The Best Air Fresheners for Ridding Unwanted Odors Once and for All

Best Overall

Pura 4 Smart Fragrance Diffuser

$50 at Nordstrom View on Pura.com $50 at Ulta

The appeal of the Pura 4 is that it’s a smart plug-in air freshener that you control with an app. The set comes with a sleek diffuser and two fragrances of your choice, and you can set a custom schedule and adjust scent intensity right from your phone. The diffuser even integrates with Amazon Alexa and Google, so you can turn it on and off with your voice. 

We liked that we could load two scents in the diffuser and then choose the one we wanted. There are lots to choose from, including Pura’s signature scents as well as other fragrances made in collaboration with popular brands such as Kenneth Cole, NEST, and Anthropologie. They’re non-toxic and contain no parabens or phthalates. Each vial lasts up to 120 hours. 

Those who like technology and convenience in an air freshener will enjoy using the Pura 4. While it might not be a first choice for those who just want something simple, it was hard for us to find something that we didn’t like about it. Even if you’re not tech savvy, this air freshener is easy to put together and use. 

Type: Smart plug-in | Lifespan: 30 days

Best Eco Friendly

Enviroscent Plug Hub Starter Kit

$11 at Amazon $10 at Thrive Market View on Grove.co

Made from essential oils, the Enviroscent Plug Hub Starter Kit is a good option for those who are sensitive to scents—it uses no artificial ingredients and is designed to deal with odors in medium-sized spaces. The scent is quite subtle, but you’ll smell it more the closer you get to it. It works in smaller rooms, too; it’ll just give off a slightly more intense fragrance.

We could tell that the ingredients for the air freshener were clean because we never got a headache from them. There are eight natural scents available, with zen names including rainwater and bamboo, and lemon leaf and thyme, each of which is designated safe for both people and pets. It’s also liquidless, so there is no risk of leaks or spills.

Aside from the plug-in being a little flimsy, we thought its fragrance was really nice and a good choice to use regularly. Each plug-in comes with a refillable hub and a liquid-free refill. It lasted 45 days, which is comparable to other air freshener brands. That said, we enjoyed it so much that we wished it lasted longer.  

Type: Plug-in | Lifespan: 45 days

Best Spray

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Room Refresher Spray

$12 at Amazon $6 at Target $10 at Walmart

The Mrs. Meyer’s room spray offers a quick burst of fragrance and no harsh chemicals. It is an ideal air freshener to follow up with after a deep cleaning session at home or before hosting an event. It features a simple, water-based formula made with natural essential oils, so it’s a safe option to spray around the house. It has zero parabens, phthalates, and propellants. Best yet, we found that it had a fresh smell that lasted a long time without being overpowering.

The bottle is cute with an ergonomic, curvy nozzle that makes it easy to press and dispense the spray. It comes in a range of calming scents such as lavender and rose, and other sweet fragrances such as peony, daisy, and mint. You can also use it as a linen spray on beddings and other upholstery, which we felt comfortable doing since we didn’t have to worry about chemical residue. We noticed that the spray bottle is pretty small at 8 ounces, which simply means you’ll be replacing it often if you become a fan.

Type: Spray | Lifespan: 100 sprays

Best for the Kitchen

Fresh Wave Odor Removing Gel

Orig. $30 $25 at Amazon $18 at Walmart $26 at Ace Hardware

Unlike room sprays and plug-ins that mask odors, the Fresh Wave Odor Removing Gel features odor-absorbing gel chunks that bind to odor-causing molecules before neutralizing them so they no longer smell. It comes in a 15-ounce plastic container that lasts around one to two months, depending on room ventilation and how strong the odors are. Refills can be bought separately.   

During our tests, we placed it in our kitchen to see how well it would absorb cooking smells in our apartment. While it didn’t work instantly, it did a pretty good job of reducing the smell. The gel itself does smell really good, but you can’t really smell it unless you’re right next to it. The gentle “original” formula features natural plant oils such as lime, pine needles, clove, anise, and cedarwood.

It comes in two other scents including lavender and lemon, and it also comes unscented. It’s safe to use around the home, as it has a Safer Choice certification from the EPA and contains no harmful parabens, sulfates, phthalates, or artificial fragrances. Generally, the product is handy to keep a closet, kitchen, or bathroom smelling fresh, but we would have preferred if the scent were a little stronger.

Type: Gel | Lifespan: 30 to 60 days

Best for the Bathroom

Clear Air Odor Neutralizing Gel Beads

$18 at Amazon

We liked that we didn’t have to do anything special with these odor gel beads other than open the jar and place it in areas that needed freshening up. We left it in our bathroom, where it effectively removed stinky odors and made it smell good for weeks. That said, we thought the scent could have been a tad stronger. (That said, this makes it a good alternative for anyone sensitive to strong scents.)

The 12-ounce jar lasts for up to 90 days in a 450-square-foot space, which is perfect if you don’t want to buy refills all the time. It is formulated with essential oils and other plant-derived ingredients, so it’s safe to have around kids and pets. Just be aware that it won’t get rid of odors right away and will take a few minutes for the scent to kick in. For those looking for a round-the-clock solution, it’s a really good pick.

