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Homemade Air Freshener Recipes

Homemade Air Freshener RecipesThis page contains recipes for homemade air fresheners. Make homemade air fresheners to help mask or neutralize household odors.
     

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Making a Mason Jar Air Freshener

This short video shows you how to make an air freshener with just a few simple ingredients. View the full project here: Mason Jar Air Freshener
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Solutions: Homemade Air Freshener Recipes

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Slow Cooker As Air Freshener

If you're like me your slow cooker has a daily special place on your counter top just as the regularly used coffee pot, blender or assorted other appliances do. If not, make a special place for it and use it not just for cooking but also to refresh the air in your home! Winter is a perfect time of year to start getting into the habit of using this idea because windows and doors are closed up tight and odors inside your home become stale and/or become stinky because of certain foods being cooked.

Here is how to use your slow cooker to your air freshening advantage with items you probably already have in your kitchen. Some people use essential oils but unless you know that what is in those oils are safe for consumption, I wouldn't recommend using them if planning to also continue using the pot for cooking.

For safety sake, be sure to test how long it takes for the water to completely evaporate from your slow cooker on a day you'll be home because you are going to be leaving the lid off so evaporation is going to occur more quickly. In doing this test, you can plan accordingly for the amount of hours you can safely be away.

Okay, here is all there is to it. Turn your slow cooker on high, pour in two quarts of water, two tablespoons of baking soda, stir well, bring to a simmer then turn down to low. Now comes the fun part of adding scents! Here are some nice scent ideas plus two combinations I personally like and I am sure you can easily come up with your own favorite concoctions :-)

  • Extracts used for cooking and baking that smell as yummy as they taste! Here is a list of some of them: Almond, Banana, Cherry, Coconut, Maple, Rum, Strawberry and Vanilla.
  • Fresh sliced Lemon, Lime or Orange or their dried peels
  • Spices such as Allspice, Cinnamon Sticks, Cloves, Ginger and Nutmeg
  • Combination One: 2 whole lemons, sliced, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Combination Two: 2 whole oranges, sliced, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 cinnamon sticks

By Deeli from Richland, WA

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Pumpkin Air Freshener

After carving your pumpkins, sprinkle some cinnamon inside the pumpkin then light your candle. Your house will smell like you're baking!

By coville123 from Brockville, Ontario

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Homemade Air Freshener

I was always uncomfortable using the bathroom fresheners knowing that they are chemical. I take a laundry spray bottle, fill it with water and about 20 drops of essential oil which I buy in the health food store (lavender smells good and has antiseptic qualities). Shake before using.

By Ema from Brooklyn, NY

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Mason Jar Air Freshener

Mason Jar Air FreshenerBaking soda is a great natural deodorizer. You can use it as an inexpensive air freshener, but you may not want a box of Arm and Hammer sitting on your bathroom counter. Here is an easy and cute way to make a baking soda air freshener.

Approximate Time: 20 minutes

Supplies:

  • 1/2 baking soda
  • scrapbooking paper
  • tapestry needle
  • 1/4 tsp. pure essential oil (any frangrance)
  • mason jar, small
  • scissors
  • pen or pencil
supplies for Mason jar air freshener

Instructions:

  1. Trace the center of the mason jar lid (without the ring) into a piece of scrapbook paper. Cut out the circle.
  2. tracing lid shape onto scrapbook paper

  3. Using tapestry needle, poke holes in whatever pattern you wish into the paper. Set aside.
  4. punching holes in scrapbook paper

  5. Pour baking soda into the jar.
  6. pouring baking soda into jar using a paper funnel

  7. Add essential oil into the jar. Screw lid and ring onto the jar and shake to combine baking soda and oil.
  8. Adding essential oil to baking soda

  9. Remove lid from ring and place paper circle into the ring. Screw onto the jar and place your air freshener where ever you need it.
Finished Air Freshener

By Laurel from Port Orchard, WA

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Use Excess Cologne as Air Freshener

I had several bottles of body splash and cologne that I didn't care for (gifts from well meaning friends). Instead of throwing them out, I use them as bathroom air freshener and stinky shoe deodorizer.

