Bad smells in your vehicle can be more than a little embarrassing.
Whether you’re packing pets, kids or groceries, at some point in time you’re going to sniff the air and wonder who left what to fester under a back seat.
It happens to us all, and it’s not what you need. Bad smells can even affect your mood.
You can vacuum, scrub and spray your way to a cleaner car, but at times the best thing for a quick fix and to maintain a reliable and pleasant welcome every time you drive is simply to get a car air freshener.
Which is the best car freshener? Which is the longest lasting car air freshener? Can you get a custom car air freshener?
These are all great questions that you may have when going out to purchase your air freshener.
Read on for the 10 best products on the market so you can avoid that nasty nasal punch next time you climb into your vehicle.
10 Best Car Freshener On The Market Today
|
Image |
Model |
Type of Freshener |
Scent |
Price |
Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Purifying Bag |
Fragrance Free |
$$ |
||
 |
Spray |
New Car Smell |
$$ |
||
 |
Cartridges |
Squash Scent |
$$ |
||
 |
Gel |
Original |
$ |
||
 |
Vent Clips |
Linen and Sky |
$$$ |
||
 |
Ionizer |
Earth Air |
$$$$ |
||
 |
Hanging Trees |
Brisk |
$$$$ |
||
 |
Spray |
Leather Scent |
$$$$ |
||
 |
Diffuser |
Essential Oils |
$$$ |
||
 |
Wafers |
New Car Smell |
$$ |
There’s a dizzying array of products on the market and it may be hard to decide which the best car freshener is for you and your family.
Let’s take a minute and explore your options. Since there are so many, we’ve tried to break them down into several of the most common categories.
Some of them are tried and tested; you’ve more than likely seen them around for decades.
Others are more modern products that rely on newer technology. Check them out!
Types Of Air Fresheners
Natural Absorbent Purifiers
Natural air purifiers are a type of air freshener that pulls the bad odours and absorbs them into some type of porous product, like charcoal.
The vast majority of these types of fresheners emit no smell themselves. You’re left with just cleaner, better smelling air around you.
They’re toxin free, so those who want to avoid using chemicals should look at this type of freshener.
Another bonus is that these types typically also absorb extra moisture from the air, which can help keep down mildew and bacteria; both of which can be the cause of a bad smell in the first place.
Air Freshener Sprays
Spray air freshener come in a variety of scents like vanilla or even “new car” so that your vehicle can smell as if you’ve just driven it off the lot!
You’ve most likely used this type of freshener in your home or office but it works just as well in your car or truck.
If your spray is concentrated, you can mix it with water into a new spray bottle and it’ll last for a very long time.
The delightful scent from the spray itself can last for days or even a couple of weeks before needing to be refreshed with another spritz or two.
Since the spray can be directed at whatever you like, you can spray your floor mats, seats, roof, or whatever you feel needs a direct hit of freshener.
You could easily use this type of deodorizer on your trunk once all of the smelly hockey equipment has been removed!
Gel Odour Eliminators
Generally, a gel odour eliminator not only absorbs bad smells into the gel, but it also emits a nicer smell.
The gel comes in a small container of some type, and a few products actually include a double sided sticky pad so you can stick it to your dash and it won’t slide around as you drive.
Some people prefer to tuck the jar underneath their seat and it works well like that too.
You can somewhat control the amount of scent being released just by twisting the top of the jar so that the holes aren’t entirely exposed, but only half or a quarter of the way open.
Vent Clip Air Fresheners
These little vent clips are pretty common and you’ve probably seen or even used a few of them.
They last anywhere from about 2 weeks to a month, depending on how far open you’ve got them (some are adjustable in a similar way to the gel fresheners) and how much air you use to blow through them.
They usually come in a pack of 3 or 4 and you just replace them as needed by clipping them into the vent on your dashboard.
The vent clips come in a variety of scents and I’ve seen them in some pretty interesting and fun shapes and sizes as well.
Brands
Just like anything else you buy, you’re probably partial to a particular brand depending on what you’ve used and found to work best (or what your parents used and what you grew up with).
Febreze is a well-recognized household name and you’ll be familiar with their air fresheners.
You’ve probably also heard of Chemical Guys, but Moso Natural or Ozium might be new brands for you and both are worthy of your attention for different reasons.
Read on for the best smelling car air fresheners available!
Air Purifying Bag by Moso Natural
If you’re looking for a chemical and toxin free way to neutralize odours in your vehicle, look no further than Moso Natural’s Air Purifying Bag.
This little bag can be tucked anywhere in your vehicle and is safe to use on all surfaces, making it convenient to tuck away or even leave on the dash.
The bag contains bamboo charcoal that helps not only to absorb odours but also moisture in the air, which helps to eliminate odour causing bacteria in the first place.
