Top 9 'New-Home-Detox' Indoor Plants to start for Tackling Renovation Fumes in 2025 - Goh Ling Yong
Congratulations on the new home or the stunning renovation! There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a fresh start, the scent of new paint, and the sight of pristine floors. But what if that “new home smell” isn’t as harmless as it seems? That distinct odour is often a cocktail of invisible chemicals called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), off-gassing from paint, flooring, new furniture, and even cleaning supplies.
These airborne toxins, including sneaky culprits like formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene, can contribute to headaches, dizziness, and long-term health issues. While opening windows and using air purifiers are great steps, there’s a more beautiful, sustainable, and life-giving solution that’s set to be a cornerstone of healthy homes in 2025: a 'new-home-detox' with indoor plants.
Creating a green sanctuary is about more than just aesthetics; it's about actively improving the air you breathe every day. The right indoor plants act as living, breathing air filters, absorbing harmful toxins and releasing clean oxygen. Here at the Goh Ling Yong blog, we believe that wellness starts at home. So, let’s explore the top nine 'new-home-detox' champions that will help you tackle those renovation fumes and turn your new space into a true haven.
1. The Unkillable Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
If you’re new to the world of houseplants, the Snake Plant, also known as Mother-in-Law's Tongue, is your perfect starting point. Its striking, architectural leaves make a bold statement, but its true power lies in its resilience and air-purifying prowess. This is one of the hardiest plants you can find, tolerating low light and infrequent watering with ease, making it ideal for busy new homeowners.
What makes the Snake Plant a superstar for tackling renovation fumes is its incredible efficiency. It’s a workhorse, filtering out common toxins like formaldehyde (found in pressed wood products and glues), benzene (paints and synthetic fibres), and xylene. Uniquely, it performs most of its oxygen conversion at night, making it the absolute best plant for a bedroom. Imagine waking up to fresher, cleaner air every single morning.
Pro-Tip: The biggest mistake with a Snake Plant is over-caring for it. Let the soil dry out completely between waterings—this could mean watering as little as once a month in winter. For a modern 2025 aesthetic, look for varieties like the silvery 'Moonshine' or the cylindrical 'Cylindrica' to add a unique sculptural element to your decor.
2. The Prolific Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
The Spider Plant is a retro classic that has gracefully found its way back into the heart of modern interior design. Its arching leaves and cascading “spiderettes” (baby plants) create a sense of lush, effortless abundance. It’s incredibly easy to care for and, best of all, it's completely non-toxic to pets and children, giving you peace of mind in your new family home.
This humble hero is a champion at removing formaldehyde and xylene from the air. A study by NASA famously highlighted its air-purifying capabilities, proving that it’s not just a pretty face. Its fast-growing nature means it’s constantly working to improve your environment. Placing a few Spider Plants in hanging baskets in your kitchen or living room can create a beautiful green canopy that actively cleans your air.
Pro-Tip: If you notice the tips of the leaves turning brown, it might be due to fluoride or chlorine in your tap water. Try using filtered or distilled water, or simply let your tap water sit out overnight before watering. To propagate, just snip off one of the baby "spiderettes" and place it in a glass of water. Once roots develop, you can plant it in soil and share the gift of clean air with friends!
3. The Elegant Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
For a touch of elegance and serious air-cleaning muscle, look no further than the Peace Lily. With its glossy, dark green leaves and iconic white spathes that resemble flags of truce, this plant is as beautiful as it is functional. It’s one of the few air-purifying plants that flowers reliably indoors, adding a sophisticated touch to your new space.
The Peace Lily is a true powerhouse, tackling a whole host of VOCs including ammonia (found in window cleaners and floor waxes), benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene. It’s also known to help control airborne mould spores by absorbing them and using them as food, making it a fantastic addition to damp-prone areas like bathrooms or laundry rooms.
Pro-Tip: The Peace Lily is great for beginners because it's a "drama queen"—it will visibly droop when it's thirsty, taking all the guesswork out of watering. Give it a good drink, and it will perk back up within hours. Keep it out of direct sunlight to avoid scorching the leaves, and be aware that it is toxic to cats and dogs if ingested.
4. The Tropical Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
Want to turn your new living room into a tropical paradise while detoxing the air? The Areca Palm is your answer. With its feathery, arching fronds, it brings a soft, resort-like vibe to any corner. Beyond its good looks, this palm is an excellent air purifier and a natural humidifier, releasing moisture into the air which can be a huge benefit, especially in homes with dry air from heating or AC systems.
The Areca Palm is particularly effective at filtering out xylene and toluene, chemicals commonly released from new carpets, paints, and furniture finishes. Because of its size and high transpiration rate, a single large Areca Palm can make a significant impact on the air quality of a room, making it a worthy investment for your 'new-home-detox' plan.
Pro-Tip: Areca Palms prefer bright, indirect light—a spot near an east-facing window is perfect. They like their soil to be lightly moist but never soggy. Like the Spider Plant, they can be sensitive to chemicals in tap water, so using filtered water can help keep their fronds from developing brown tips.
