By their very nature, bathrooms tend to be humid and often lack natural sunlight. So what could you possibly put in there besides a candle and some art to spruce it up? One answer is plants and flowers, and peace lilies are a fine choice!
Peace lilies love the humidity; it’s the perfect environment for them. In addition, they thrive in low light conditions, and since bathrooms often lack sunlight due to privacy concerns, this is important for bathroom plants.
Peace lilies are relatively easy plants to take care of, but there are some specifics you need to know to help them thrive. Anyone with a green thumb should keep reading for peace lily benefits and best practices to keep it alive and healthy in your bathroom.
Can You Put A Peace Lily In The Bathroom?
Yes! Peace lilies are great for bathrooms.
Unlike lots of other plants, peace lilies have all of the following properties, ideally suited for bathroom plants:
- They appreciate low-light conditions without too much direct sunlight
- They thrive with plenty of humidity
- They are hardy and relatively low maintenance
Peace lilies add a bit of greenery to spruce up the bathroom, release a light scent to help contain the unpleasant odors, and even help purify the air! Let’s look at these benefits and more.
Benefits Of Peace Lilies For Bathrooms
Peace lilies have many benefits when placed in a bathroom:
- Natural air purifier: peace lilies are natural absorbents of chemicals and toxic fumes in the air. They help eliminate pollutants, including carbon monoxide, xylene, formaldehyde, and benzene. This was even studied by NASA! If you want to geek out and read the study, you can do so here.
- Prevents mildew formation: the high moisture in the bathroom is a prime environment for mildew growth. Peace lilies help to control the moisture and prevent mildew from growing in tile grout and curtains.
- Removes mold spores: this is especially a great benefit for those allergic or sensitive to mold. Along with allergy symptoms, inhaling mold can lead to more severe conditions like asthma and lung illnesses.
- Improves the odor: peace lilies release a light scent and – as mentioned – act as natural air purifiers. This will help create a nicer aroma in your bathroom.
- Decorative: peace lilies and other plants in your bathroom add a decorative touch and make the room more pleasant.
If you want more ideas on how to improve your bathroom space, check out this link!
What Is The Best Environment For Peace Lilies?
Peace lilies are relatively low-maintenance house plants. In nature, you will find them growing on the tropical rainforest floor, where little direct sunlight will reach them due to the other plants and where humidity abounds. In other words, peace lilies are naturally suited for a humid, low-light environment.
How Dark Is Too Dark For A Peace Lily?
The peace lilies cannot survive with no light at all. However, they are shade-tolerant and enjoy indirect light.
If your bathroom has just a modest window, your peace lily should do fine. However, if your bathroom has no window at all, you will need a grow light, or you will need to rotate the plant so that it will receive some occasional light.
How Humid Is Too Humid For A Peace Lily?
Tropical rainforests – the natural home of the plant – often have humidity above 90%. As a consequence – in practical terms – you cannot make your room too humid for peace lilies. That’s one reason they are great for bathrooms. They love the steam that comes from hot showers, etc.
The humidity might drop if you have very efficient air circulation in your bathroom. To help your peace lily, keeping your bathroom at 60% humidity is best. If humidity is too low, try placing your plant near the shower or on a pebble tray with shallow water.
Where To Put A Peace Lily In The Bathroom
The best place to put the peace lily in the bathroom is:
- Close to the shower or sink
- Relatively close to a light source, such as a window, where it will receive indirect light
The occasional misting from the shower’s steam will give the peace lily the humidity it craves. The more consistent steam, the better. If you want to put your peace lily in a half bath with no shower or bathtub, then either next to the sink or above the toilet would be best. To make up for the lack of steam, place the peace lily in a pebble tray with shallow water to create more moisture in the air.
Remember that the plant does need some indirect light. Ensure you don’t place it too far from a window or grow light. If there is no suitable light source in your bathroom, you can rotate the plant by keeping it for one week in your bathroom, then one week in your living room, and so on.
Final Words
Peace lilies are one of the best options for greenery in a bathroom.
The bathroom is a suitable environment for the peace lily to thrive. They cannot survive in complete darkness but love low light, indirect sunlight, and high humidity. Place them close to the shower so they can soak up the steam and stay watered and moist to grow big and healthy.
The benefits include absorbing noxious vapors, adding some color, preventing mildew formation, and removing airborne mold spores.