The Reason You Should Keep Spider Plants In Your Kitchen

When you think of greenery in the kitchen, chances are you envision a vase of fresh flowers or perhaps a small potted herb garden for adding those flavorful flourishes to your favorite dishes. However, there's one plant that you should be adding to your kitchen for its powerful properties — a spider plant.

Spider plants are essential for any kitchen because of their ability to clean the air and eliminate odors (via Food Network). While the idea of a kitchen that permanently smells like freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies may sound like heaven, the majority of the time, you don't want those cooking or baking aromas to linger forever. Sure, those onions smell incredible when you're sautéing them, but do you want that scent in the air while you're brewing your morning coffee? No — which is exactly why you need a spider plant.

In fact, a 2016 study presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society examined the impact that house plants, such as the spider plant, have on volatile organic compounds, and proved that the simple potted plants are absolute powerhouses when it comes to absorbing toxins and odors in the air. You'll be able to breathe a little easier when you're in the kitchen whipping up meals, and rest assured that the scent of your fragrant dinner won't stick around forever, all thanks to the addition of a simple spider plant.

Besides absorbing any unwanted aromas from your cooking, spider plants have a few added benefits that are worth noting. The first, and perhaps most important for any home cooks with four-legged friends, is that the plant is safe for pets. While you don't want your pup to be munching away at the leaves during every meal prep, it's not quite as anxiety-inducing should anything happen (via FernsnPetals). They're also safe for young children, which makes it easier to keep a potted spider plant out on the counter without worry about grabby toddler hands (via PureWow).

Spider plants are also known to increase humidity, which can be helpful if you live in a dry climate and will increase the air quality in your space, as plants are so skilled at doing. And, the way they grow makes them perfectly suited for both hanging baskets as well as pots, so you can incorporate them wherever in the kitchen they best fit. They thrive in indirect sunlight (via Lifestyle Home Garden), and are even able to survive in artificial lighting, making them ideal even if your kitchen isn't filled with massive windows.

Finally, individuals who aren't blessed with the greenest of thumbs need not worry — spider plants are incredibly forgiving and are able to thrive despite changes in their surroundings, making them a good choice for even totally novice plant owners.