Do houseplants increase dust and mold spores in rooms?
No. In fact, foliage plants reduce airborne microbes in the ambient air provided that the soil is not exposed. A two-inch (more or less) layer of gravel or other porous material on top of the soil will prevent mold growth. Studies have shown that plant-filled rooms have 50 to 60 percent less airborne microbes than similar rooms without plants. This data was published in the Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences in 1996. {Reference: B. C. Wolverton and J. D. Wolverton. “Interior Plants: Their Influence on Airborne Microbes Inside Energy-Efficient Buildings.” J. MS Acad of Sciences, 1996, 41(3):99-105.} Dr. Lohr and colleagues published a paper demonstrating that interior plants could reduce the dust levels in a computer room by 20 percent. {Reference: Lohr. V. I. and C. H. Pearson-Mims, “Particulate Matter Accumulated on Horizontal Surfaces in Interiors: Influence of Foliage Plants.” Atmospheric Environment, 1996, 30(14):2565-2568.} Therefore, scientific research demonstrates t
