How to Make Your Own Air Freshener

Craft a natural DIY air freshener at home with this easy guide

Last Updated: May 24, 2022 Tested

Does your home smell stale? Or perhaps you want to add a breath of freshness and fragrance to it? This article will show you are few ways to make a simple air freshener. Some simply add fragrance to your home, while others help get rid of bad odors in addition to leaving behind a nice scent.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Making a Baking Soda Air Freshener

1
Gather your supplies. This air-freshener uses baking soda, which helps absorb odors. It also uses essentials oils, which give off a fragrant scent. Here's what you'll need to make this simple air freshener:^{[1]
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- Small jar
- Scrapbook paper
- Baking Soda
- 10 to 20 drops essential oil
- Scissors
- Pen or pencil
- Needle
2
Find a small, squat glass jar with a two part lid. The lid needs to have a metal ring part and a flat disk part. You will need the ring part to hold the scrapbook paper to the jar and the disk part to trace a circle. You can use any size jar you want, but a small, squat jar would be ideal. This way, you won't need to use as much baking soda; you only need a little bit of baking soda to get the full effect.
- You can spray paint the metal ring part to make it match your paper and room decor.^{[2]
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- You can find scrapbook paper at an arts and crafts store. If you cannot find any scrapbook paper, try using some leftover gift wrap. You can also take a sheet of printer paper, and draw pretty designs on it with markers.
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3
Use the metal disk part to trace a circle onto a sheet of scrapbook paper. Take the lid apart and set aside the metal ring; you will be using it later. Place the metal disk onto the back/blank side of the scrapbook paper. Use a pen or pencil to trace around the metal disk. Once you are done tracing, you can discard or recycle the metal disk. You will not need it anymore after this.
- You can choose any color or pattern you want for the paper, but consider choosing something that matches the decor of your room or the season.
- If you cannot find a jar with a two part lid, then draw a circle onto a piece of loosely woven fabric (such as burlap) and cut it out. The circle needs to be a few inches wider than the moth of the jar.
4
Cut the circle out using scissors and set it aside. You will be using it in a moment. Discard or recycle the rest of the paper.
5
Fill the jar half way full with baking soda. How much baking soda you need will depend on the size of your jar.^{[3]
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6
Add 10 to 20 drops of essential oil. The more oil you add, the more fragrant your air freshener will be.^{[4]
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Research source} You can use all one scent, or you can play around with mixing different scents such as lavender and vanilla, or mint and eucalyptus.
- Lavender is great for bedrooms, because it is relaxing.
- Citrus is great for family rooms and kitchens because it's refreshing and energizing.
- Eucalyptus and mint are great for bathrooms because of how fresh they smell.
7
Close the jar. Place the paper disk you just cut out on top of the jar. Make sure that the disk is centered and that the design is facing you. Place the metal ring on top of the paper. Twist the metal ring close. The paper disk will have replaced metal disk part. You are using a paper disk instead of a metal one for this air freshener because you will need to poke holes into it. It is easier to poke holes into paper than into metal.
- If you are using fabric, place the fabric on top of the jar. Make sure that it is centered. Secure it to the neck of the jar with a piece of ribbon or a rubber band. Do not put the lid on it or you will trap the fragrance inside the jar.
8
Shake the jar to mix everything up. You may notice small clumps forming from the essential oil. Keep shaking the jar until those clumps disappear. If the clumps don't disappear, then take the lid off and crumble them up with a fork. Be sure to replace the lid when you are done.
9
Use a needle to poke holes into the paper. You can poke the holes randomly, or you can make a design, such as a heart, star, or spiral. The more holes you poke, the better the scent will be able to waft through.
10
Use your air freshener. You can place it in any room you want. You will need to shake the jar every few days. Over time, the essential oil will get weaker, so you will need to add a few more drops when that happens.^{[5]
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- At some point, the baking soda will stop being effective because it will have absorbed all of the bad odors in the room. Plan on replacing it every one to three months.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Making a Spray Air Freshener

1
Gather your supplies. This air freshener closely resembles those fragrant room sprays you might get in a store, except that it does not contain any harmful ingredients. Here's what you will need to make this freshener:^{[6]
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- 8 ounce (240 milliliter) glass spray bottle
- 2 tablespoons vodka, rubbing alcohol, or witch hazel
- ¾ cup (180 milliliters) distilled water
- 15 to 20 drops essential oil blend
2
Pour 2 tablespoons of vodka, rubbing alcohol, or witch hazel into an 8 ounce (240 milliliter) spray bottle. If you cannot find a glass bottle, then use a high quality plastic one. Try to use glass however, as essential oils can eat through most types of plastic.
3
Add 15 to 20 drops of essential oil. You can use all one small, or experiment with different combinations. Here are a few ideas to get you started:^{[7]
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- To make a calming scent, use the following essential oils: 10 drops lavender and 5 to 8 drops chamomile.
- To make an energizing scent, use the following essential oils: 5 drops wild orange, 5 drops lemon, 5 drops lime, and 5 drops grapefruit.
- To made a fresh-smelling spray, use the following essential oils: 5 drops lavender, 5 drops lemon, and 5 drops rosemary.
- To make a refreshing scent, use the following essential oils: 4 drops tea tree oil, 8 drops lemon, and 6 drops eucalyptus.
4
Close the spray bottle and shake it. The vodka, rubbing alcohol, or witch hazel will help dissolve the oil and make it easier to blend with the water. They will also help preserve your spray.
5
Add ¾ cup (180 milliliters) of water to the bottle and shake it again. You might end up using a little bit less water, depending on the shape of your bottle and how much essential oil you used.
6
Use your spray. Whenever you want to freshen up your room, shake the bottle and give the room three to four squirts. The oils will naturally separate over time, so you will need to shake the bottle each time before you use it.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Making a Disinfecting Air Freshener