By mlina from Amherstburg, ON

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Vanilla Extract Room Freshener

Recently I wanted to freshen up my home and had no air freshener on hand. Instead I took a small pot and placed some water in it, added a few drops of vanilla and some ground ginger. I then put it on the stove at the lowest setting and let it simmer. The whole house smelled wonderful!

By countryheart from Marianna, FL

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Candles as Air Fresheners

Whenever I want to freshen the air in my home I don't like to use anything that smells like any type of food or spice. This is because I am trying to lose weight, but smelling foods or spices in the air turns on my hunger pangs! So I use nature smells. During most of the year my favorites are "Ocean Breeze" or "After the Rain". If I can find one that's not overpowering, I like "Honeysuckle" or "Lavender". In my bedrooms I like to use "Clean Linen" scents.

Instead of burning candles though, I take those same candles and put them under a candle warmer. If you don't have one, you can use a table lamp if you are able to bend the lamp facing down over the candle. (I'm talking about the candles that are in jars.) Put a 40-60W bulb in and turn it on. The heat from the bulb melts the candle and the scent goes through the room nicely. And depending on the size of the candle, they will last for over a year. The ones I have now I have been using for close to a year and a half now.

By Cricket from Parkton, NC

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Cinnamon Air Freshener

When someone is coming over to my home and I don't have time to air it out and I don't want that obvious smell of an air freshener spray, I just sprinkle a tiny dash of cinnamon on to my electric burner. I then turn it onto LOW for about 15 - 30 seconds, then turn it off. The whole house smells good after doing this! And, cinnamon is something that smells natural, like you've been baking. Plus, it costs nothing and it's always in the cupboard. No worry, I've been doing this for years and my burners are fine.
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Heated Cinnamon and Water for Room Freshener

I love to use a little cinnamon in water boiling on the stove to make my house smell a little homey. Sometimes when someone calls for a unexpected visit to make my house smell like cookies are baking, I just put cinnamon in a pot with water and put it on the stove to boil. The smell is so relaxing (like mom is baking cookies). The smell lasts much longer than the can sprays. Lot cheaper too.

Source: From a friend.

By Sharon from LA

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Vinegar for Odors

The cheapest way to remove odors from a room is to place cups of white vinegar in the room. It works 24/7 and all you have to do is refill when it evaporates. I use old candle jars that have been used up so that it does not interfere with the decor of each room.

By Sherry
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Lemon Air Freshener

Freshen your air for pennies and in a more natural way! Go to your local health food store and purchase lemon oil. This should cost around $4.00 for a 1 ounce bottle. Since it's an oil, it's highly concentrated. In a spray bottle, mix 4 cups rubbing alcohol, 4 cups distilled water, and six drops lemon oil. Whenever you want to freshen the air, spray the mixture. A 1 oz bottle of lemon oil will last about a year.

By Maria

(Editors Note: This would make 1/2 gallon and most spray bottles are smaller. Make mix in another bottle and pour into your spray bottle if you don't have one that is that big.)
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Clearing the Air with Vinegar

In the winter months the air inside our homes becomes very polluted. Putting vinegar in water and setting it on a woodburning stove puts vinegar in the air to kill bacteria floating in the air.

By Jill
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Questions

Here are questions related to Homemade Air Freshener Recipes.
Baby Powder Scented Air Freshener Recipe

I am trying to find an air freshener recipe to make that smells like baby powder. Does anyone know of one?

By Ellen D.

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Most Recent Answer

By Anonymous02/21/2012

I've used assorted fragrant lotions to make spray air freshener (that I also sometimes use as a body spray) and it's really easy. :-)

Be sure to use at least an 8 ounce bottle because you'll need the extra space for the lotion to blend with the water without any lumps. Place 1 ounce of lotion with 5 ounces of distilled water in a clean spray bottle and shake vigorously. If after mixing you want a bit stonger scent just add another 1/2 ounce or so of lotion and shake vigorously again.

