The best plants for bathrooms and kitchens

Peace Lily

If you’re after a calming indoor plant for high-traffic areas in your home like your bathroom or kitchen, a peace lily could be the plant for you – the clue’s in the name!

Peace lilies are stunning indoor plants with glossy green leaves and the benefit of beautiful blooms in spring, ideal for adding a splash of colour to otherwise drab surroundings.

As well as being big fans of humid environments, there’s very little guesswork with looking after peace lilies: you’ll know they need water when their leaves droop. But don’t worry – once they’re watered, they’ll perk up again within an hour. Easy!

Peace lilies are considered toxic to pets though, so make sure yours is out of reach of any snacky animals in your home.

Palms

Bring a touch of the exotic into your home with a beautiful humidity-loving palm! Palms are available in lots of different sizes, so whether you’re blessed with space or looking for something small for a lonely corner, a palm is sure to brighten your bathroom or kitchen.

Snake Plant

Is there anything a Sansevieria can’t do? One of the most fuss-free plants there is, they’re ideal for any room in your home – including the bathroom and kitchen. If you’re just starting out on the road to an indoor plant paradise, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better start than a snake plant.

They’re not too fussy on how much light they get, and they’re very forgiving if you forget to water them for a while – ideal for dimly lit bathrooms and kitchens if you’re after some greenery.

Boston Fern

A Boston fern has fantastic foliage and is a fun addition to your home. Decorative and striking, its bright green leaves provide year-round colour and are especially fond of moist environments like your bathroom or kitchen.

You can pop your Boston fern in a decorative pot, or they also look great in a hanging basket. Why not try one in the window frame of your bathroom for some welcome greenery?

Spider Plant

There’s nothing to fear with a spider plant. Their arching leaves are instantly recognisable, and they’re happiest when placed in areas of high humidity – it reminds them of home.

If they’re really happy, they’ll produce small white flowers and cascading stems which carry baby plants as it grows. Before you know it, you’ll have a family of spider plants for your bathroom, kitchen, or any other room in your home!

If you have inquisitive pets, spider plants are non-toxic, so even if they do decide to nibble on them, it shouldn’t cause any harm – though we doubt they taste very nice.

English Ivy

English ivy is ideally suited for humid areas in your home, providing evergreen foliage all year round. They’re wonderfully low-maintenance, quite happy sitting on a windowsill to perk up any room you put them in.

English ivy is a trailing plant, and we think its vibrant green leaves look great cascading down the side of a shelf or cupboard.

Our top tips for caring for indoor plants

• Beware of overwatering: houseplants need less water than you might expect, especially if they’re in a humid environment. If the pot feels light when picked up, give it a drink – otherwise, leave it be. Excessive watering can lead to saturation, root rot, and sad-looking indoor plants
• Give the leaves a clean: indoor plants gain most of their energy from absorbing light through their leaves, so give them a wipe down with a damp cloth every now and then to keep them free from dust
• Pay attention to your plant’s needs: some plants love humid environments, some are happiest in indirect sunlight, and some will need watering more than others. Do your research on indoor plants to find the perfect one for you: our top 10 best indoor plants can help!

How to keep mould at bay in your home

Humid areas like your bathroom and kitchen are prone to mould and mildew. While houseplants do absorb a small amount of moisture and toxins from the air, you’ll need more than a peace lily to combat mould effectively!

• Ventilate your home by opening windows: this seems less than appealing in the cold of winter, but even 3-5 minutes of ‘shock ventilation’ can refresh the air in your home and cut down on the likelihood of mould
• Wipe down any spills: it goes without saying that leaving liquid lying around can lead to a damp atmosphere. Even using a squeegee on your shower screen in the morning can cut down on this
• Enlist powerful friends for help: dehumidifiers and air purifiers are your best friends for removing airborne nasties and moisture from your home, and there’s plenty of sizes and styles to choose from