The 6 Benefits of Plants in Bathrooms

Find out why decorating your bathroom with plants is beneficial to your health and well-being.

white bathroom with checkeboard floor and bathroom plantsPlants look great in any bathroom, no matter how big or small the space is.

Plants can breathe life and color into any space and make it feel more welcoming and home. They make an excellent addition to any part of the house, even the bathrooms. But did you know that decorating with plants is more than just aesthetics? Apparently, plants also benefit one’s health and well-being.

According to a study by the Horticulture professor, Virginia I. Lohr, plants can make the surroundings more pleasant and thus make people calmer, increase one’s productivity, and help relieve people of general discomfort. Aside from that, indoor plants help with the acoustics of a room as they can reflect, diffract, and absorb sounds, reducing noise under certain conditions.

If you have not considered adding plants to your bathroom or shower, it’s time you do. Here are the six benefits of plants in bathrooms:

1. Plants add the element of nature to your bathroom
2. Match modern shower fixtures
3. Plants make great bathroom decor no matter the size
4. Transform your bathroom into a spa
5. Clean the air and remove odors
6. Plants help you heal faster

#1 Plants add the element of nature to your bathroom

white flowering plant in a vase on top of wooden bathtub caddyFlowering plants add a pop of color to the bathroom.

If your bathroom looks too stiff or dull, it’s in dire need of some natural elements. Plants can immediately bring life to a bathroom. They can give a pop of color, especially if you get the flowering varieties. Adding plants can also help you achieve a relaxing spa-like environment in the comfort of your home.

#2 Match modern shower fixtures

house plants with oil rubbed shower set from SR SunriseThe modern oil-rubbed bronze shower fixtures from SR Sunrise match the greenery.

Unlike other bathroom decors, plants can easily match modern shower fixtures. The best shower set you can find in the market today comes in gorgeous earth tones like SR Sunrise’s Oil-Rubbed Bronze Wall-Mounted Shower System. This shower system features a stunning brown finish and looks incredibly beautiful with green plants. If you want to achieve a tropical-themed bathroom, this shower set plus a lot of house plants are the perfect design elements to get.

#3 Plants make great bathroom decor no matter the size

small bathroom with small plant pot on top of toiletSmall plants can decorate a small bathroom and can be easily placed on the toilet tank.

Even if your bathroom is just the size of a broom closet, adding plants can still make a big difference. You can find small house plants like aloe vera and succulent plants that you can place on top of wall shelves or on the toilet tank. On the other hand, orchids can adorn the walls. As for big bathrooms, bigger house plants can cover up awkward spaces. 

#4 Transform your bathroom into a spa

Woman reading a book while having a relaxing bath in a bathtubWith the help of scented candles, plants in the bathroom can make you feel like you’re in a spa.

As mentioned above, plants can help you achieve a spa theme in your bathroom. The same is the case for a tropical getaway theme. Because plants have that natural way of making one feel more relaxed, they can easily transform your bath space into a spa. Especially if you put on an aroma diffuser or light up some scented candles.

#5 Clean the air and remove odors

creeping plant vine on a small pot beside a candle on a floating shelfScience has proven that plants can clean indoor air of pollutants.

Did you know that NASA researchers have found that some common house plants can remove various pollutants from indoor air? That is why plants are ideal for those who have allergic and respiratory conditions and need clean air. And not only can they improve air quality and remove odors, but they can also help with the absorption of excess moisture to help prevent bacteria from brooding and molds from growing. 

#6 Plants help you heal faster

plant leaves on a person's palmsPlants can help with faster recovery.

Even just in the bathroom, having plants may help one recuperate from surgery, an injury, or an illness faster. In fact, according to research on the health benefits of gardens in hospitals, people who were recovering from different kinds of surgery needed fewer pain medications. Their stay in the hospital was also much shorter than those who were not looking at plants or greenery while recovering. Although the research was done in hospitals, it’s safe to assume that the same effects might happen when recuperating at home -- especially when taking long relaxing warm baths.

The takeaway

person holding leaves of plantHouse plants are relatively hard to kill, so anyone can have them in the bathroom.

Aside from the benefits, most house plants are also low maintenance. Shower plants are relatively hard to kill. Generally, watering these plants once a month will suffice to encourage greener leaves and blooming flowers. If you think the soil’s dry, water the plants until it runs out in the pot’s hole. But of course, different plants have different needs, so make sure to do your research before purchasing them. 

Besides the health benefits mentioned above, studies have proven that having plants in the bathroom also has a positive effect on one’s mental health. They can improve communication and relationships and provide a perception of a better life. It also has been found that plants reduce anxiety and stress and boost one’s mood in the morning. 

With that said, there are no other reasons why you should not invest in indoor or shower plants. Beautify your home with various varieties to help improve your physical and mental health and overall well-being.