Alternatives to Air Purifiers

What are some alternatives to air purifiers?

If an air purifier is not in your budget right now and you would like to check out alternatives there are several choices you can make.

Certain houseplants can help cleanse the air by removing chemical pollutants from the air naturally by absorbing and converting the chemicals internally. Plants such as English Ivy, areca palm, rubber plant, Boston fern, schefflera and bamboo palm are some of the plants to consider if you want to go this route. Plants are always a good addition indoor spaces anyway. The plants can convert the three main pollutants in the home, formaldehyde, benzene and carbon monoxide chemicals to harmless compounds.The roots of the plants take in these pollutants and translocate them to the roots where they are broken down by plant and soil microbes. NASA has done studies on how plants can remove dangerous chemicals from the air inside spacecraft.

To effectively clean the air in a 100 to 150 square foot room, you'll need two or three large houseplants in 10 to 12 inch diameter containers. Planters that utilize a small air circulation fan in the base are available. These planters allow the air to circulate through the soil and roots to make use of this process.

Other alternatives to air purifiers are daily dusting and vacuuming. Dusting every day can be a real chore and in most cases just moves the dust around rather than removing it. Vacuum cleaners that use a water reservoir to trap the particles that enter the vacuum can be an excellent way to remove allergens and dust. While these vacuums cost more than your average air purifier they are unmatched by any other type of machine for this purpose. The best scenario is one of these vacuums combined with a quality air purifier. Ocean Blue is the latest manufacturer to enter this market with a superior unit. Hyla is another brand name to check out.

Perhaps you live in a temperate area where the windows can be left open day and night. (We envy you!) If you do, you will benefit from the natural ionization and ozone that enters your home but the downside will be more dust and allergens to deal with.

So while alternatives to air purifiers are available, they are somewhat limited in scope. Natural alternatives such as houseplants combined with the electronics of some type of air purifier may be the best for you.