Do you want to learn how to make an air freshener without essential oils? It's simple, cheap and fun! Here are some of the best homemade air freshener recipes worth trying now!
I love a fresh-smelling home and am quite obsessed with air fresheners and room sprays. But let's be real: commercial air fresheners aren't exactly safe. My son, who has allergic rhinitis, can't stand the scent of commercial air fresheners and always gets allergies at the first whiff of a store-bought air freshener.
But that's not all. According to studies, air fresheners can impact indoor air quality. Many commercial air fresheners contain volatile organic compounds or VOCs, which are often difficult to smell in the air. However, they can irritate the eyes, throat, and nose and cause headaches and nausea. Imagine you're using a product that's supposed to make your home smell amazing but is also exposing you to tons of health risks at the same time.
Dealing with my son's allergies and sensitivities was the turning point for us. So, we made several lifestyle changes, including switching to all-natural air freshener sprays, and we never looked back!
And believe me, switching to DIY air fresheners was a game-changer! Our home can have that fresh smell without exposing my son to toxic chemicals. I have since stopped perusing the air freshener aisle and started making my DIY room spray that's cheap, safe, and easy to customize.
How do you make air freshener spray?
DIY air fresheners are easy to make. You'll need a spray bottle, natural ingredients, and distilled water. You will need to infuse your natural ingredients for some time before they can be made into DIY air fresheners, but that's the process.
You might find other resources pointing you to homemade air fresheners with essential oils, but this post features homemade air freshener recipes without them. Although I also love the scent of lavender essential oil and cinnamon essential oil, those with sensitivities to fragrance may need to make their air fresheners without essential oils; it’s a much better alternative.
How can I add a scent without essential oils?
It's common, convenient even, for most of us to rely on essential oils in adding a nice fresh scent to DIY air freshener sprays. I like the fresh scent of lemon essential oil and the calming aroma of eucalyptus essential oil. Essential oils are infused with rubbing alcohol, but some recipes use witch hazel, vanilla extract, or distilled water as the base.
Also, if you don't want to use essential oil, you can add these natural ingredients to your air freshener, which are natural alternatives free from harsh chemicals.
- Citrus peels: If you're looking for the perfect grapefruit or lime essential oil alternative, consider infusing citrus peels. Peels from oranges, mandarins, and grapefruits are excellent sources of fresh and zesty scents. You can also
- Cinnamon sticks: A great way to achieve the sweet and spicy scent of cinnamon essential oil is to simmer cinnamon sticks in water. This scent is perfect for giving your home a festive holiday aroma.
- Pure vanilla extract: Add a few drops of vanilla extract to your air freshener recipe to achieve a sweet and comforting aroma. One thing I love about vanilla extract is that it easily pairs well with other scents.
- Pinecones: If you're looking for a woody scent, you can never go wrong with pinecones. Putting pinecones in a bowl and placing them in various places in your home helps give the natural air a refreshing scent. For an extra deodorizing boost, sprinkle them lightly with baking soda.
- Dried rosemary: You can skip rosemary essential oil and use dried rosemary instead to give your home a pleasant fragrance. You can add dried rosemary into simmer pots or crush them lightly to release their fragrance.
- Eucalyptus leaves: If you love the fresh and invigorating scent of Eucalyptus essential oil, you could use Eucalyptus leaves to give your home relaxing and cozy vibes. You can simply hang them inside your home to make it smell amazing.
Best DIY Air Freshener Spray Recipes
How would you like to make your own room spray or homemade air fresheners without artificial fragrances and toxic chemicals? Sure, you can! With a few basic ingredients, tools, and the willingness to explore and customize, you make homemade air fresheners without artificial fragrances and toxic ingredients.
Here are my favorite homemade air freshener recipes:
1. Autumn-scented simmer pot
Make your home smell like fall with this autumn-scented simmer pot recipe. In this recipe, you'll need:
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup vodka
- cup up rinds from a small sugar pumpkin
- a few pieces of cinnamon sticks
- chopped up apples
- 2 cups of water
Procedure:
Combine all the ingredients (except baking soda and vodka) in a small saucepan and simmer for 2-3 hours. Let cool before transferring and straining the liquid. Add baking soda and vodka and transfer the mixture into a spray bottle. Use this homemade air freshener to give your home a wonderful fall aroma! If you want it to smell like Christmas, add oranges and spices to the simmering pot.
2. Fresh flowers and cinnamon air freshener spray
The scent of fresh flowers and cinnamon is a refreshing and sweet combination. And making this DIY room spray is extremely easy to do, too. You'll need:
- 2 cups fresh petals of your favorite flowers
- 1 cup of sliced oranges
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- distilled water
Procedure:
Measure enough distilled water to fill your spray bottle and pour it into a pan. Add the fresh flower petals, cinnamon, and sliced oranges. Let the mixture simmer for at least two hours. Once cooled, strain the solids and transfer the liquid into a spray bottle. Spritz the DIY room spray all over your home to enjoy its scent.
3. Minty Fresh Spritz
Enjoy the refreshing and invigorating all-natural scent of mint inside your home using this simple air freshener spray recipe.