5. The Vining Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
Often called Devil's Ivy for its near-invincible nature, the Golden Pothos is another fantastic, low-maintenance choice for beginners. Its heart-shaped, variegated leaves on long, trailing vines can be trained to climb a trellis or cascade beautifully from a high shelf or hanging planter, adding a dynamic layer of green to your home.
The Golden Pothos is a workhorse when it comes to battling common household toxins, especially formaldehyde, benzene, and xylene. Its hardy nature means it will continue to purify your air even in less-than-ideal conditions, like the low-light corner of a freshly painted office or hallway. As Goh Ling Yong often says, a healthy home is a productive and happy home, and the Pothos certainly helps create that environment.
Pro-Tip: Pothos is very forgiving. While it thrives in bright, indirect light, it can tolerate very low light levels (though it may lose some of its variegation). It’s also incredibly easy to propagate. Just take a cutting with a few leaves and a node, and place it in a jar of water. You'll have a new plant rooted and ready to pot in a few weeks! Note that it is toxic to pets if eaten.
6. The Architectural Dracaena (Dracaena spp.)
The Dracaena family is vast and varied, offering a plant for almost any style. From the spiky, red-edged leaves of the Dragon Tree (Dracaena marginata) to the broader, corn-like leaves of the Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans), these plants provide a strong, architectural element. They are relatively slow-growing but are long-lived and effective air cleaners.
Dracaenas are particularly adept at removing trichloroethylene, a chemical often found in adhesives, varnishes, and paint removers—all common during a renovation. They also do a great job of filtering formaldehyde, benzene, and xylene. Their upright growth habit makes them perfect for filling empty corners or framing a doorway without taking up too much floor space.
Pro-Tip: The key to a happy Dracaena is to avoid overwatering. Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out completely before giving it a thorough watering. They generally prefer filtered, low-fluoride water and medium, indirect light. Wipe down the leaves occasionally with a damp cloth to remove dust and help them breathe.
7. The Lush Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
The Boston Fern, with its shaggy, sword-shaped fronds, brings a touch of classic, lush greenery to any room. It’s a bit more demanding than some of the others on this list, but its air-purifying benefits are well worth the extra effort. It’s one of the most effective plants for removing formaldehyde from the air.
Beyond its detoxing abilities, the Boston Fern is a fantastic natural humidifier. By releasing moisture into the air, it can help combat the dry air often created by central heating and air conditioning, making your home more comfortable. This makes it an excellent choice for a living room or a bedroom where you spend a lot of time.
Pro-Tip: The Boston Fern's Achilles' heel is low humidity. It thrives in a cool, humid environment with indirect light. A bathroom with a window is the perfect spot! If you place it elsewhere, you’ll need to mist its fronds every day or two, or place it on a pebble tray with water to keep the humidity high. Keep the soil consistently moist.
8. The Trendy Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)
The Rubber Plant has seen a massive resurgence in popularity, and for good reason. Its large, dark, and glossy leaves offer a dramatic, contemporary look that fits perfectly with 2025 interior trends. It’s more than just a pretty face, though; it's a formidable opponent of indoor air pollutants.
The Rubber Plant is exceptionally good at removing formaldehyde. Its large leaves have a high surface area, allowing them to absorb more airborne toxins than smaller-leafed plants. As the plant grows, its detoxifying power increases, making it a long-term investment in your home’s air quality.
Pro-Tip: Provide your Rubber Plant with bright, indirect light to maintain its vibrant colour. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings. To keep the leaves glossy and efficient at photosynthesis and air purification, gently wipe them with a damp cloth once a month to remove any dust buildup.
9. The Classic English Ivy (Hedera helix)
English Ivy is a timeless and elegant vine that can be trained to climb or trail gracefully from a pot. While often seen outdoors, it makes for a powerful and beautiful indoor air purifier. Its dense foliage is highly effective at filtering a wide range of VOCs.
This classic plant is a master at removing benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and trichloroethylene. Some studies have also shown it to be particularly effective at reducing airborne mould and even fecal-matter particles, making it an outstanding choice for a well-lit bathroom or kitchen.
Pro-Tip: English Ivy prefers bright, indirect light and likes to be kept on the cooler side. It does not like to have its "feet" wet, so ensure its pot has good drainage and you let the soil dry slightly between waterings. Give it something to climb on or place it in a hanging basket to let its beautiful vines shine. Be mindful that it is toxic to pets and humans if ingested.
Your Green Detox Starts Now
Moving into a new or newly renovated home is an exciting new chapter. By strategically placing these nine botanical heroes around your space, you’re not just decorating—you’re actively creating a healthier, safer, and more vibrant environment for yourself and your loved ones. You're replacing the harsh smell of chemicals with the subtle, life-affirming presence of nature.
Start with one or two plants that best fit your lifestyle and home’s lighting conditions. As you see them thrive, you can slowly build your own indoor jungle. This is your first and most beautiful line of defence against the invisible pollutants of modern living.
So, which of these 'new-home-detox' heroes will you be welcoming into your home first? Share your choice and your green journey with us in the comments below
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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