Keep Your Indoor Air Clean with House Plants

Feb 12, 2024
Did you know that indoor air can be contaminated with industrial chemicals such as benzene,formaldehyde and trichloroethylene? These chemicals are used extensively in building materials, furniture materials, paints, inks, varnishes and adhesives. Over time, these chemicals are emitted into the air. Benzene and formaldehyde are known carcinogens and continued research indicates that trichloroethylene is carcinogenic in many animals. At Clean Conscience, indoor air quality is an important aspect of our green cleaning process. That’s why we use ProTeam vacuums. All ProTeam vacuum models collect at least 99.9% of indoor air pollutants. Between green cleanings, you can keep your indoor air free of toxic pollutants with certain house plants. The following is a list of plants that will capture at least two of the three indoor air pollutants mentioned above. To see a more extensive list of air filtering plants, see this table.

English Ivy

Hedera helix (Common Ivy, English Ivy) is a species of ivy native to most of Europe and western Asia. It is labeled as an invasive species in many parts of the United States, and its sale or import is banned in the state of Oregon. English Ivy removes benzene and formaldehyde but not trichloroethylene.

Peace Lily

Spathiphyllum is a genus of about 40 species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas and southeastern Asia. Certain species of Spathiphyllum are commonly known as Spath or Peace Lilies. The plant does not need excessive light or water to survive. Peace Lilies remove benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.

Chinese Evergreen

 Aglaonema is a genus of about 40 species of foliage plants in the family Araceae, native to the tropical swamps and rainforests of southeastern Asia, from Bangladesh east to the Philippines, and north to southern China. No common name is widely used, though they are sometimes called “Chinese Evergreens”. Please note: The sap of this plant is poisonous to health. It causes skin irritation. If ingested, the sap causes irritation of the mouth, lips, throat and tongue. Chinese Evergreens are popular houseplants and ornamental plants for offices and shopping malls because they are among the easiest houseplants to grow. They tolerate a wide range of light, as well as neglect, and are relatively resistant to pests. Chinese Evergreen removes benzene and formaldehyde but not trichloroethylene.

Song of India Plant

Dracaena reflexa, commonly called Pleomele or the Song of India, is a species of Dracaena which is a tropical tree native to Madagascar, Mauritius, and other nearby islands of the Indian Ocean. It is widely grown as an ornamental plant and houseplant, valued for its richly coloured, evergreen leaves, and thick, irregular stems. Pleomele removes benzene and formaldehyde but not trichloroethylene.

Cornstalk Dracaena

Dracaena fragrans (Cornstalk Dracaena) is a flowering plant species that is native throughout tropical Africa, from Sudan south to Mozambique, west to Côte d’Ivoire and southwest to Angola, growing in upland regions at 600–2,250 m (2,000–7,380 ft) altitude. It is a popular as a houseplant, valued for its tolerance of a wide range of indoor conditions from full sun to low light conditions. Cornstalk Dracaena removes benzene and formaldehyde but not trichloroethylene.

 Gerbera Daisy 

Gerbera daisy is a genus of ornamental plants from the sunflower family (Asteraceae). There are approximately 30 species in the wild, extending to South America, Africa and tropical Asia. Gerbera is very popular and widely used as a decorative garden plant or as cut flowers because of it’s bright and varied flower colors. Gerbera daisy removes benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.

Red Pot Mum

Chrysantheium morifolium (Chrysanthemums), often called mums or chrysanths, are of the genus (Chrysanthemum) constituting approximately 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae which is native to Asia and northeastern Europe. Chrysantheium morifolium is commonly called Florist’s Chrysanthemum or Pot Mum. Chrysantheium morifolium removes benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene. Your local plant nursery will likely have many of these plants on hand. Give us a call today to schedule a free estimate!