1
Gather your supplies. This air freshener contains vinegar, so it also doubles up as a disinfectant. Here's a list of what you will need to make one:
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) warm water
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 – 3 drops essential oil
2
Fill a spray bottle with ½ cup (120 milliliters) of warm water. Try to use a spray bottle made out of glass, as essential oils may eat away at certain types of plastic.
3
Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and shake the bottle to mix. Be sure to close the bottle first.
4
Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Avoid using red whine or apple cider vinegar, or you may risk staining fabric and furniture.
5
Add 2 to 3 drops of essential oil. You can use more essential oil if you want a stronger scent. Keep in mind that the vinegar smell will go away once the spray dries.
6
Close the bottle and shake it to mix everything together. Vinegar may not smell pretty at first, but it helps deodorize other things. The smell also goes away once it dries.
7
Use the air freshener. You can use it on anything that smells funky in your room. The baking soda will help deodorize it, while the vinegar will help kill and odor-causing bacteria. Once the spray dries, the lovely scent of the essential oil you used will be left behind.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Making a Mason Jar Air Freshener

1
Choose the ingredients for your fragrance. The best things to use for this sort of air freshener are expired spices, fragrant herbs fresh from the garden, and left-over citrus from your last cooking or baking project. Listed below are some combination ideas to get you started. It is enough to fill one pot or a 2 pint (0.95 liter) mason jar. If you are using a small container, use less of the items listed. Here are some combinations to give you some ideas:^{[8]
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- To create a scent perfect for winter or fall, combine 1 sliced orange, 1 to 2 cinnamon sticks, ½ tablespoon of whole cloves, ½ tablespoon of whole allspice. For a final touch, consider adding 1 anise star.
- If you like something that is fresh and sweet at the same time, try 2 sliced lemons, 3 sprigs of rosemary, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Another fresh and sweet combination is three to four sprigs of thyme, ½ teaspoon of mint extract, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and 3 sliced limes.
- To create a forest-y, winter-y scent, combine a handful of pine needles, 4 bay leaves, and 1 whole nutmeg. Be sure to grate the outer layer of the nutmeg; this will help it release its scent.
2
Place your ingredients into a pot and cover them with water. You don't want to fill the pot with water. The water level should not come past the top of your ingredients.
3
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. This will heat up the ingredients, and give off a pleasant scent. You can continue simmering the ingredients in your pot, or you can transfer the ingredients to another heat source. Here are some ideas to get you started:^{[9]
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- Transfer the ingredients into a crock pot. Turn the crock pot on, and leave it uncovered so that the ingredients can release their pleasant scent. This will be a little more subtle than simmering on the stove.
- Transfer the ingredients into a fondue pot. Keep in mind that if your fondue pot uses candles, you will need to keep an eye on the candles. The candles will usually burn for 3 ½ to 4 hours.
- You can also transfer the ingredients into a jar, mug, or small bowl, and place it on top of a mug warmer, a candle warmer, or a tea pot warmer.
4
Let the water simmer to give the room a nice fragrance. As the water continues to heat, the ingredients you used will give off a pleasant smell. If the smell it strong enough, it may even go into other rooms as well. Do not leave your air freshener unattended however!
5
Add more hot water to the ingredients when the water level gets too low. As the water continues to heat, it will evaporate, and the water level will drop. If it drops too low, your ingredients will scorch. You also want to use hot water when you refill so that you don't lower the temperature.
6
Never leave your air freshener unattended. If you need to leave the house, turn your stove, crock pot, or warmers off, and extinguish any candles that you are using. Transfer the ingredients into a jar, and place the jar into the refrigerator.
7
Use the air freshener within two to three days. Keep it in a jar in the fridge whenever you are not using it. If the water starts to get murky, consider adding a few slices of citrus or a sprig of whatever herb you were using.^{[10]
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Community Q&A

Question

Can I use white vinegar to deodorize?

Community Answer

Yes, of course, because it has the same properties as regular vinegar. It will work the same by deodorizing and disinfecting.

Warnings

Never leave your stove, crock pot, mug/candle warmer unattended. Never leave any burning candles unattended.

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