Money Plant Benefits for Home: Air Purification Facts

The NASA Clean Air Study: Where the Air Purification Claim Comes From

The widely cited claim that houseplants purify indoor air originates primarily from a 1989 research project conducted by NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America. The study, led by scientist Dr. B.C. Wolverton, tested the ability of various houseplants to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from sealed test chambers — small containers approximately the size of a phone booth.

The results were genuinely impressive at the chamber scale: several plants, including pothos (money plant), snake plant, peace lily, and spider plant, were shown to absorb measurable quantities of formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene, and trichloroethylene from the sealed chambers within 24 hours. Pothos specifically performed well, showing good absorption rates for formaldehyde and carbon monoxide. The plants absorbed these pollutants through their leaves and through the action of soil microorganisms in the root zone.

The study was rigorous and genuinely interesting science. The problem arose when its findings were extrapolated from small sealed chambers to real-world homes, offices, and schools — an extrapolation the original researchers themselves cautioned against.

What the NASA study did not say

The NASA study did not claim that a few houseplants placed in a normal room would meaningfully improve air quality for occupants. The test conditions — sealed small chambers with controlled pollutant concentrations — do not represent the dynamic, well-ventilated conditions of a typical home or office. In a real room with normal air exchange (windows, doors, ventilation systems), pollutants are constantly diluted and replaced. The rate at which a few plants can absorb VOCs in these conditions is much lower relative to the total pollutant load than it was in the sealed test chamber.

Subsequent research has helped quantify this gap. A 2019 review published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology analysed data from many plant air purification studies and concluded that you would need approximately one plant per 9 to 10 square feet of floor space to achieve VOC reductions equivalent to normal ventilation — meaning a 100 square metre apartment might need 100 or more plants to produce meaningful air quality improvement. This is far beyond what any normal household would maintain.

What Pollutants Does Money Plant (Pothos) Absorb?

Based on multiple research studies since the NASA study, pothos has demonstrated the ability to absorb the following indoor pollutants:

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is one of the most common indoor VOCs, released by plywood, MDF furniture, particleboard, laminate flooring, curtains, upholstery, and many household cleaning products. It is particularly prevalent in newly constructed or recently renovated homes and in homes with a lot of pressed-wood furniture. Pothos absorbs formaldehyde through its leaves, with absorption occurring both in light and darkness (though faster in light). This is one of the better-documented abilities of the plant and one of the most relevant given the high formaldehyde concentrations common in Indian apartments with new furniture.

Benzene

Benzene is a carcinogenic VOC found in tobacco smoke, vehicle exhaust, printed materials (books, newspapers), and some paints and varnishes. In homes near busy roads or in homes where smoking occurs, benzene levels can be elevated. Pothos absorbs benzene through its leaves and through microbial activity in the soil. The absorption rate is modest but measurable.

Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) in homes comes from incomplete combustion — gas stoves, kerosene lamps, charcoal, and (in poorly ventilated kitchens) any flame-based cooking. Pothos has shown some ability to absorb CO in laboratory conditions. For actual CO safety in homes with gas cooking or heating, proper ventilation and CO detectors are essential — plants alone are not a reliable safety measure.

Toluene and xylene

Both are VOCs found in paints, varnishes, adhesives, and automotive products. In homes during or after painting or renovation, toluene and xylene levels can be temporarily elevated. Pothos absorbs both compounds, though at modest rates.

Ozone

Some research has found that pothos plants can absorb ozone — a reactive gas produced by photocopiers, laser printers, and UV light. This may be particularly relevant in home offices with laser printers. Ozone at elevated concentrations irritates airways and degrades lung function over time.

The Oxygen Question

A common question is whether money plant significantly increases the oxygen level in a room. The answer is: yes, but only to a very limited practical degree. During daylight hours, money plant (like all plants) absorbs CO2 and releases O2 through photosynthesis. At night, this reverses — the plant consumes O2 and releases CO2 through respiration. The net oxygen balance over a 24-hour period for a few houseplants is essentially neutral.