My choice for the baby powder scent would be the good old fashioned wonderful smelling Johnson & Johnson Baby Lotion - Yum! As a matter of fact I have some on hand and you've prompted me to now use it for the next bottle of spray ;-)

Homemade Air Fresheners

I am looking for suggestions for homemade air fresheners.

By Bob M. from Ogunquit, ME

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Most Recent Answer

By dragonflygirl9910/18/2009

I like to peel an orange (save the peel), a couple sprinkles of cinnamon, a sprinkle of ground cloves, then put them in a small pan with enough water to cover the orange peelings and then turn the stove on low. As the mixture heats up the whole house smells wonderful.

Homemade Airwick Air Fresheners

Does anyone know how to make something similar to the "AirWick" type of air freshener?

Bev from Grand Rapids, MN

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Most Recent Answer

By Dina (Guest Post)01/31/2006

I have used essential oils as air freshners before. Just put a few drops on a coffee filter or a paper towel (coffee filter works best because it sits up like a "tent") and put wherever you want nice smells!

Homemade Air Freshener

I used to buy Nilodor to eliminate many smells. It worked on cigarette smoke. It is hard to find now, and I wonder if there are any recipes to make a like product by hand.

By Linda L.

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Archives

Here are archived discussions related to this page.

Homemade Air Fresheners

Homemade Air Fresheners
Everyone wants to have pleasant smelling home. Commercial air fresheners are usually pretty expensive and they often only mask odors and don't eliminate them. Some commercial air fresheners even go as far as to dull your sense of smell so that you can't smell much of anything. The best air freshener is a clean house; especially in the bathroom and kitchen. Once that is accomplished you may find some of the following recipes helpful to complete the job. In this article we have a compilation of air fresheners that have either been written by us or submitted to ThriftyFun by our readers.

Dryer Sheet Air Freshener

I am not willing to pay for those air fresheners and then again for the refills. So in the summer months, when we have the fans in the windows, I stick a dryer sheet in with the fan

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cups baking soda
  • 4 cups warm water
  • 2 teaspoons ammonia
  • 1 teaspoon scent of your choice (Example: lemon extract, vanilla extract, almond extract, pine oil or eucalyptus oil)

Mix water, soda and ammonia, add extract and put into a clean spray bottle (one that sprays a fine mist). Bottle up the rest to save for later. Don't spray on furniture or pets.

Disinfectant Room Spray

Ingredients:

  • 15 drops lavender oil
  • 8 drops orange or lemon oil
  • 2 drops eucalyptus oil
  • 1/4 cup water

Combine all in a spray bottle; shake well before each use. Mixture can be sprayed into the air.

Submitted by Jennifer R.

Lemon In Your Vacuum

To achieve fresher air in the house without paying a fortune for canned spray, squeeze a few drops of fresh lemon into the bag of your vacuum.

By Randa from TX

Cinnamon

The best homemade, environmentally safe "air freshener" I have found is cinnamon. If you sprinkle the bottom of a pan with some cinnamon and let it warm on the stove (medium heat), it fills your house with the scent of baking. It's not overpowering, yet you can't smell much of anything else. You don't have to warm it too long for it to last, so there isn't much over-heating of your home or a high electric bill.

By VMargret

I've done the cinnamon thing as well. I sprinkle some in the bottom of my coffee pot, then just run clean water through it. It heats up nicely and smells great.

By Nervarah

I like to keep some eucalyptus around. I purchase it from the craft section. Not only does it have a wonderful aroma, but it lasts for months. The odor may be a little strong at first, but does settle down to a clean, pleasant smell. Also, I like to burn a candle before company arrives. I find the Cranberry scent is a great scent to burn.

By Carol

Vanilla

I put a little bottle of vanilla and water in the bathroom and use it as an air freshener. I add a little vanilla and water and shake. Keep adding vanilla until the smell is just as strong as you like.

By Racer

Last night I helped an 82-year-old woman deep clean her kitchen after she burned something in her microwave. The place was really bad. After we scrubbed everything in sight and out of sight with soapy water and I convinced her to ditch the offensive microwave, I put a fancy little bowl with a little water and some almond extract on her sparkly clean countertop. It made the place smell so beautiful and fresh. Thank you for this very inventive tip.

