The 9 Best Car Air Fresheners You Can Buy Online
As memorable as each soccer game or vacation trip may be, you don’t need to remember how they smelled. While cleaning your car is the best defense against odors, car air fresheners can further minimize any lingering smells, or give your call a new scent that you prefer. Choosing a car air freshener is partly a matter of personal preference, but there are many types of vent clips, sachets, sprays, and more to choose from.
To find the best car air fresheners, we researched several options, taking into account factors like scent options, duration, price, and more. We also spoke to Anne Mauler, VP of Marketing at Soapy Joe’s Car Wash, and Ashley Kimble, a professional car detailer and Founder at ABC Detailing for tips on finding the right air freshener for your vehicle.
Azuna Auto Air Freshener & Odor Eliminator Gel at Amazon
$17
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It’s very easy to camouflage, and even when hidden away, the scent is still noticeable.
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Scents of the month are available for a limited time only.
The beauty of the Drift air freshener is its sleek design that can easily blend into the interior of most cars. The warm wood air freshener clips, which are about the size of a credit card, snap onto the visor for a minimalist look. Drift also makes a nearly identical stone air freshener, and a round metal vent clip, should you desire. These natural materials may also appeal to those who want a little less plastic in their lives and in their cars.
It’s not just what’s on the outside that counts, though. Each Drift air freshener can be refilled with one of many phthalate-free scent cartridges. Drift also smells more subtle than several popular car air fresheners (you may love the outdoorsy smell of Teak or the citrus-forward Grove).
If you’re not sure which scent to choose, you can take Drift’s quiz in order to be matched with something that might suit your preferences. Alternatively, you can sign up for the company’s Scent of the Month package, which gives subscribers a limited-edition scent every month. The only downside, is that if you find a scent you really like, you won’t be able to buy that scent again—at least not for a while.
Type: Visor | Scent: Teak, Grove, Amber, Scent of the Month | Duration: 30 days
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Each tree delivers one month of fragrance, for incredible value.
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These hanging air fresheners aren’t very attractive, and can obstruct your view of traffic.
Little Trees hanging air fresheners have been enjoyed by generations of drivers. Their popularity is in no doubt partly due to their low cost, but also the wide variety of available fragrances. Little Trees air fresheners last for up to 30 days, but you have to use them correctly.
While it’s not uncommon to unwrap the cardboard trees before hanging them, it’s better to take them out slowly. A good rule of thumb is to slide the tree out of the plastic one notch (or branch) per week. This allows the air freshener to last longer without overwhelming you all at once.
We should note, however, that in a handful of states, it’s illegal to hang items from the rearview mirror. In some cases, going against the law could result in a traffic stop. So if you’re free and clear to fly these air fresheners, go for it. If not, you can still stow a Little Tree in the console—down low where it can’t block your view of traffic—for a budget boost of fragrance.
Type: Hanging | Scent: Black Ice, Royal Pine, True North, Bayside Breeze, and more | Duration: 30 days
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