It’s a myth you almost wish hadn’t been busted. Houseplants, though charming, do little to purify the air in a room, say the scientists who study the air we breathe.

From a quick internet search, you wouldn’t guess that was the case. Popular home décor websites list a number of plants that promise to remove toxins and dangerous chemicals from the air, and several online retailers market air-purifying plants to consumers.

“We decided to study it more in depth in response to all the internet articles and wellness blog posts that tout plants as an indoor air quality magic bullet,” says Michael Waring, an environmental engineer and indoor air quality expert at Drexel University.

In a study recently published