When Michigan’s fall chill sets in and homes seal up to keep the warmth inside, fresh air becomes harder to come by. With less ventilation, dust and indoor pollutants can start to build up—making the air feel stale and heavy. That’s where indoor plants can help. While they make the air feel fresher and can reduce small amounts of indoor pollutants, they’re best seen as a natural complement to good ventilation and air purification instead of a replacement. They add a touch of greenery and comfort, bringing a bit of the outdoors back inside even when it’s gray and snowing out.
If you’re looking to freshen your home’s air naturally this season, here are a few plants that thrive in Grand Rapids homes during fall and winter—and what else you should know about keeping your air truly clean.
Best Indoor Plants for Cleaner Air in Grand Rapids
1. Spider Plant
Spider plants are one of the easiest and most reliable indoor plants for Michigan homeowners. They tolerate cooler indoor temperatures and less sunlight, making them perfect for fall and winter. Spider plants can help reduce trace amounts of common indoor pollutants like carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and benzene, while also adding a healthy boost of humidity during dry months.
2. Snake Plant
Also known as “Mother-in-Law’s Tongue,” the snake plant is nearly indestructible and ideal for West Michigan winters. It keeps releasing oxygen even at night and can help reduce small amounts of nitrogen oxide, formaldehyde, and benzene in your home’s air. Since it doesn’t need much light or water, you can place it anywhere—from a chilly entryway to a low-light corner of your living room.
3. Peace Lily
Peace lilies are not only beautiful, they’re hard workers. These plants can help absorb small traces of common household pollutants and even reduce mold spores, which can be helpful in older Grand Rapids homes. They prefer moderate light and steady moisture—both easy to maintain indoors once the heat kicks on for the season.
4. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera isn’t just good for sunburns—it also helps clean the air. It can help lower levels of formaldehyde and benzene in the air while releasing oxygen at night. Aloe prefers bright but indirect light, which makes a sunny kitchen window or enclosed porch the perfect spot. Bonus: its thick leaves release moisture into the air, helping offset the dry heat from your furnace.
5. Rubber Plant
Rubber plants thrive in filtered light and moderate temperatures, which makes them a natural fit for Michigan homes once the frost arrives. They’re especially good at reducing certain airborne compounds like formaldehyde and benzene—helpful in older homes where indoor air can get stagnant. Their large leaves also help increase indoor humidity which is a bonus perk when the air gets dry.
6. Boston Fern
Boston ferns love humidity and soft, indirect light. They’re excellent natural humidifiers, which makes them great for homes that get dry once the furnace starts running nonstop. Keep the soil moist and place your fern near a north-facing window for best results.
7. Dracaena
Dracaena plants are tough and adaptable, helping reduce small amounts of airborne compounds like formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene. They’re perfect for offices or living rooms that don’t get a ton of natural light. Just keep them away from cold drafts to help them thrive through the season.
8. Chinese Evergreen
If you’re looking for a low-maintenance plant that adds color and freshness, the Chinese evergreen is a great choice. It thrives in low light—perfect for Michigan’s shorter winter days—and can help reduce trace levels of indoor pollutants like formaldehyde and benzene.
9. Pothos (Devil’s Ivy)
Pothos is a popular pick for Grand Rapids homes because it grows easily, even when the sun is scarce. It can help freshen the air by reducing some common indoor pollutants while adding a lush, green touch to your space. Its trailing vines look beautiful on bookshelves or hanging baskets.
10. ZZ Plant
The ZZ plant is as easy as they come. It doesn’t need much light, can go weeks without water, and can help reduce minor indoor air pollutants while adding a fresh, modern touch to your space. It’s a great option for busy homeowners who want greenery without the extra work.
Local Considerations for Grand Rapids Homes
During fall and winter, Michigan homes tend to stay sealed up tight to keep warm air in. That means less ventilation and more buildup of indoor pollutants like pet dander, cooking fumes, and off-gassing from furniture and cleaning products. Indoor plants can help balance that out by adding moisture and filtering the air—but they’re only part of the solution.
Most houseplants do best when kept away from direct furnace heat and cold drafts from windows or doors. They also need a bit of extra humidity to stay healthy through the dry months, so consider grouping them together or placing them on a pebble tray with water to maintain moisture.
Why Plants Alone Aren’t Enough
While plants are great for your home and mood, research shows they can only do so much for indoor air quality. A 2019 study from Drexel University found that you’d need hundreds of plants in a single room to noticeably reduce airborne pollutants. That’s because plants filter air slowly, and most homes simply have more pollutants than a few pots of greenery can handle. That’s where modern air purification comes in.
How a Whole-Home Air Scrubber Can Help
A whole-home air scrubber works alongside your HVAC system to clean the air in every room—not just where your plants are. It uses advanced technology to remove dust, allergens, bacteria, and odors from your home’s air and surfaces. Think of it as a full-house upgrade to your plants’ natural filtering power.
Where plants handle small, passive filtering, an air scrubber actively purifies your home around the clock. It helps keep your family healthier during flu season, reduces allergy symptoms, and freshens up the air in your Michigan home once the windows close for the year.
If you want to breathe easier this winter, combining indoor plants with an air scrubber gives you the best of both worlds—natural beauty and reliable whole-home protection.
Final Thoughts
Indoor plants add life, color, and a bit of comfort to your Grand Rapids home through the colder months. But when it comes to truly clean air, your HVAC system—and the technology connected to it—does most of the heavy lifting.
If you’re ready to take your home’s air quality to the next level, the experts at Grapids Home Services can help. We install whole-home air scrubbers that keep your air fresh, your family healthy, and your home feeling its best through every Michigan season.