The kitchen might be home to your family meals, but also some unwanted odours, and these houseplants are the very best when it comes to removing any unwelcome smells and purifying the air
These plants aren’t just gorgeous, they’re also practical additions to your home.
The kitchen is, without doubt, the heart of most people’s homes, but it’s also the room that sees the most work on a daily basis. Whilst whipping up three meals a day for yourself and your family brings with it delicious food and memories that last a lifetime, cooking can also leave some lingering scents that aren’t quite as welcome as the dish itself.
However tempted you might be to reach for a chemical-based air freshener, there’s actually a much healthier and more natural solution to rid your home of unwanted smells and ensure that the air itself is clean: houseplants. Not only will these particular plants help purify the air in your home and get rid of any pungent odours that stubbornly stick around, but they will also help make your home feel serene and calm, and are beautiful to look at.
Experts from Wren Kitchens collaborated with Fantastic Gardeners to find the very best multitasking houseplants you can add to your kitchen that will add a splash of colour to your home all whilst working away to keep it smelling fresh. These six expert-recommended plants are all pretty low maintenance as well, making them the perfect choice for those who haven’t got the best reputation for keeping plants alive.
First up, the experts recommend you consider an English Ivy plant, one of their top choices when it comes to air purification. “English ivy is easy to grow indoors and can add a beautiful splash of colour to any kitchen.
“This plant is one of the best ones to help reduce indoor air pollutants like formaldehyde benzene, which is a byproduct of tobacco smoke, burning gas, and open fires, as well as mould and bacteria,” explains Radek Babicek from Fantastic Gardeners. However, it’s important to note that this one isn’t pet-friendly, so you should keep it on a shelf that your furry friends can’t access.
Next up, the experts advise you to opt for another hanging plant: the aluminum plant. It’s got striking metallic and green leaves, and looks stunning in a lot of kitchens, but doesn’t love fluctuations in temperature, so make you don’t pop it by the window. “Despite this, it’s still an easy plant to care for,” the expert explains. “and its main appeal in the kitchen is its colouring. It’s also a good hanging plant, which will save you valuable counter space.”
The experts also recommend aloe vera plants as a great option for your kitchen. The air purifying abilities of this one are second to none, but this isn’t the only reason why you should choose to keep one of these nearby when you are cooking. “If you burn yourself, cut off a lower leaf near the stalk and rub the gel right on the burn. You’ll feel almost instant relief,” the expert explains.
Other good options for your kitchen are the cast iron plant and the snake plant. Both of these create a real statement and should live on the ground because they can grow quite tall. The snake plant needs very little TLC, “they do their best when you neglect them, and they don’t need much watering or a lot of light,” according to the expert, so it’s perfect for anyone who is a bit daunted about adding plant care to their to-do lists.
Finally, the experts recommend you go for a spider plant, another one that is super efficient at removing “bad odours, fumes, and pollutants from the kitchen environment.” Equally, this one doesn’t mind a variety of conditions in terms of light and temperature, making it perfect for pretty much every kitchen.
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