Type: Gel | Lifespan: 90 days

Best Toilet Spray

Poo-Pourri Before-You-Go Toilet Spray

$15 at Amazon $10 at Target $10 at Walmart

Air fresheners work by removing or masking odors that are already there, but the Poo-Pourri Before You Go Toilet Spray prevents odors from being released in the first place. With this product, no one needs to know that you had to go, because its essential oil blend completely removes stinky poo smells. You have to spray it in the toilet bowl first for it to work—about three to five sprays. The spray then creates a film inside the toilet bowl that blocks the smell from your toilet bowl from escaping, leaving behind a sweet floral scent as you exit.

The natural, phthalate- and paraben-free formula is available in sizes ranging from 0.34 to 16 ounces. It’s also concentrated, so a little goes a long way (a 4-ounce bottle will last about 50 uses). Feel free to use it outside of the bathroom, too: It works well in areas that harbor strong smells, like around kitchen trash cans or laundry rooms. Best of all, most bottle sizes are small enough to stash in your handbag. It’s available in assorted signature scents including tropical hibiscus, lavender vanilla, and a blend of citrus and cedarwood. While it is potent, some say the bottle can be leaky.

Type: Spray | Lifespan: 50 to 200 sprays

Best for Closets

Vergali Bamboo Charcoal Odor Absorber Bags

Orig. $30 $20 at Amazon

If you’re looking for an easy-to-use, unscented air freshener, we recommend skipping the sprays and plug-ins and opt for an activated bamboo charcoal bag. The Vergali Activated Charcoal Odor Absorber comes in a set of 10 bamboo charcoal bags to place anywhere in your home where you need to eliminate musty odors. These bags are actually mini air purifiers that remove toxins from the environment for just a fraction of the cost of other items on this list. (They work out to around $2 per bag.)

Because they are small, we found them to be more effective in tighter spaces like closets rather than larger areas where they won’t make much of a difference. Use these bags in laundry baskets and inside shoes, or hang them up on the included hooks. The bags are non-toxic and fragrance free, so they’re a good pick for those who are sensitive or allergic to smells. We like that they have a rugged, double-layered design which, makes it hard to get damaged easily.

You can reuse these bags as many times as you want because they’re rechargeable. Just put them in the sun for two hours each month to get rid of moisture and odors. Just note that the bags are unscented, so while they will block odors, they won’t make your closet smell good.

Type: Activated Charcoal Bag | Lifespan: 2 years, recharged monthly

Best for Vents

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Scent Sachet

$22 at Amazon $5 at Target

If you want to have a pleasant yet subtle scent piping through your home, an easy yet ingenious way to do that is to add potpourri sachets to your air conditioning or heater vents. The Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Scent Sachets are made from natural ingredients including a fresh blend of dried herbs and flowers and repurposed wood, so they are completely biodegradable. It also contains no phthalates or other toxic chemicals. 

These scent satchels last for 60 days, and in addition to vents, you can use them in your car, gym bag, locker, closet, or just about any area you want to freshen up. Available as a single pack or box of three, the sachet comes in four flowery scents including basil, geranium, lavender, honeysuckle, and lemon verbena.

Type: Sachet | Lifespan: 60 days

Best for Cars

Febreze Unstoppables Car Odor-Fighting Car Freshener

$7 at Target View on Walmart

This clip-on air freshener from Febreeze goes right on your air vent to keep your car, truck, or minivan smelling fresh and clean. Not only does it block odors, but it also uses air from the vent to circulate fresh scents around your vehicle. Just use the dial to control how strong you want the scent. There’s only one signature scent available, which we thought smelled like a basket of fresh laundry. It has no phthalates or artificial dyes.

While the scent is supposed to last up to 40 days, this depends entirely on the intensity level you set it to and how much you use it. The scent activates when you click it onto your vent and won’t work just by placing it in a tray or in a glove compartment. As a bonus, “Car air fresheners also work great in your car to help stay alert and focused on your driving,” Pressimone says.

Type: Clip-on | Lifespan: 40 days

Best Oil Diffuser

Asakuki Rock Essential Oil Diffuser

Orig. $37 $29 at Amazon View on Asakuki.com

In addition to making your home smell great, the Asakuki Rock Essential Oil Diffuser (our all-time favorite essential oil diffuser) runs for hours at a time and doubles as a humidifier with its spurts of fine mist. Despite it having a small motor, we had no issues running it at bedtime because it was so quiet that we could hardly tell when it was on in the first place. It has seven LED lights that you can switch around or keep on one fixed color. It’s all controlled by a remote control, and you have to be within 16.5 feet of the diffuser for it to work.

This diffuser is fairly small and has a neutral white color and wooden base that blends perfectly with our dresser. The diffuser also has different modes ranging from a strong to a weak mist. The water tank is not detachable from the unit, which makes it easy to fill without spilling. It runs up to 18 hours at a time on a full tank of water, too, making it the longest-running air freshener on this list. Overall, we were happy with the value we were getting for the price we paid. However, you have to make sure the water tank is filled to keep it going.  

Type: Ultrasonic essential oil diffuser | Lifespan: 18 hours