12 Feb, 2024
This Thursday, October 15th, the City of Boulder will be meeting at the town hall to celebrate and inform about Universal Recycling and Composting. All are welcome to join in from 5-8 p.m. at the City of Boulder town hall. From 5-6 p.m. there will be a reception with food and refreshments provided, followed by a presentation which will include some smaller breakout sessions. Some of the breakout sessions will include topics on: zero waste in the home, disposing of hard to recycle items and hazardous materials, for businesses and property owners: how to comply with the Universal Zero Waste Ordinance, creating sustainable sourcing and Zero Waste certification. To learn more about this event, please go to the following link: https://bouldercolorado.gov/lead/zero-waste. If you are interested in attending, it is most helpful to RSVP to this event and you can do so by following this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/we-are-zero-waste-boulder-community-in-action-tickets-18514444201.
12 Feb, 2024
BOO! Is your home SCARY, and in need of a cleaning? Let Clean Conscience help you with your home cleaning needs. Whether you are in need of a one-time cleaning or you are looking for repeat home cleaning service, let Clean Conscience help you today. We offer a wide variety of services and would be happy to provide you with more information, so please give us a call today at 303-495-2444, or you are welcome to check out our website at www.cleanconscience.com.
12 Feb, 2024
As we are approaching the holiday season with many house guests arriving we would like to remind everyone that this is the optimal time to get your home professionally cleaned. Whether you are in need of a one-time deep clean, a move-in or move-out clean, or perhaps you are more interested in repeat cleaning service, give Clean Conscience a call today at 303-495-2444. If you feel like giving the gift of cleaning to a loved one or co-worker, we also provide gift certificates, so give Clean Conscience a call today. We want to wish everyone a very safe & Happy Holiday season.
12 Feb, 2024
Most people coming into this will ask: What is ‘bluing’, anyway? The simple and most common answer is that it’s a compound used to counteract the yellowing of laundered fabric. If you search for the uses of ‘bluing’ anywhere, it’s impossible for ‘laundry’ and ‘whitening’ not to come up in the results. But there’s more to this 100 year-old product than meets the eye. Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing is not only groundbreaking for its ability to make your white clothes even whiter, but also for its versatility. A few drops in a pitcher of water can go a long way in cleaning and improving the quality of your day to:
12 Feb, 2024
If the idea of selling your house, and keeping it clean while selling, is on your mind, this blog post is for you! Most sellers have a way of life. Think: having a pile of dirty laundry by the shower (where you remove your clothes), or the pile of makeup on the bathroom counter for getting ready in the morning. The idea of listing your home for sale gets you to thinking “How will I keep it clean and organized, show ready” on a day-to-day basis. Obstacles like late night work session’s, children’s play rooms, making beds in the mornings when there is already little time. You may have already spent weekends prepping your home. Painting. Organizing. Your limbs may be drooping from getting all of the prep work done. You expect a buyer to walk in and immediately put a contract to purchase and your life can get back to normal. Not quite. In many markets the industry average for a home priced right, and in good condition should sell within 160 days of being on the market. In easy terms, that could be five months or longer. In the beginning of the process you are enthusiastic! Exuberant! You know each day the right person may walk through that door! As the first month passes your diligence is waning. Keeping the house clean, fresh smelling, and organized is a big job. Let’s look at some ways to easily keep things from piling up, or the process of picking up after all the members of the family easy.
12 Feb, 2024
As a company that provides cleaning services for Ocean First Divers we are proud to announce that recently they have been awarded the Blue Certified eco-label. This organization is continually researching and implementing ways to improve their business, and they joined the Blue Certification program because they wanted a “step-by-step system in order to achieve more efficient business practices, increase cost savings, and attract more clients who care about the ocean.” To read more about this incredible organization and perhaps learn how you can also get more involved, please visit Ocean First website at https://www.oceanfirst.blue/.
12 Feb, 2024
If you have ever used a professional cleaning company, you will certainly know the excitement – and relief – of coming home after a professional cleaning. Kitchen appliances sparkle, the hardwood floors shine, and the whole house smells wonderfully clean – and you didn’t lift a finger to get it done! However, most people cannot afford to have their home professionally cleaned on a daily basis and need to do at least some minimal cleaning between professional house cleaning visits. As the owner of Kitsap Clean, a Bainbridge Island cleaning company (Washington state), I often get questions for customers on how to keep up their home after we leave and between their regularly scheduled cleaning visits. Here are five easy to implement house cleaning tips to keep your home visitor ready between your professional house cleaning visits.
12 Feb, 2024
When it comes to cleaning, we all want to get the job done quickly, easily and efficiently. As simple as that may be, for a lot of homeowners cleaning becomes a very stressful, time consuming task that ends in frustration and unsatisfactory results. We’ve come to find that the root of the problem generally lies in the methods or products used that only seem to be doubling your work, or causing more harm than good! So as usual, in our bid to help you make house cleaning quick and easy, we’ve come up with a list of 10 common cleaning mistakes that are wasting your precious time and doing more harm than good to your home.
12 Feb, 2024
Balancing the tasks of keeping a home properly cleaned while also providing care and support for a family can often feel like no less than a Herculean effort. Throw in the added concern of adhering to a cleaning routine that is environmentally-friendly, and you may begin to feel overwhelmed. However, maintaining a clean household while simultaneously utilizing cleaning methods that are environmentally-friendly doesn’t have to be impossible—and it doesn’t have to be difficult. While hiring professional housekeeping in San Diego can help aid in tackling the more laborious home-cleaning tasks for you, there are still small ways in which you can practice sustainable cleaning on a regular basis. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to ditch the toxic, harsh chemicals found in typical cleaning products and strive for more eco-friendly cleaning, this is it. Fortunately, the tasks of keeping your space clean and helping to keep the environment healthy are able to coexist peacefully. Here are some helpful tips you can use to make your eco-friendly cleaning goals easier and reduce your waste:
12 Feb, 2024
We are often asked the following question: “what makes your cleaning service different?” The short answer is our level of commitment to healthy cleaning. We carefully consider a lot of factors before selecting our products and equipment (including but not limited to: effectiveness, sustainability, environmental impact, etc). Of all of the equipment we use, perhaps none is more important than the vacuum. One huge benefit of our service is the reduction of in-home allergens; as an allergy sufferer this issue hits me close to home. All of the vacuums we use carry a certification by the American Lung Association (ALA) – proving ability in improve indoor air quality. We exclusively use Pro Team products carrying an ALA certification that are extremely effective and allow us access to those extra hard to reach areas! We are unique in that we use two types of vacuums. The traditional (or upright) vacuum is something that most are accustomed to seeing. We take things a step further and also use a backpack vacuum (also known as a Ghostbuster vacuum for all of you Bill Murray fans). The backpack vacuum is much more effective on non-carpeted areas (such as wood and laminate) than the upright vacuum and also effectively reaches under furniture with ease. One of our Pro Team backpack vacuums in action – if you look closely you can actually see the dust-bunnies quivering in fear!
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