But one of houseplants’ most commonly repeated virtues holds that they’re not only living tchotchkes, but also little HVAC machines: Houseplants, allegedly, filter the air. They’re fun to care for, they look good on Instagram, and they express environmental angst through interior design. Goths are known for their love of monochromatic outfits in black or dark colors, creating a dramatic and mystical look. Burst pipes are one of the most common causes of property damage during a bout of freezing temperatures, with homeowner claims averaging more than $10,000, says the Insurance Information Institute. Plug-ins tend to cover a large area, Kreydin says. Some odors are particularly stubborn (think: food and pet odors, says Kreydin). Another great option for pet-related funk is our best gel pick, the Fresh Wave Odor Removing Gel, which neutralizes nasty odors. Febreze is often the best air freshener in these situations, such as our best pick for homes with pets, the Febreze Pet Odor Defense for managing pet smells, and our favorite option for kitchens, the Febreze Aerosol Room Spray Air Freshener for food-related smells.

If you don’t love a strong citrus scent, there are plenty of other options in the Febreze Air line, including our best pick for kitchens, the Febreze Aerosol Room Spray Air Freshener, Most reed diffusers, including our best long-lasting option, the Nest Reed Diffuser also come in several scents whether you love sweet vanilla or floral jasmine. “Select scents that you enjoy and find soothing, as different fragrances can evoke varying emotional responses,” recommends Lawless. Creating incentives and rewards that align with energy-saving behaviors can further enhance motivation and encourage individuals to adopt sustainable practices. Using a plug-in option, like our best smart option, the Pura Smart Fragrance Diffuser can allow you to have scent available regularly, as well as our best overall, Glade Automatic Spray Starter Kit, which disperses scent at 9-, 18-, or 36-minute increments. Our best long-lasting air freshener, the Nest Reed Diffuser, also has the same effect since the scent is constantly dispersed until a refill is needed. Quick-soak by putting the beans in water and boiling for one minute; then turn off the heat and let the beans stand in the same water for one hour. The same question has landed listicles in the patrician This Old House, the nerdy Lifehacker, and a doomsday-prepper blog.

9. Is your Air Con Old and Out of Date? North American wildflowers such as Virginia bluebell tend to bloom early, during moist weather at a time when tree leaves are just emerging, and then go dormant, sitting out summer in dry shade. Unlike other types of air pollution, such as soot or particulate matter, VOCs can’t be filtered out of the air with a fine-grade filter. VOCs are regularly released by common household products such as drywall, house paints, nail polish, shampoo, and almost anything with a scent. So Wolverton, a former military scientist who began his career studying whether plants could break down Agent Orange, now examined whether houseplants could absorb VOCs. But now most scientists say that’s not right. Gardening is now a $47 billion industry in the United States, with the average gardener household spending a record $503 on plants and materials annually. Plants were “a promising, economical solution to indoor air pollution,” it declared. “A resounding ‘no,’” agreed Richard Corsi, a longtime air-pollution researcher, in an email. Manchester, England: Crécy Publishing Ltd.

Cham: Springer International Publishing. Each time a piston changes direction it uses up energy to stop the travel in one direction and start it in another. That October, the company said it would start passenger flights later that year, but no schedules nor destinations were announced. There are many rules in­ place to ensure that shipped pets reach their destination in one piece; in fact, the rules can be so complex and detailed for different destinations that it’s unlikely that humans would travel at all if they had to meet as many requirements. That can be handy when you’re just seeking to freshen up the scent at home after cooking or when it seems a bit stuffy. The idea gained even more currency in 1996, when Wolverton published How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 Houseplants That Purify Your Home or Office. In the late 1980s, the NASA scientist Bill Wolverton investigated whether common houseplants could remove a certain type of air pollutant, called “volatile organic compounds,” or VOCs, from the air. The science is clear: Indoor vegetation doesn’t significantly remove pollutants from the air. Substances that removed during the process include parasites (such as Giardia or Cryptosporidium), bacteria, algae, viruses, fungi, minerals (including toxic metals such as Lead, Copper etc.), and human-made chemical pollutants.