Houseplants fill your home with nature without being overwhelming. But sometimes, the desire to feel calm and comfortable can end up wheezing.

You can’t get around it. The pieces of greenery we place, plant and hang around in our homes tend to co-exist with potentially unpleasant fungi. , who knows, the fungi that live in and around houseplants can cause allergies, cause infections, and can even be toxic to pets and curious young children. Although the risk of mold interfering with your daily life is already low, don’t throw the plant away just yet, as there are basic precautions you can take.

Researchers also found a list of other potentially infectious fungal species that live alongside hospital houseplants. Some of these molds are Aspergillus When Penicillium, which is common elsewhere.And then you have something like Sedosporium When FusariumIt is particularly dangerous for immunocompromised people, babies (especially premature babies), and people over the age of 65, regardless of where they grow up.

Even if you don’t fit into any of these groups, you may still be allergic to yeast, mold, mildew, and other fungi. Sources indicate numbers between 2% and 30% of the general population in developed countries. .

Peter Irga, Senior Lecturer at University of Technology Sydney, says, “The moment you open a window or leave your home, you are exposed to billions of spores. Refusing to go out is not a good solution, because increasing the amount of outside air entering a building can reduce levels of pollutants, odors, temperature, humidity, and other factors that affect comfort and health. Environmental Protection Agency.If you have fungal allergies, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation recommends planting houseplants in sterile soil, giving them plenty of light, and using fans to circulate the air around them. recommends trimming dead leaves.

Proper houseplant hydration is important because improper watering can cause far more serious problems beyond the plant shelf. “It’s the only time we really see it,” says Richard Collins III, an allergist in North Carolina. [fungi] The problem is when people overwater or don’t have proper catch trays,” says Heather Delaporte, co-founder of Florida’s National Indoor Air Quality Laboratory. The next time you accidentally spill water on the window sill while feeding the plants, dry it thoroughly immediately. Personally, I like to use an absorbent cork pad in addition to the standard saucer to protect the surface underneath the flowerpot. I can do it. Moisture of any kind is the first villain you want to defeat.

[Related: Proper drainage is the key to keeping houseplants alive]

Now, if you see suspicious slime, powder, or other strange colors or textures in the soil of your houseplants, it could be a fungus of a visually apparent size. If you have symptoms and want to cover all possibilities, try treating the soil. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (mildew repellent bacteria), copper soap, sulfur. I like to ask people at my local nursery for specific brand recommendations.From there, you can move on to more specific fungicides. You can do this by noting its appearance and googling it, or by asking a local agricultural extension expert.