By Jayne

I am a huge clove fan, (in moderation). I placed the water and vanilla as racer suggested into a spray bottle, it smelled wonderful. I wanted a more vivid aroma. I decided to place the water in a saucepan, add vanilla (approx. 1 Tablespoon of (pure) vanilla extract) and approx. 8 Whole cloves. I brought the mixture to a boil. Removed from heat. Let stand until cool enough to pour into my plastic spray bottle. When I sprayed the result, Oh my gosh. I can not wait to go to the store to get cherry extract to add to my mix. How awesome will that be. This is without a doubt the best smelling airfreshner I have ever smelled, ever. Thank you racer for your help in this.

By Zoey Lee

Vinegar Air Freshener

Would you like to save money on expensive air fresheners that only cover the odors not neutralize them? Get a spray bottle and fill it half with vinegar and half with water and spray away the smoke filled rooms and the odors.

By Henrietta

A small container of plain old white vinegar on the stove eliminates even fish odors like you never even prepared it.

By Diane

Fabric Softener

I read this somewhere on this site before. Use your favorite fabric softener. Put two caps full in a spray bottle and add water to fill. Then spray away. You choose the scent, so you know you'll like it. It is inexpensive and goes a long way. Works like a charm. You can even spray it on furniture, fabrics, just like Febreeze.

By Jackie

Simmer Pot

I have a simmer pot that I fill with water and sprinkle in cinnamon and cloves. Makes the whole house smell wonderful.

By mselp

I also have 3 small potpourri simmering pots. I place water, approx 6-10 shakes of cinnamon and 6 whole cloves (I like a strong essence) in the pot and plug it in. The aroma is awesome. My house feels very tranquil, warm and inviting. I have read a few articles regarding not to use cinnamon and or cloves to scent your home. I certainly do not agree. The result of this fragrance is almost like a friendship. Everlasting.

By Zoey Lee

Citrus

For the kitchen, I put a lemon, lime or orange peels in the garbage disposal and turn on the hot water for a few seconds while the disposal is grinding up the peels and them the whole kitchen smells really good.

And for the microwave, I put a cut up lemon or lime in a bowl of water and set the microwave for 3 minutes. After the 3 minutes, the microwave smells good.

By Charity

Essential Oils

The very best in essential oils can be found at the following web site: http://www.youngliving.us. Lavender oil, for example, which is also the best oil for everything (it will stop the pain and blisters from forming when you burn yourself and it works like aspirin to relieve all sorts of pain), costs about $25 for a bottle that will last for years. Essential oils rather than fragrance oils are best for Berger-type lamps because they mix with the 90% alcohol better and last longer. Also, when you inhale essential oils, their many healing properties work wonders.

By Kathryn M.

If you are looking for some great essential oils and fragrance oils go to The Body Shop they have a huge selection and they are not pricey. I use them mixed with 91% alcohol in my catalytic lamp and they work great. In fact right now they have the oils on sale for 3 for $16. If you don't have a Body Shop store go to the website bodyshop.com

By PC

A co-worker told me if you mix an entire bottle of 91% alcohol and one bottle of essential oil (like you use in fragrance rings), shake well, and voila. I tried it, it seems to be the same as you buy already prepared. Just make sure you shake the products every time you use.

By Kristen

Fragrance Lamp

I have found that the best way to fragrance your home and purify etc. is by using a catalytic fragrance lamp. They are kinda pricey for the lamp, but they work so well, you will not be disappointed. I got one for Xmas and I am so in love with it, you can find them online at lampfuelandmore.com

or courtneyscandles.com

You can also try at Hallmark. It is very effective.

By Kittybean

Recipe for Catalytic Diffusion Lamp Oil

  • 1 bottle 90% alcohol (do not use weaker strength)
  • 9 cc's essential oil (not fragrance oil)
Drip the essential oil directly into the bottle of alcohol. A syringe works best. Shake and enjoy.

By Susie

For more discussion of Fragrance Lamps, follow this link: Making Lampe Berger Fragrance


What are your favorite homemade air fresheners? Submit them below.


