If you’ve ever been in a dorm room you’ve noticed they often have limited space and ventilation.
In such an environment, air quality can get lower and be a cause for concern. Especially for students, who need healthy airflow and good quality to perform at maximum capacity.
A simple way to improve this is to incorporate an air purifier into your dorm room. But air-purifying plants can also enhance the aesthetics and air quality of such small living spaces.
Let’s see which plants are natural air purifiers and are also easy to maintain, so you can turn a dorm room into a clean-air hub and add some green aesthetic as well.
Can plants be good air purifiers?
Yes, certain plants can effectively purify indoor air by absorbing harmful toxins and releasing oxygen.
They might not be as effective as powerful HEPA air filters, but research—including a notable study by NASA—has identified various houseplants that can mitigate volatile organic compounds (VOCs), among others.
In case you’re unfamiliar with the term, VOCs can cause a bunch of health issues and you can find them in household items like cleaners, paints, and furniture.
For students in dorms, where air circulation may be limited, having air-purifying plants not only beautifies the room but also helps alleviate allergies and respiratory issues.
The extent of purification varies by plant type and environmental conditions, but incorporating even a few plants can contribute to a healthier living space.
Let’s pick the best.
7 Easy-to-Maintain Plants You Can Use to Purify Your Dorm Room
1. Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
The snake plant is renowned for its resilience and air-purifying abilities, hence it is a common staple in many households.
It thrives in low light and requires minimal watering—making it perfect for busy students.
This plant filters toxins like formaldehyde and benzene while releasing oxygen at night, enhancing sleep quality.
Fun fact: NASA listed the snake plant as one of the most effective houseplants. At one point, a rumor spread that you can survive in a sealed room with just 6 to 8 of these plants, which had to be rebuked by the space agency.
It doesn’t downplay its efficiency, though.
2. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
If there’s one plant that is incredibly forgiving and can tolerate a range of conditions—it’s a Spider plant.
This arachnid-shaped shrub is excellent at removing pollutants like carbon monoxide, xylene, formaldehyde, and a bunch of other harmful gasses from the air—as confirmed by science.
Moreover, their arching green leaves can occasionally grow small white flowers if nurtured well. This adds an aesthetically pleasing touch of greenery without demanding a lot of care.
3. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
Pothos is one of those plants that can survive—and often thrive—in any environment.
It likes sun or shade and can grow in low-light areas or those with only fluorescent lighting. Grown indoors, it prefers bright but indirect light.
Known for its ability to absorb indoor pollutants like formaldehyde and toluene (backed by research), this trailing plant can be hung or placed on shelves to save space in your dorm room.
4. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
If you want your dorm room to look beautiful and also have effective air-purifying properties, you can turn to Peace Lily.
This plant deals with chemicals such as ammonia and benzene, but can also be a bit more challenging to maintain, as it thrives in bright spots with indirect light and regular watering.
But it does take a bit more commitment, which not all students are ready for.
5. Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis miller)
You’re probably familiar with Aloe Vera, as its health benefits are widely known.
But this plant isn’t only good when you consume it. Place it in a bright place in your dorm room with indirect light and it will do decent air purifying work for you, too.
A big upside is that this succulent requires infrequent watering so you can care for it easily, unlike some other air-purifying plants for dorm rooms. And focus on your studies, of course.
6. Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
The Chinese Evergreen is another low-maintenance plant that thrives in low to medium light, which makes it perfect for low-light dorm rooms.
This lush, colorful-leaved plant can enhance the visuals of your space, but also help purify the air by filtering toxins like formaldehyde and benzene.
Furthermore, this is another plant that requires minimal watering so you can leave it untreated for a while—for example when you leave your dorm room for the holidays.
7. Dracaena Marginata
Dracaena Marginata is an attractive plant with an awesome name.
Known as “Dragon Tree,” it has long, slender leaves that can grow quite tall—which makes it a visually appealing addition to your dorm room. If you have space of course.
Like others from this list, Dragon Tree is super effective at removing indoor pollutants, prefers indirect light, and can tolerate neglect—with you needing to water it only when topsoil feels dry.
Its elegant appearance combined with air-purifying qualities makes Dracaena Marginata a popular choice for students—especially if you want to combine low maintenance with high aesthetic value.
Additional Dorm Accessories That Can Keep Your Air Clean
If you want to take your dorm room quality up a notch, you can complement your plants with additional accessories.
Depending on your budget, let’s start with the most effective.
Air Purifiers
While plants can aid in improving air quality, using an air purifier enhances this effect significantly.
Тhat’s because purifiers are generally more effective than air-purifying plants only.
They use advanced filtration systems, such as HEPA filters, to remove a wide range of pollutants, including dust and particulate matter, quickly and efficiently.
In contrast, plants' air-cleaning capabilities are limited and require an impractical number to achieve similar results, but a combination of both could work wonders.
The only downside is that air purifiers require a bigger investment than getting a coule of plants.
If you decide on a purifier, a Rabbit Air purifier can fit your dorm room due to its compact design suitable for small spaces.
It can help you remove allergens, dust, and pollutants from the air while operating quietly.
Essential Oil Diffusers
Essential oils are a cheaper alternative that can also contribute to cleaner air while providing pleasant aromas that also promote relaxation and focus.
Oils like eucalyptus or lavender not only smell great but can also reduce your stress levels, which is particularly good during daunting studying periods.
Humidity Control Devices
Dorms are often damp and humid. Therefore, you should always maintain optimal humidity levels to make your environment comfortable—and your mind on point.
A small humidifier can keep the air moist, which is particularly beneficial during dry seasons. Or in poorly ventilated areas—which dorm rooms often are.
Keeping Dorm Air Clean
On the list of things that you can do to improve air quality, plants should be near the top.
Try to incorporate air-purifying plants into your dorm room, since it is an effective way to enhance both aesthetics and indoor air quality.
By combining these plants with additional accessories like air purifiers and diffusers, students can create a healthier living space conducive to studying and relaxation.