One bag will last about 2 years; to rejuvenate it all you have to do is leave the bag in the sun once a month for an hour or so.
New Car Smell Air Freshener by Chemical Guys
We’ve probably all used this type of air freshener in some way, shape or form.
Most commonly used in household sprays, this type of freshener lends itself well to vehicles too.
Chemical Guys have offered up a great product with superior perfume quality so that you only have to spray once every 2 weeks for a consistent and pleasant vehicle interior.
The 16oz bottle is full of highly concentrated liquid, meaning once you’ve mixed a few tablespoons with water, it goes a long way.
One spray will eliminate odours and keep that fresh scent going in a full sized vehicle.
CS-X3 Squash Scent Air Freshener by Air Spencer
The Squash Scent air freshener by Air Spencer is a sleek looking little box that can be kept on your dashboard or tucked anywhere inside your car.
Each one lasts up to 4 weeks, meaning you can go for quite some time before replacing the refill cartridges.
Customers note that the scent is strongest the first day, and subsides over the month to a pleasant, mildly sweet scent that perfumes the space perfectly.
The case has vents that are easily adjustable, letting you decide how much or how little of the scent you’d like in the air.
The case has a great modern, sleek look!
Ozium Smoke & Odours Eliminator Gel by Auto Expressions
If you’re a smoker and trying to eliminate the awful smell associated with cigarettes, the Ozium Smoke & Odours Eliminator Gel by Auto Expressions deserves your attention.
Even if you’re not a smoker, this is a great product to not only absorb bad smells in your vehicle, but to emit a soft scent of its own that is subtle and refreshing.
The top of the jar allows for a simple twist to adjust how much or how little scent you’d like released into the air, and it can be tucked under your seat or set conveniently in the console.
It’s also the perfect size to sit right in your cup holder.
This is one of the longest lasting air fresheners, needing replacing only every two months or so.
Car Vent-Clip Air Fresheners by Febreze
Surely you’ve heard of, seen or used one of these types of car fresheners before, but you may not have had the opportunity to experience a Febreze vent clip.
These handy little scent pods take up very little room, as they attach directly to your vent with built in clips, leaving you with a couple of weeks of a lovely scent, depending on your preference.
These go to work immediately out of the package, just clip on and turn the air up.
Your vehicle will fill with the scent of your choice. I love the fact that, because they need replacement every couple of weeks, you can easily and cheaply try out all of the scents until you find one you love.
The Next Best Thing
If even with all of the great products we’ve listed so far you just haven’t found the ideal choice for you and your car, keep reading!
We’ve reviewed another five of the best car fresheners to give you some extra options/ Take a look at the list below.
Car Ionizer Purifier Freshener by Earth Air
This perfect little air purifier is easy to use; just plug it into either your cigarette lighter or another power port.
It’s certainly one of the best car deodorizers you can use if you’re looking for something simple to use that’s both fast and effective.
It will immediately go to work to eliminate cigarette smoke, other bad smells, and clear the air of viruses, bacteria and more!
Little-Trees Black Ice 24 Pack by Car Freshner
If you haven’t yet come across this type of air freshener, you must have been living under a rock!
These little babies have been hanging on rear view mirrors and bringing a whole variety of wonderful smells to vehicles for generations.
A tried and tested freshener that won’t break the bank.
Leather Scent Air Freshener by Chemical Guys
The Chemical Guys have hit another home run, this time with a spray that smells like genuine leather.
This is a great car fragrance for guys!
Same concentrated recipe, same easy application.
Eliminate odours and enjoy the great line up of scents this company keeps coming up with!
Aromatherapy Car Diffuser by Living BeAtitudes
You’ve no doubt used essential oils in your home.
Their benefits have been recognized and they’re definitely more widely used than ever.
Why limit their use to your house when you could enjoy the same products in your vehicle too?
Living BeAtitudes has the best air freshener for your car with the use of your oils.
A few drops of your favourite oil into the diffuser, plug it into your cigarette lighter, and you’re in business!
Nu Car Fragrance by Wonder Wafers
The thinnest and most discreet car air freshener I’ve seen; the Wonder Wafers are individually wrapped to protect them before use.
You simply open a package and place it wherever you like; they’ll go under your seat but are so light and thin you could even slip one behind your visor.
They’re the best car freshener for those without a lot of space!
There You Have It…
The best car air freshener is an individual choice, but if you’re looking for the very best car fragrance, we’re confident that you’re going to find it in one of the products we’ve listed.
You can opt to try a few, or stick with a single one if you’ve found your perfect match.
One thing is for certain, for achieving the best car scent it helps to use a product that will make your environment smell clean without being overpowering.
