I'm happy to accept that plants improve air quality, honest; I just can't find the actual reference.

caffeinehit

I've heard about Spider plants too, and they're incredibly easy to keep. I've managed to kill practically every type of plant there is, but my spider plants (and basil) just keep flourishing.

jo_b_2

I also hate the stuffy house smell when the windows have been closed all day. I don't think it's a dirty smell, as such, just a stale air smell. I try to keep the windows open for as long as poss, but I've just had to go around shutting mine as it's freezing!

tattooed_lady

It really is cold today. I always have the windows open just a little bit as our flat can get quite stuffy, but today I had to close them as it was freezing! Even had to put a cardi on indoors, never have to do that!