- 2 cups distilled water
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
Procedure:
Pour distilled water into a pan and add in your fresh mint leaves. Let the mixture simmer for at least two hours, and then let it cool. Strain the leaves and transfer the liquid into a spray bottle.
4. Chamomile-Lavender Mist
Both chamomile and lavender are excellent natural ingredients for evoking a relaxing and calming ambiance inside your home. This DIY room spray is perfect for winding down after a busy day or while meditating.
- 1 cup cooled chamomile tea
- Lavender sprigs
Procedure:
Brew chamomile tea and let it cool. Transfer chamomile tea into a spray bottle and add a couple of lavender sprigs. Give the bottle a good shake before properly infusing the scents. Spritz on linen and curtains all over your living spaces.
5. Herb Garden Spray
This wonderful recipe does the trick if you want to bring your garden indoors! This extremely easy, non-toxic spray uses herbs and none of the harmful chemicals found in commercial air fresheners.
- herbs (rosemary, thyme and/or mint)
- 2 cups distilled water
Procedure:
Gather the herbs and wash them to remove all debris. Pour distilled water into a pot and add your herbs. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for at least two hours. Let cool. Strain the mixture to remove the herbs, leaving you with an herb-infused liquid. Transfer the liquid to a clean glass spray bottle and use it as your usual air freshener.
6. Rosemary-Lemon Spritz
With their woodsy and lemony aroma, you’ll love the rosemary-lemon spritz when you need to invigorate your home. This natural air freshener gives your home a clean, refreshing, and uplifting scent, perfect for when you need a home reset or to perk you up when feeling down.
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- Lemon zest
- 1 cup distilled water
Procedure:
Peel one organic lemon and put the peels in a saucepan. Add 3-4 rosemary sprigs and pour one cup of distilled water. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Let the mixture cool at room temperature. Remove the lemon peels and rosemary sprigs and transfer the liquid into a spray bottle. Shake before using.
Where to use natural air freshener sprays
These homemade air freshener spray recipes can be used all over the home, whether you need to deodorize that fishy smell in your kitchen or give your sofa and cushions a wonderful scent. In my case, I usually spray the air freshener all over our living room, the couch, curtains, and carpets. I also love using my favorite natural air freshener spray inside the bathroom and our bedrooms and even spritz all over our towels and linens.
If you have pets, you can use these DIY room sprays to neutralize pet odors. Works great on our gym bags and in the shoe closet.
Other ways to freshen the home without essential oils
Most people think they need essential oils to create nice-smelling homemade air fresheners. Pure essential oils are great because they're safe, and I'll choose natural air freshener sprays anytime over synthetic air fresheners. But, if you want a different and more natural approach, you can infuse your homemade air fresheners with your favorite scents from scratch.
Apart from the homemade air freshener mentioned above, here are other ways to freshen your home without essential oils:
- Use fresh flowers. Freshly cut flowers placed in a vase will boost your home's beauty and give it a beautiful, subtle scent.
- Place houseplants inside the house. Certain houseplants can clean indoor air and act as natural purifiers. Some of the best houseplants to put inside your home are spider plants, philodendrons, peace lily, and bromeliads.
- Herb bundles. Place together herbs like sage, thyme, and rosemary in bundles and hang them in areas of your home that you want to freshen up.
- Coffee grounds. Place discarded coffee grounds inside your fridge, pet areas, and trash bins to neutralize foul smells.
Homemade air fresheners: Tips & Tricks
- Always use a clean spray bottle. If you're reusing a spray bottle, clean and sterilize it well, as contaminants and residues can alter your DIY air freshener's scent, effectiveness, and shelf life.
- Proper storage. Do not place your DIY room sprays within kids' and pets' reach. Keeping them in a cool, dark place is best to extend their shelf life.
- Do a patch test of fabrics. Spray in a small and inconspicuous area of fabrics to ensure they don't stain.
- Refresh regularly. Since a homemade room freshener does not contain additives and preservatives, it won't last as long as store-bought air fresheners. Label your spray bottles with the correct dates to determine when to create a new batch.
- Keep them away from the flame. This is especially true if you've used alcohol as a base for air fresheners. Alcohol, even when mixed or infused with other ingredients, can catch fire.
- Do not use tap water. Tap water may contain mineral deposits, chlorine, and other additives that leave water spots and encourage mold growth. Distilled water is purer, making it an ideal base for a DIY air freshener.
Key Takeaways
Are you ready to ditch commercial air fresheners and make homemade room sprays instead? I'm so happy you've made that choice because I'm glad I did! Natural air fresheners are safer because you know what you use in them. There are no toxic ingredients, harmful chemicals, or other stuff that can cause sensitivities.
I also like to customize them according to the season, available ingredients, and even my mood. Imagine reaching out to a lavender mist when I need to relax or giving our bathroom an instant flowery scent whenever I feel like it. If you grow herbs and flowers in your garden, this is one fantastic way to put them to good use!
So there you have it: the best homemade air freshener recipes that are fun, cheap, and safe! Get ready to impress your guests with a remarkably nice-smelling home with air fresheners you've made yourself!
