When you think about air fresheners, what is the first thing that comes to mind? For many people, it’s a can of Glade or Febreze. However, there are plenty of other solutions out there for those who want to save money and try something new. This article will explain different ways to create your natural air fresheners at home with things you already have around the house!
Essential Oil
Essential oils come from nature, and you can use them to create homemade air fresheners. You can make your essential oil spray by mixing water with 20-30 drops of essential oil (such as lavender or orange) in a small bottle, shake it well, then spray away! And if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of mixing liquids yourself, many companies sell pre-made mixtures for this exact purpose. Some popular options include Aura Cacia Lavender Spray, Nature’s Alchemy Aromatherapy Room Freshening Spritz, and Plant Therapy Essential Oil Car Air Freshener. But no matter what brand you choose, know that all-natural ingredients should work great at eliminating odors without filling your home with harsh chemicals.
Coffee
Believe it or not, coffee is a great odor eliminator, and you can use it to make your air freshener. Coffee grounds do a fantastic job absorbing odors, so if you take the extra step of making them wet before using them, they will help get rid of smells even faster! But don’t worry because this process does NOT leave any residue behind like baking soda might since there are no oils.
To use dry coffee grounds, put some inside a bowl in various areas around your home that need an extra dose of freshness (such as bathrooms). And for those who want something quicker and more accessible, try filling a small jar with water then adding in about 20-30 coffee grounds. After that, just let your jar sit overnight and remove the coffee grounds in the morning, which leaves you with a great smelling air freshener!
Vinegar
If vinegar does not sound too appealing to use around your home, then try adding it to some baking soda instead. Baking soda is another fantastic odor eliminator, but alone it won’t do much without help from something else. And since most people already have both of these items on hand, they make for a perfect pair! To create this DIY air freshener, all you need to do is mix two parts of water with one part vinegar (or more depending on how strong you want your mixture), then add about ¼ cup or so baking soda into the solution. After everything is mixed together, place the mixture into an open container and enjoy!
Vodka
Yes, you can use vodka to create a homemade air freshener that works well! You will need about one cup of water for this DIY project, along with some alcohol-based mouthwash or eye drops (with at least 50% alcohol). Once you have these two ingredients on hand, mix them in equal parts inside a spray bottle, then shake them up so they are thoroughly combined before spraying away. The final product should not smell very strong since most types of mouthwash already contain other natural scents but if you want something even less noticeable, try adding more water instead. And remember that using 100% rubbing alcohol instead of mouthwash will create a more pungent smell, but it is very flammable so keep that in mind before using this DIY air freshener.
Salt
If the smell of vinegar or vodka does not sound too pleasant to you, then try using salt instead! All you need for this project is some table salt and water along with a container (like an empty spice jar) to store your mixture inside once finished. To make things easier, fill about half of your bottle with regular tap water, add around two tablespoons worth of salt into the mix, close the lid tightly, then shake everything together until all the ingredients dissolve completely. After that, leave it sitting overnight and remove any remaining residue by rinsing off what’s leftover before using it the next day.
Lavender
If you are not too keen on any of these natural DIY air fresheners, then try making your own with lavender instead! Although many different kinds of scented plants work well for this purpose, one popular option is dried lavender, which you can purchase online or at most craft stores. To make things even easier, open up a small bag/pot and place its contents into an empty spray bottle along with water (about half full). Then shake everything together until all the ingredients combine before moving on to the following step.
From here, take another clean spray bottle and pour about two tablespoons worth of rubbing alcohol inside, followed by around six ounces worth of distilled water. After that, close the lid tightly and shake everything together once more until all the ingredients mix/dissolve thoroughly, then store it in a cool, dry place for up to two months before using again (it should last much longer but keep an eye on it).
Lemon
If you want something with a fresh citrus scent, instead try making your DIY air freshener with lemon! Fresh lemons work best for this purpose since they have so many natural oils inside, which gives them plenty of strong scents; however, if you only have access to bottled juice or zest from other fruits, feel free to use those too.
Start by mixing ¼ cup worth of water along with around 20 drops of essential oil or perfume oil, then add that into a spray bottle with around half full of water. Now shake the bottle to combine them, close it tightly, and store it in a cool, dry place for up to two months before using it again.
Vanilla
You can also create your DIY air fresheners using vanilla too! Grab yourself some pure vanilla extract which you should be able to find at almost any grocery store, followed by distilled water (not regular tap water) along with an empty jar/bottle. Just fill about halfway through with either one of these ingredients, depending on how strong you want your mixture, before adding ten drops worth of essential oil or fragrance oil into the mix as well until all three components are combined.
Just close the lid tightly and store it away in a cool, dry place for up to two months before using it again (the longer you let this air freshener sit, the stronger its scent will become).
Conclusion
To conclude, there are many different ways to make your DIY air fresheners that will help keep any home smelling fresh and clean. Remember that you should not use them around pets or small children since some of the ingredients might harm them if they ingest them.
Also, before you begin, know where in your house is best suited for keeping these scents so it doesn’t interfere with other aromas/smells when using them. If done correctly, all of this information can come together to give you an easy way to create a pleasant aroma in practically no time at all without spending very much money on expensive store-bought items instead.
