Air Rescue: How Ivy Can Save My New Home!

By Megan Scott

I’ve been knee-deep in home renovations lately (paint cans everywhere, dust flying—you know the drill), and it got me thinking about air quality. I mean, between the new furniture, the paint fumes, and who-knows-what else, I’m starting to wonder if my house is more toxic than a chemistry lab. 🏠💨

That’s when I stumbled across something super cool: ivy! Apparently, NASA did a study (yep, the space people!) and found that ivy is a total rockstar at cleaning indoor air. It’s amazing at removing formaldehyde—which, by the way, is in like everything from paint to furniture—and other nasty stuff we don’t even realize we’re breathing in.

I’m not gonna lie, I’m kind of obsessed with the idea of having a house full of ivy now. Imagine it: lush green vines trailing down shelves, purifying the air while looking gorgeous. Plus, it’s super low-maintenance, which is perfect because I’m still learning how to keep plants alive (RIP to my last fern 🌿).

I’m planning to grab a bunch of ivy plants this weekend and scatter them around the house—living room, bedroom, maybe even the bathroom if it’s feeling fancy. If it works, I’ll feel like I’ve got my own little air-purifying army. 🪴💚

Has anyone else tried using ivy (or other plants) to clean the air? Did you notice a difference?