plants and fresh air!

culpepper

yes the one in the picture is a spider plant and yes you can peg the little ones down in a pot to get free plants.
Do you have a linen basket in your room? Sometimes they can get a bit wiffy before you can get the contents in a machine ,especially if they are in a warm area.

competitionscafe

I researched this a little while ago and I found this site really helpful:
http://www.flowers.org.uk/plants/health/healthiest.htm

I like to have lots of plants in the flat, because I live in the city centre (traffic etc) & no garden so I bought spider plants, dragon tree (draceana) - both very easy to care for - I also got peace lilies, ficus, and a palm. Most of these are easy to care for - just give them lots of light but not direct sunlight.

This place does indoor plants at reasonable prices and free delivery if you order 5 plants:
http://the-plant-directory.com/pages/pages.htm

I also found the natural freshners from Natural collection are great for freshening up stuffy rooms and last for ages (citrus and vanilla):
http://www.naturalcollection.com/natcol/product.asp?bID=2577052&subgroup=1407

MATH

Even in the depth of winter I air all my rooms. Sounds like you are doing all the right things with your bedding etc. Keeping dust to a minimum will reduce that fusty smell so maybe vac your drapes and purge all areas where dust bunnies gather.

I always keep fresh flowers around the house to act as natural air fragrance. Lillies and freshias are particularly good at filling a room with a nice natural perfume. Keep the water in the vase fresh and remove all leaves below the waterline or your room will smell worse than before. For anyone who likes cut flowers but is a bit forgetful about changing the water daily try adding the smallest drop of bleach to the water to keep if clear and pong free.

A bowl of fresh green apples is also a natural, gentle way to fragrance a room or a bowl of dried lavender heads. Finally, you could have a crack at making your own air freshner with some lemon essence or something in water so you get a nice smell but without the nasty chemicals.

Ted_Hutchinson

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.[/QUOTE]
It should be some research he did in 1984 this is close but I've got to go out now. It may be in the list here
23. FOLIAGE PLANTS FOR REMOVING AIR POLLUTANTS FROM ENERY-EFFICIENT BUILDINGS [size=-1]
B.C. Wolverton, Ph.D.
NASA Stennis Space Center
Indoor Air Quality Committee, Washington, DC, April 18, 1985.
Abstract: In an effort to develop a practical means of preventing the accumulation of toxic substances in the atmosphere of future space stations and energy-efficient buildings on Earth, NASA has been evaluating the use of biological processes. Research at NASA's National Space Technology Laboratories (NSTL) in Mississippi has demonstrated the ability of common houseplants such as spider plants (Chlorophytum elatum var.vittatum) and golden pothos (Scindapeus aureus) to remove such indoor air pollutants as formaldehyde and carbon monoxide from closed chambers.
View PDF File
Updated/Added to NTRS: 2004-07-09

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squeaky

OK I'll catch up tomorrow - but the PDF file you pointed at at the bottom of your post didn't work.

Actually it worked enough to show me a title purporting to be NASA generated, though was NOT a NASA site... and then it crashed trying to show me page two.

I DO accept that plants are good for the air that we breathe but I want to SEE a site quoting a reference that says www.nasa.gov/home etc etc and not some site that says nasa says this...

Quasar

Light a candle and let it burn for an hour or so. The air will begin to clear. This is a temporary measure only, as the only way to truly clean the air requires a good airing of the room.

Ah, and two or three spider plants DO help! I have a few and they are soooo easy to keep. In fact they are highly recommended for beginners in plant-care as they can take a lot of neglect, such as being forgotten in a corner and watered just now and then. But don't leave in full sunshine all day long. Like most plants anyway.

Good luck!

System

I save the tiny little packets that you find in the box when you buy a new pair of shoes or a handbag. They are supposed to keep the damp away as they absorb any excess moisture. I collect them and put them in my shoes which i store in my wardrobe. This keeps my whole wardrobe smelling fresh and sweet.

Ted_Hutchinson

squeaky wrote:

OK I'll catch up tomorrow - but the PDF file you pointed at at the bottom of your post didn't work.

Actually it worked enough to show me a title purporting to be NASA generated, though was NOT a NASA site... and then it crashed trying to show me page two.

I DO accept that plants are good for the air that we breathe but I want to SEE a site quoting a reference that says www.nasa.gov/home etc etc and not some site that says nasa says this...

Go to http://ntrs.nasa.gov/ this is the site NASA publishes it's research.
Then enter "Wolverton" which is the name of the guy who did the research. This will bring up a list of his published NASA research.
From the list it brings up it is clear that Wolverton was working on finding ways to clean air with plants.
76. FOLIAGE PLANTS FOR REMOVING INDOOR AIR POLLUTANTS FROM ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOMES [size=-1]
B.C. Wolverton ; Rebecca C. McDonald ; E.A. Watkins, Jr.
NASA Stennis Space Center
Economic Botany , 1984, pp. 224-228. , 1984
Abstract: The accumulation of gaseous toxic substances in the air of poorly ventilated places has been known for many years, but only in recent years recognized as a potential indoor health hazard in energy-efficient homes. Owing to the ubiquitous and increasing use of resins and solvents in most materials found inside modern homes, indoor air pollutants such as formaldehyde have increased significantly over the past years. The adoption of energy-saving proposals to reduce ventilation rates in homes has aggravated problems of indoor air quality and increased potential health hazards. This report presents data from research using houseplants that produce abundant foliage.
View PDF File
Updated/Added to NTRS: 2004-07-09[/size][size=-1][/size]

carol_a_3

If you like lavender or geranium as I do you could put a few drops of the oils in water in an essential oil burner trough...but don't light it! It still scents the room but without the danger of fire if unattended.

GreenFingers_2

On a lighter note, the following may be of interest. It’s from the book “Delights for Ladies” by Sir Hugh Platt – 1609

SWEET BAG TO LIE AMONG LINEN

“Fill your bags only with lignum rhodium, finely beaten, and it will give excellent scents to your linen” (l. rhodium are essentially scented tree and shrub barks)

Here’s a link for those who, like myself are interested in ancient or historical remedies, potions and lotions, herbs and plants:- http://gallowglass.org/jadwiga/herbs/scents.html

On a practical level, you can't beat making your own potpourris from herbs and plants that you have grown yourself - just hang or lay out to dry lavendars, thymes, sages, rose petals... anything that smells nice. When thoroughly dried crush lightly and place in small bowls or linen pouches - easy peasy.