Five houseplants to add to your home if you hate dusting – and one of them is just £9 from Wilko right now
There's one plant that's perfect for kitchens too
HOUSE THAT? Five houseplants to add to your home if you hate dusting – and one of them is just £9 from Wilko right now
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
WE'VE all got our preferred methods of dusting our homes, but did you know certain houseplants can lessen the load when it comes to banishing dust?
Many houseplants can catch and hold onto airborne dust particles, which is great news for plant lovers and homeowners.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
2
Plants will need their leaves wiped to remove the dust they collect
Credit: Getty
2
The plants help remove dust thanks to their ions which pull it in like magnets
Credit: Getty
The plants do this by pulling in the dust like magnets, from the air and onto their leaves.
So, which plants work best for this?
Spider plant
If you're looking for a low maintenance plant that's easy to find and take care of, the spider plant is the best choice for you.
It's great choice for pet owners too, because it's not toxic and resilient to all kinds of conditions.
The plant also thrives in indirect sunlight, but you will need to wipe the collected dust from the leaves to ensure it can photosynthesise.
Additionally, they absorb nitrogen dioxide which can help to keep the air circulating your home clean and fresh.
Snake plant
The snake plant is renowned for being succulent, which means it's super easy to look after.
It's a great choice for keeping air inside clean and fresh as it releases oxygen into the air whilst removing other toxins.
Meanwhile, researchers at Harvard University found it to be one of the most oxygen-producing houseplants, helping you to breathe and sleep better.
Better yet, you can pick up this plant for just £9.99 from Wilko right now, making it budget-friendly too.
English Ivy
If you frequently dye your hair at home, then it's worth investing in an English Ivy plant.
I pinky promise you'll have happy houseplants if you avoid the 'gap of death' that's killing them – fixing it is easy
That's because it helps to reduce the levels of chemicals, but this plant is toxic for pets so should be avoided by pet owners.
The plant is pretty easy to look after though, and needs water and sunlight every day.
Peace Lily
The peace lily is an ideal plant to be kept in the bedroom as it has a high transpiration rate meaning that when watered, it helps to bring moisture back into the room.
However, the bad news is it's toxic to pets and needs a bit more TLC, as it requires morning sunlight only, misting and damp soil.
Aloe Vera
When you think of aloe vera, chances are its skin-soothing benefits instantly spring to mind.
However, it turns out it's also very effective in removing toxins from the air.
Aloe Vera plants are great for places like kitchens, so they can banish airborne chemicals found in detergents.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
New ‘poo pills' could flush out killer bugs that kill one million Brits each year
Find out how superbugs develop and spread below POO KNEW? New 'poo pills' could flush out killer bugs that kill one million Brits each year Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SUPERBUGS, or drug-resistant infections, are projected to cause more than 39 million deaths between now and 2050. This means that, on average, over three people are expected to die from antibiotic-resistant infections every minute. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Scientists focused on the gut to kill superbug infections Credit: Getty But now UK doctor are attempting to clear the number of dangerous superbug infections by using pills containing freeze-dried faeces. The "poo pills" contain stool samples from health donors, packed with good bacteria. And the idea comes from previous data that suggests superbugs can be flushed out of the bowel and replaced with a mix of healthy gut bacteria. Dr Blair Merrick, who has been testing the pills at St Guys and Thomas' hospitals, said the focus is on the bowels which are "the biggest reservoir of antibiotic resistance in humans". The bowel is considered a significant reservoir for these resistant bacteria, and from there they can cause trouble in places such as the urinary tract or bloodstream. Dr Merrick added: "So there's a lot in 'can you get rid of them from the gut?" Currently, people with recurrent illness caused by hard-to-treat bacterium Clostridium difficile can be offered faecal transplants. Scientists noticed they also had the potential to get rid of superbugs. In a new study, published in the Journal of Infection, researchers focused on 41 patients who had an infection caused by drug-resistant bacteria in the past six months. They were given pills made from faeces which people had donated to a stool bank. What is Klebsiella pneumonia? Each stool sample was tested to ensure it didn't contain and harmful bugs. Undigested food was removed, and then it was freeze dried into a powder. The powder, contained inside a pill, can then pass through the stomach unharmed and reach the intestines, where it then dissolves. Twenty of the participants were given three sets of capsules on three consecutive days, while the rest received placebo pills. For those who took the capsules , the donor bacteria was detectable in their gut flora a month later. Dr Merrick told the BBC: "It's very exciting. There's a real shift from 20 years ago, where all bacteria and viruses were assumed to do you harm; to now where we realise they are completely necessary to our overall health." To help avoid getting superbugs, the NHS recommends practising good hygiene - wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially before eating, after using the toilet, and after coughing or sneezing. Use antibiotics responsibly - avoid taking antibiotics for viral infections like colds or the flu, as they won't work. Even if you feel better, finish all of your prescribed medication to ensure the infection is fully treated. And don't share antibiotics - sharing can be harmful and can lead to resistance. Also, take preventative measures when travelling - choose food from reliable sources, and ensure food is properly cooked and handled, avoid drinking water that may be contaminated, and make sure you are up-to-date on all recommended vaccinations before travelling.
