Making your own air fresheners is easy, affordable, and good for the environment. In fact, once you learn some of these tips and tricks for making your own DIY air freshener, you might never buy another commercial air freshener again!
The easiest and most basic DIY air freshener can be used in the home, in the car, you can even spray it in a gym bag!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Essential Oils — you can choose which ones you like, but I personally like something citrus-y and fresh – it seems to work the best to get rid of any stale odors. Lemon Oil, Lemon Verbena, or Orange oil are all good choices. However, if you want something for the holiday season, you could use Balsam Fir Oil, Eucalyptus, or even peppermint oil.
- 1-2 cups water
- spray bottle
First, you need to add the water to the spray bottle. Then, add 10-20 drops of whatever oils you choose. Feel free to mix and match. I love a combination of 10 drops lemon oil and 10 drops orange oil to freshen the air. This combination works great on cooking odors. Whenever I make fish, or bacon, the scents really linger. The citrus essential oils work perfectly to demolish those stale smells.
I like to have a few different spray bottles — I leave one in the kitchen, one in the car, and one in my kids’ bathroom. That way I never have to walk too far to be able to give the air a freshening spritz.
A few more air-freshening tricks? I love using an oil warmer with a few drops of essential oil in it to scent the air fast. If you don’t have any essential oils, you could even add some vanilla extract! The whole house will smell like a delicious sugar cookie!
An even simpler solution, if you don’t have essential oils OR an oil warmer, is to simply simmer some vanilla extract in a pan of water on the stove. It will create the same effect of making your house smell like a cake baking. Just put on a stove timer so you don’t forget about it!
If you have a stubborn scent from a stain embedded in a carpet or other fabric, the easiest way to neutralize it is to sprinkle the area with baking soda. Let it sit for up to 6 hours, then vaccuum up. The odor should be gone.
What is your favorite way to make your house smell wonderful?
Related articles
These are excellent ideas! I love using the oils in a burner but never thought of putting them into a spray bottle. Especially using vanilla extract, wow! Thanks! Happy 🙂
This is such a great idea.
I have plenty of lavender essential oil. Wonder if spraying it in the air would calm the kids down? LOL
I love essential oils, and they have great uplifting qualities too!
I love essential oils and have been using them regularly in home mixed cleaning products for the past three months. I haven’t thought to make an air freshener though. I’m definitely going to make some and see what I think.
Thanks for the tips! I like adding some cinnamon to the vanilla this time of year…creates a lovely warm and spicy scent in the whole house.
These options certainly had me at natural. I like to do things as chemical free as possible!
Excellent idea! I love natural DIY products! Thanks for this great post!
I really need to remember to use baking soda!