If you've just moved into your new home, adding greenery is a great idea to refresh your space and give it a more natural vibe. However, if anyone in your household suffers from allergies, you need to be mindful in choosing allergy-friendly plants for your new home. Plants are hugely beneficial in various ways, but they can cause more harm than good if you choose the wrong ones. To help you turn your home into a green oasis, we've prepared a guide in which we'll introduce you to plant allergies, allergy-friendly plants, and plants you should avoid.
A little bit about allergies
Sometimes, our immune system has an overreactive response to harmless substances. Those are called allergies. The most common culprits are pollens, certain foods, and dust mites. When someone has allergies, their body identifies certain substances as threats and releases antibodies. This triggers chemical reactions that further cause unpleasant and even dangerous symptoms.
Different allergens can lurk around your new home. So, before the team from evlmoving.com helps you settle into your new home, make sure that it's allergen-free. Thoroughly clean it and remove the dust, especially if the previous occupants had pets. Also, make sure to check if there's any mold or mildew.
Plant allergies
Even though making your home greener is a great idea, you need to carefully select the plants you want to invite into your living space. There are hundreds of plant allergens capable of causing an allergic reaction either by inhalation or contact.
Plant allergies are often called allergic rhinitis or hay fever. Sometimes, it can be tough to determine an exact diagnosis as there could be several allergens causing issues to one individual.
Here are the most common symptoms. In case you notice any, make sure to do an allergy test:
Sneezing
Congestion
Red, itchy, irritated, or watery eyes
Runny nose
Tiredness
Darkness or puffiness under the eyes
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| Many plants can help relieve allergy symptoms and can, therefore, be a great asset to your new home. |
Plants can also ooze liquid that contains allergens which can lead to skin reactions. The most common symptoms include:
Itching
Photodermatosis
Contact dermatitis
Skin lesions
Hives
Eczema
Other allergens to look out for
It's not uncommon for mold and plant allergies to mix. That's because mold can easily grow in the soil of houseplants. If that is the case, it's more likely that mold caused a reaction and not the plant.
For that reason, it's essential to take care of your plants properly and keep them mold-free. Remember that soggy soil is an excellent environment for mold to thrive is, so make sure not to overwater your plants. Also, ensure sufficient ventilation for your indoor plants and expose them to an optimal amount of sunlight.
Allergy-friendly plants for your new home
Now we've come to the fun part - we will introduce you to allergy-friendly plants for your new home. Hopefully, we'll be able to help you pick your new roommates.
However, before you move, don't forget to deal with the ones you already have. Moving with plants is not so difficult when you find the right movers as they'll make sure your green friends are transferred safely.
The Areca Palm
The Areca Palm is a natural humidifier. By increasing the amount of moisture in the air, it can improve allergy symptoms such as nasal congestion and irritation.
In the NASA clean air study, it was named as one of the best purifiers. It's one of the most useful house plants as it can remove carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, toluene, and xylene from the air. It's all due to its big leaves, which trap allergens and filter toxins from their surroundings.
Heartleaf Philodendron
This plant is ideal for allergy sufferers as it improves indoor air quality. During photosynthesis, the Heartleaf Philodendron removes a large number of harmful gases from the air. It's also low-maintenance and very easy to grow.
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| Heartleaf Philodendron or Sweetheart Plant is a very popular indoor plant due to being very low-maintenance. |
Dracaena
One of the most effective plants for tackling allergens is Dracaena. It can absorb carbon monoxide and remove gases such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene from indoor air. Its leaves are also very good at trapping allergens.
One of the best varieties for allergy sufferers is Dracaena Reflexa. It has the best air cleaning ability out of all the Dracaena plants.
English Ivy
With its lovely pear-shaped leaves, English Ivy is one of the most beautiful plants to have in your new home. However, it doesn't just look good; it can also improve allergy symptoms by reducing airborne mold spores and clearing the air of irritants.
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| English Ivy is toxic to humans and animals, so make sure to find a suitable location for it in your new home |
Keep in mind that this plant is toxic both to humans and animals. If you have kids or pets, keeping it out of their reach is imperative. Either put it on a high shelf or somewhere out of reach in your balcony garden.
What plants to avoid?
No matter how gorgeous they look, some plants that don't belong at home. Here are the plants you should avoid as they are known to cause allergic reactions.
Chrysanthemums - Members of the aster family can produce a lot of pollen and cause bad allergic reactions.
Lilies - Not only do they produce a lot of pollen, but they also have an intense aroma that could trigger irritant rhinitis.
Sunflowers - As the sunflower continues to mature, the flowers release more pollen.
African violets - As they have high pollen loads, they can trigger sneezing, runny noses, and watery eyes. They also have leaves with tiny hairs, which can collect a lot of dust.
Weeping fig - Although it's beautiful and easy to grow, it's one of the worst plants for allergy sufferers, especially those with latex sensitivity.
Allergy-friendly plants for your new home: conclusion
We hope we were able to inspire you to choose allergy-friendly plants for your new home. Even if you don't suffer from allergies, choosing the right plants is essential to avoid any potential reactions.
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Photos used:
https://unsplash.com/photos/S7viz8JWxwY
https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-suffering-from-her-allergy-6865169/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/summer-garden-leaf-tree-9935764/
https://unsplash.com/photos/g01-QahabWk
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