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
New fat jabs warning over ‘increased risk of cancer – as experts fear they ‘stop common medication working'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WEIGHT loss jabs could prevent a medication taken by millions of women from working - and increase patients' risk of cancer. The British Menopause Society said the jabs could cause hormone imbalance in women taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), particularly for those with obesity, putting them 'at increased risk of womb cancer'. 1 Women commonly take a progesterone pill along with oestrogen patches or cream Credit: Getty It follows warnings to women on weight loss medications to take effective contraception, as the jabs could render the pill less effective. That's because weight loss drugs Wegovy and Mounjaro - as well as diabetes jab Ozempic - can delay the absorption of pills taken orally, as well slowing down the passage of food through the gut. Guidance suggests women taking HRT in pill form may also be at risk. The British Menopause Society (BMS) told doctors to closely monitor menopausal women on HRT who are also using weight-loss jabs. The treatment tops up the hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which dip to low levels as the menopause approaches. Data from 2023-24 showed that 2.6 million women in England rely on the drugs to alleviate hot flushes, night sweats, difficulty sleeping and mood changes. "During the last two years, since semaglutide and tirzepatide [the active ingredients in Wegovy and Mounjaro] received licenses for weight loss, there has been an increase in uptake of these medications through private clinics, while NHS prescribing is limited to specialist weight management services," the BMS guidance stated. "There are no current data available about numbers of women receiving HRT concurrently with semaglutide or tirzepatide." The most common form of HRT is a progesterone pill alongside a skin patch or gel to deliver oestrogen, but some people opt for a combined pill. Progesterone balances out the effects of oestrogen, which on its own stimulates the growth of the womb lining, and can cause 'abnormal cells and cancer' to grow. Women taking fat jabs need 'effective contraception' - as health chiefs warn of serious harm to unborn babies The menopause experts expressed concern over the loss of the progesterone's protective effect on the womb as a result of weight loss jabs. They recommended that doctors move women taking progesterone orally to an intrauterine device, such as a Mirena coil, or increase their dose of progesterone. Prof Annice Mukherjee, a consultant endocrinologist and member of the society's medical advisory council, who led on the guidance, told The Telegraph that a hormone imbalance could put women 'at increased risk of womb cancer' - particularly if they are obese. 'Oestrogen is almost always given through the skin for HRT in women living with obesity, but progesterone is frequently given as a tablet, and that formulation is thought to be the safest route for women who have complicated health issues,' she said. 'If we then start one of these injectable weight-loss drugs, then you're preferentially stopping absorption of the progestogen that's coming in orally, but you're allowing plenty of the oestrogen through the skin. 'The rules are very clear that if you give a very high dose of oestrogen and you don't give enough progesterone, however that happens, you're putting that woman at risk of womb cancer,' she said. Prof Mukherjee said there was currently a 'culture of putting women on very high doses of oestrogen', which can make the womb lining thicken. 'It's like having a lawn in a woman's womb. Oestrogen makes the lawn grow. Progestogen cuts the lawn. But if it's not being cut, it grows thicker, and then you can get abnormal cells and cancer.' Everything you need to know about fat jabs Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases. Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK. Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market. Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year. How do they work? The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight. They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists. They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients' sugar levels are too high. Can I get them? NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics. Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure. GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss. Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk. Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health. Are there any risks? Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild. Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea. Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at said: 'One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.' Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia. Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients' mental health. Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines. But she also stressed that the biggest risk factor for womb cancer was obesity - meaning that on the whole, weight loss jabs can cut the risk of disease. 'These drugs reduce the risk of cancer,' Prof Mukherjee said. 'But if they are prescribed to a woman who's on oestrogen through the skin, and she might already have womb thickening because she's living with obesity, and she's not absorbing the progesterone because she's been put on a weight-loss injection, she's potentially getting loads of oestrogen on top of her thickened womb lining, and that could potentially unmask cancers that are there or drive an early cancer to a more advanced stage.' The BMS put together the guidelines after calls from GPs for advice to give to patients. Dr Janet Barter, the president of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, told The Telegraph that weight loss jabs can cause side effects such as "vomiting and severe diarrhoea in some patients'. 'Obviously this could render any medication, such as HRT tablets or oral contraception, ineffective if there hasn't been enough time for them to be fully absorbed,' she said. 'If these side-effects are occurring, then people should discuss the matter with their doctor or specialist clinician to find the combination of drugs that's right for them.' Sun Health has contacted Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly - the makers of Wegovy and Mounjaro - for comment. It follows warnings from the Medicines and Healthcare products Agency (MHRA) that GLP-1 weight loss drugs could reduce the absorption of contraceptives, due to the fact they slow down the emptying of the stomach. The watchdog also said the jabs should not be used during pregnancy, while trying to conceive or breastfeeding, over fears they could lead to miscarriage or birth defects. The MHRA explained: 'This is because there is not enough safety data to know whether taking the medicine could cause harm to the baby.' Dr Bassel Wattar, a consultant gynaecologist and medical director of clinical trials at Anglia Ruskin University, told The Sun: 'It's not the medication itself, but the weight loss that helps regulate a woman's hormones allowing her ovaries to function properly again. 'Pregnancy is more of a happy side effect.'