During daylight hours, a few money plants in a room are producing small amounts of oxygen. But the quantity is tiny compared to the room's oxygen volume and the oxygen introduced by normal ventilation. A single adult human exhales roughly 200 ml of CO2 per minute; a typical houseplant consumes approximately 5 ml of CO2 per hour in moderate light. You would need to be surrounded by many hundreds of plants to notice any meaningful impact on room oxygen levels.

The claim that money plant "increases oxygen" is technically true but practically misleading. Open a window for five minutes — that has enormously more impact on room oxygen than any number of indoor plants.

Genuine Benefits of Keeping Money Plant at Home

If the air purification and oxygen benefits are overstated in popular discourse, what benefits does money plant actually provide? Several — and they are genuinely worthwhile, even if they are different from what is commonly claimed.

Psychological wellbeing and stress reduction

This is the most well-supported and practically significant benefit of indoor plants, including money plant. Decades of research in environmental psychology and biophilic design consistently show that the presence of plants and natural elements in indoor environments produces measurable reductions in stress, anxiety, and mental fatigue. Studies have shown that people in rooms with plants have lower blood pressure, lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels, faster recovery from stressful tasks, and self-reported better mood and concentration compared to identical rooms without plants.

This effect — called the stress recovery theory and the attention restoration theory in the scientific literature — does not require a large number of plants. Even a small number of plants visible in a workspace or living area produces measurable psychological benefits. Money plant, with its lush, rapidly growing vines and bright green foliage, is a particularly effective plant for this purpose because it visually fills a space with greenery quickly and maintains that greenery with minimal care.

Improved productivity and concentration

Multiple studies conducted in offices and schools have found that workspaces with plants show higher productivity, better concentration, and lower rates of sick leave among occupants than identical plant-free spaces. A well-cited study from the University of Exeter found productivity increases of around 15 percent in plant-enriched workspaces. Money plant on a desk or in an office environment contributes to this effect. See our article on money plant on office desk for placement guidance.

Humidity contribution

Plants release water vapour through their leaves in a process called transpiration — the water they absorb through their roots is transported to the leaves and released into the air as vapour. This adds moisture to the indoor air, which can be beneficial in air-conditioned environments where the air is often excessively dry. Dry air causes dry skin, irritated eyes, dry nasal passages, and increased susceptibility to respiratory infections. The humidity contribution of a few plants is modest — typically adding 1 to 5 percentage points of relative humidity — but it is a real and practically useful effect, especially in homes with central air conditioning running continuously.

Biophilic benefit: connection to nature

Human beings evolved in nature and have a deep-seated psychological need for contact with natural environments — a concept called biophilia. Urban and indoor living increasingly disconnects people from nature. Indoor plants like money plant provide a small but meaningful form of natural contact within the home, contributing to the sense of wellbeing that comes from caring for living things, watching them grow, and maintaining a connection to growth cycles. This is difficult to quantify in studies but is described by many plant owners as a significant quality-of-life benefit.

Dust collection on leaves

The broad, slightly waxy leaves of money plant do collect dust from the air. This is not air purification in the chemical sense — it does not absorb gaseous pollutants — but it does physically remove some particulate matter from the air by trapping it on the leaf surface. The dust should be wiped from leaves monthly with a damp cloth, which both improves the plant's ability to photosynthesize (dusty leaves block light) and prevents the collected dust from being redistributed into the air when the plant is disturbed.

Money Plant Benefits in Different Rooms

Living room

Living rooms in Indian homes often have VOC sources — new furniture, painted walls, carpet, curtains, cleaning products, and incense. A money plant in the living room provides the modest air purification benefit along with the stronger psychological and aesthetic benefits. The trailing vines of money plant add natural movement and a sense of life to living spaces. Place near (but not in direct harsh sunlight from) a window for best growth and maximum leaf area for pollutant absorption.