RE: Homemade Air Fresheners

Whenever I have citrus peels or apple cores leftover from something, I make a simmer pot. Just fill a saucepan with water, add the peels or cores and whatever else you might like (I usually put in cinnamon, cloves and allspice). Boil to release the oils, turn down to simmer and enjoy. I prefer doing it on the stove to one of those little potpourri simmerers because I don't feel they disperse the scent enough. (01/14/2008)

By Lyss

Homemade Magical Air Freshener and Dewrinkler Spray

Of the many different recipes for homemade fabric/air freshener I have tried in the past, this is what I have come up with as my own recipe. I don't use very much fabric softener because most commercial grade fabric softeners (Bounce, Snuggle, Downy, etc.) contain chemicals that have been found to cause cancer, nervous system disorders, and brain damage, as well as reduce the effectiveness of flame resistant materials. So, be safe and avoid exposure to harmful chemicals when possible.

  • One 16oz fine mist sprayer (an old Febreeze/Downy Wrinkle Releaser bottle will do)
  • 2 Tablespoons of white vinegar (cheap and available at grocery store)
  • 2 Tablespoons of your favorite fabric softener (preferably a natural/organic softener which can be hard to find locally, but can be ordered online)
  • 6 to 10 drops of your favorite essential/scented oil (you can also use any scented extract available such as vanilla or almond)
  • Fill the remainder of the 16 oz. container with distilled water (cheap and available at grocery store. You could also boil some tap water and let it cool a bit before handling, but please don't use impure water straight from the tap.)
  • Shake and spray to "eliminate" undesirable odors or release wrinkles.

NOTE: If you are concerned about chemicals from using fabric softener, you could leave fabric softener out of the recipe and use a little more white vinegar and scented oil/extract. There shouldn't be much of a vinegar smell at all and if there is it will be gone when dried. White vinegar works very well against odors by absorbing them and neutralizing them instead of just covering them up. It's also a safe and effective alternative to using fabric softener in your washing machine, helping to release wrinkles, clean and brighten clothes, as well as making your clothes last longer instead of chemically destroying them. Additionally, vinegar kills 82% of mold spores on contact. (11/14/2008)

By Die Hard


Use Perfume Samples As Air Fresheners

Sometimes I receive gifts of perfumes, colognes, etc. that I don't particularly like the smell of for wearing myself. I never waste any of them. I use them as room fresheners. Just squirt a little toward the ceiling of the room and the smell will stay around for quite a while. Saves on buying air fresheners and you are using something that would either get tossed or just sit in a cupboard. If it's not aerosol, just put it in an empty spray bottle and use that. I've even been known to mix two different fragrances together with no problems! Just test a little on your arm first if you are not quite sure.

By Cett from Malta, Europe


RE: Use Perfume Samples As Air Fresheners

Nice idea. But just be sure no-one in your house is allergic! Someone told me to spray unwanted perfume on overhead light bulbs to give the room a nice perfume. I did, and sent my male house share person into a frenzy of coughing etc, apparently he's allergic to to perfumes, air fresheners and so on. I didn't kill him, but he made me feel as tho I almost did! (08/21/2007)

By Ellie


Use Excess Cologne as Air Freshener

I received a bunch of those small bottles of cologne from my family for my birthday; the kind they have at Walmart on one of the hanging displays, about $6-8 each. Some of them I love enough to wear, but not all. So the ones I don't really care for enough to wear, I will dribble on the back of the couch, recliner, etc, and it makes a nice (free to me) air freshener!

I don't recommend buying them for that reason as they are a bit high, but if you have any leftover cologne that you just don't wear, don't want, or want to hurry and use up, it is a great use!

By Fatboyslimsmom from Many, LA


RE: Use Excess Cologne as Air Freshener

I tend to use the "unwanteds" as bargain-basement Febreze: After vacuuming, I walk through the room and spritz the floor with the stuff. What I don't like for use on my own body seems to nicely freshen my room, if only temporarily. (10/28/2009)

By JustPlainJo

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