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
My hair didn't grow for years until I used a £4 Asda shampoo – it's never been longer or thicker than it is now
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AFTER struggling for years to grow out her locks, one woman shared the secret to her hair transformation. Using a budget-friendly buy available from Asda, she perfected her tresses, leaving them longer and thicker than ever. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 A woman shared her hair transformation after using a budget-friendly shampoo Credit: Amazon 3 The woman explained that she had struggled to grow her hair for years before discovering the haircare item Credit: Amazon The woman revealed that her hair had become badly damaged over the yearrs. Her locks even "snapped badly" at one point in her haircare journey. However, she eventually discovered OGX Thick and Full Biotin & Collagen Shampoo. Designed for "volume and thickening", the haircare buy is available for just £4.48 from Asda. According to the product description, this shampoo consists of a "nutrient-infused formula for 72 plus hours of volume and body". This formula is "proven to give you visibly healthier hair in just one use". The product is specifically designed for use on thinner more fine locks. It contains sulfate-free surfactants, Biotin, and collagen. The LipiPro Shield Technology supports the hair's protein and lipid barrier for your "heathiest most resilient hair". One buyer shared her experience with the shampoo in the Amazon review section, where the buy is also listed. 'I'm in shock at how well this has worked in a month' shoppers praise budget Amazon buy for curing their hair loss & it's currently on sale She gave the shampoo a full five stars out of five, commending it for helping her hair "grow and get thicker". The shopper added a side by side comparison of her hair to her online review. "The first picture was about a year ago, I couldn't get my hair to grow and it snapped badly in one place," she explained. She went on to say that she had "tried everything" to tackle the problem. "I have used two bottles of this and in the last few months my hair has grown so well and got much thicker," the reviewer continued. Hair re-growth FAQs Anabel Kingsley, Consultant Trichologist and Brand President at Philip Kingsley spoke exclusively to Fabulous. How long does it take for hair to grow back? Hair grows, on average, half an inch a month. You cannot speed this up. Do rosemary oil and scalp massages work? Oils do not promote hair growth. In terms of rosemary oil, the current trend stems from one small study carried out on 50 men in 2015. No women were involved, and the study compared the effects of 2 per cent minoxidil to Rosemary oil. 2 per cent minoxidil doesn't do much for male pattern hair loss anyway, so the results were not very impressive. Oils do serve a purpose in conditioning hair treatments though. They help add shine and smooth the hair cuticle to lock-in moisture and improve combability. Scalp massages alone won't cure hair loss, but it can help relax you, aid in lymphatic drainage, exfoliate and help topicals penetrate. Are there any products or foods/vitamins you recommend someone using or eating to help with hair regrowth? To support healthy hair regrowth, if you are experiencing hair thinning we'd recommend our Density Preserving Scalp Drops clinically proven to help slow hair loss with continued daily use within three months. Telogen effluvium (hair shedding) due to nutritional deficiencies can often be simply treated with changes to your diet, and nutritional supplements such as our specially formulated Density Healthy Hair Complex and Density Amino Acid Booster. Iron and Ferritin (stored iron) in red meat, dried apricots and dark, leafy greens. Vitamin B12 in animal products and fortified plant-based foods. Protein from oily fish, lean meat, cottage cheese, tofu, nuts, chickpeas, and beans. However, there may be an underlying cause for their hair loss and rather than this being masked by using an off-the-shelf product, they should be encouraged to seek the advice of a specialist such as a Trichologist. "Just had to share the progress as I have been trying for about three years to sort my hair and this appeared to work so well for me. And while she recently purchased the brand's matching conditioner, she pointed out "the shampoo seems to work great on its own". "The smell is amazing! It's worth a try," she told her fellow Amazon users. Her pictures backed up her statement, showing the increased length of her locks since using the shampoo. Manufacturers recommend regular use of the product to maintain results.