Bedroom

Money plant in the bedroom is a subject of some debate. The concern is that plants produce CO2 at night (respiration), potentially increasing CO2 levels. In reality, the CO2 produced by a few small plants at night is negligible compared to the CO2 produced by sleeping humans — a single adult produces far more CO2 per hour than several potted plants. The net impact on bedroom air quality is too small to matter. The psychological benefit of a restful, greenery-filled space and the slight humidity contribution may benefit sleep quality for some people. See our detailed article on money plant in bedroom.

Kitchen

Kitchens have elevated CO, formaldehyde, and particulate levels from cooking — areas where money plant's absorption abilities are most relevant. A money plant in or near the kitchen absorbs cooking-related VOCs and provides some filtering of the smoky air that results from Indian-style cooking. Keep money plant away from direct heat sources and steam, but a position on a kitchen counter, windowsill, or high shelf near (not above) the stove is beneficial.

Home office

Offices with computers and laser printers have elevated ozone and VOC levels. The productivity and concentration benefits of plants are well-documented in office settings. A money plant on a desk or shelf in a home office provides both the air quality benefit (modest) and the productivity/wellbeing benefit (meaningful). See our article on money plant on office desk.

How to Maximise the Air Purification Benefit

If you want to get the most air quality benefit from your money plant, these practices help:

• Maximise leaf area: The more leaves your plant has, the more surface area for pollutant absorption. Grow your money plant in good light to encourage vigorous, dense growth. Prune to encourage bushing rather than single long trailing vines — more branches means more leaves. See our guide on how to prune money plant.
• Keep leaves dust-free: Dust blocks leaf pores (stomata) and reduces gas absorption. Wipe leaves with a damp cloth monthly.
• Grow multiple plants: Even if each individual plant has a modest effect, a room with several plants has more combined leaf area and a higher rate of pollutant absorption. Four plants in a room contribute more than one.
• Keep the soil healthy: Much of the VOC absorption attributed to plants actually occurs in the soil microbiome — bacteria and fungi in the root zone metabolise absorbed compounds. Healthy, biologically active soil (well-draining, not sterilised, not waterlogged) supports this microbial filtering. Avoid synthetic pesticide drenches that kill soil microorganisms.
• Ensure the plant is healthy: A stressed, yellowing, or pest-ridden plant has reduced metabolic activity and therefore reduced capacity for pollutant absorption. A healthy, vigorously growing plant provides more benefit than a struggling one.

What Money Plant Cannot Do

Equally important as what money plant can do is being clear about what it cannot do:

• It cannot replace mechanical ventilation or air purifiers for serious air quality problems
• It cannot filter fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) from traffic pollution — this requires HEPA filtration
• It cannot meaningfully reduce CO2 levels in an occupied room — ventilation is needed for this
• It cannot protect against high-concentration toxic gas leaks (CO, LPG, etc.) — proper ventilation and gas detectors are essential
• A sick or poorly grown plant provides fewer benefits than a healthy one — neglected plants add little

Money Plant vs Air Purifier: Which Is Better?

For serious indoor air quality concerns — such as homes in areas with high outdoor pollution where windows cannot be kept open, or homes with occupants who have respiratory conditions — a HEPA air purifier is significantly more effective than plants at removing particulates and many VOCs. A good HEPA purifier processes hundreds of cubic metres of air per hour; a houseplant processes air through its leaves at a rate several orders of magnitude lower.

However, plants and air purifiers are not competing alternatives — they serve different purposes and work best in combination. An air purifier handles the mechanical filtration task efficiently; plants provide the psychological, aesthetic, and moderate additional air quality benefits. The honest recommendation is: if air quality is a significant concern, use an air purifier as the primary tool and add money plants for the wellbeing and additional modest filtering benefit.

If budget or preference limits you to one approach, plants alone in a well-ventilated home provide meaningful wellbeing benefits that an air purifier does not. The correct framing is not "plants or purifier" but rather "plants AND purifier, plus good ventilation habits."