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12 Best Air Fresheners for Your Home
Updated on Dec. 02, 2024
We all love a sweet-smelling space, which is why things like the best scented candles, soy candles, the best air purifiers, the best car air fresheners, and homemade air fresheners get us so excited. But finding the best air fresheners for home can be a challenge, since some home fragrance sprays can become overpowering, while others lose their potency far too quickly.
Whether you’re trying to mask pet odor, hide bathroom smells, or you simply want your place to smell like an island paradise, choosing the best air freshener for your home requires some experimenting—and lucky for you, we’ve done all the research for you.
We’ve rounded up the 12 best air fresheners for home based on your needs, from the best home fragrances for bathrooms to the best non-toxic air freshening sprays and more—all you have to do is pick your favorite scent!
Best overall
Febreze Air Freshener Heavy Duty Spray
For the best overall air freshener experience, grab a can of Febreze Air Freshener. It’s powerful enough to eliminate nasty odors—from mustiness to pet smells to smoke coverage and more—without being overly cloying or “fake” smelling. Amazon reviewer Ms. Ann Thrope says, “I work in a small office where we share one restroom. This Febreeze spray has been the office restroom’s saving grace.” Reviewer Nick had a similar office restroom experience, saying, “The scent is very neutral and, best of all, doesn’t leave a floral bouquet trail to let your coworkers know you made a deposit.”
Highlights:
- Fine spray mist
- Works on any type of odor
- Effective without being overpowering
On Sale
Best for pet odors
Better Life Natural Stain & Odor Eliminator
When you’re shopping for the best air freshener for pet odors, look no further than this odor and stain remover from Better Life. Not only is it all-natural and non-toxic so it’s safe for use around your pets and kids, but it’s also an air freshener and stain remover all-in-one, so you can spray away smells without worrying about what it gets on. Amazon reviewer Dora says, “Love that it did not have a lingering scent and got rid of bad cat smell. One spray and it was gone.”
Highlights:
- All-natural/non-toxic
- Works on pet odors
- Fabric-safe
- Doubles as a pet stain remover
On Sale
Best plug in
Febreze Plug in Air Fresheners Warmer and 4 Gain-Scented Oil Refills
Febreze’s plug in oil warmer gets thousands of 5-star reviews on Amazon—but the Gain scent (which comes with the purchase) is a favorite home fragrance. Reviewer Phil says, “I found that the Febreze plug-in unit lasts a lot longer than the competition and continues to work properly refill after refill,” and that “the Gain scent is more refreshing to me because it is stronger.” Another Amazon reviewer, Charlotte, says this is the best air freshener for home, and in fact works a little too well: “This thing is awesome, but definitely not for use in small, unventilated areas. It is POTENT!”
Not a problem for us. Who doesn’t love the smell of a fresh laundry detergent?
Highlights:
- Plug-in
- Long-lasting
- Strong scent
Best for customizing
Aera Smart 3.0 Fragrance Electric Diffuser
It doesn’t get any smarter than this best whole-home air freshener system from Aera you can control via an app on your smartphone. Five-star reviewer Stephanie says, “I have owned diffusers in the past, but none compares to this one. Because I can program this diffuser from my phone to turn on a few minutes before I return home, I don’t feel as if I am wasting product, and the cartridge will last much longer. Also, I can program how much scent to release, so I can create a subtle but noticeable fragrance.” Reviewer Seth says it does a great job keeping the entire house smelling fresh and clean: “I’d buy one for every room if I had to but this little thing covers most of the house.”
Highlights:
- Whole-home coverage
- App-controlled
- Scent level customization
On Sale
Best charcoal option
wyewye Activated Bamboo Charcoal Air Purifying Bags
Activated charcoal works as a strong, natural air freshener, and reviewers say these are the best air fresheners on the market because they’re effective, reusable, and you get 15 bags. Five-star reviewer Meg says they work wonders: “I had a mouse die in the wall of my closet and the charcoal bags virtually eliminated the smell.” Another reviewer says, “The shoe ones worked great in reducing the stinky foot smell in my shoes after just one overnight use. The one by the garbage/diaper pail seems to catch the little odors that sometimes leak out.” That same reviewer said they work well in kitchens too since they’re non-toxic: “Been using these in my kitchen for few days and the cooking smells have been reduced very well too.
Highlights:
- Reusable
- Non-toxic
- Works on any type of smell
On Sale
Best for the bathroom
Air Wick V.I.P. Pre-Poop Toilet Spray
Use this “pre-poop” toilet spray before you go so it can start tackling odors the moment they arise. You spray it directly onto the toilet water before you go, and it’ll trap odors in the bowl. Plus, the bottles are travel-sized, so you can tuck one into your purse or desk drawer to avoid any smelly situations when you’re not at home.
Reviewer Caitlin did just that, saying, “First time I tried this product was at work. The company has a spray for the bathroom, but it can be unbearable and doesn’t always cover the smell completely. I followed the directions and sprayed the bowl, did my business, and flushed. Not only did I not smell a thing, the bathroom smelled like lavender, but not in an overpowering way.”
Highlights:
- Erases bathroom smells
- Traps odors inside the bowl
- Travel-size
Best long-lasting
Caldrea Basil Blue Sage Linen and Room Spray
The best air freshener for a long-lasting scent comes from Caldrea. According to reviewer Thomas, “Unlike other floral or citrus sprays that only last an hour or two…this smells nice for days.” Reviewer Kat says it even works on tough pet odors: “It doesn’t mask your home with this ‘I am supposed to be fresh and clean, but I am layered over horrible smells’ sense. It really does make a difference. We have two dogs and two cats, and we pride ourselves on our home not smelling of animals. This is a great product.”
Highlights:
- Lasts for days, not hours
- Works on pet odors
- 9+ scents (plus additional holiday scents)
Most powerful
Mrs. Meyer's Honeysuckle Room Freshener
If you want a scent that lingers in the background of your whole space, the best air freshener is Mrs. Meyer’s Honeysuckle Room Freshener. This spray is potent without being overpowering. Amazon reviewer Ms. Couvillion says, “All it takes is one spray to deodorize a large room.” Reviewer David says that it doesn’t just cover odors, “It actually seems to remove lingering smells and replaces them with a pleasant scent.” This truly is the best air freshener for home because it works in every room, from the kids’ room to the pet area to the bathroom.
There are some smells in your home you shouldn’t try to cover, though. Don’t ignore these warning smells.
Highlights:
- Good for large spaces
- Non-toxic but effective
- 13+ scents (plus additional seasonal scents)
Best value
Glade Blooming Peony & Cherry Aerosol
For seven hours of freshness and with a price tag of just a few dollars, you can’t beat the value, which is why we think this air freshener for home is the best budget-friendly pick—though you’d never know how cheap it was based on the smell alone. One 5-star reviewer says they love this budget-conscious choice: “The scent is so good. It’s strong enough to mask the odors but not overpowering where it causes anybody discomfort.” Plus, they like that you can pick up an 8-ounce aerosol can of this home fragrance at most major stores: “It’s cheap and available anywhere.”
These affordable decor ideas are another way to freshen up your home on the cheap.
Highlights:
- Affordable
- 24 + scents (plus additional seasonal scents)
- Strong scent
Best automatic option
Glade Cashmere Woods Automatic Spray Refill and Holder Kit
This starter pack is the best automatic air freshener you can get because it’s easy to use and really works, so you can set it and forget it. Reviewer AshKum says, “I love this thing! You can set the timer in the back of the device for how often you would like it to spray. It can be set on a tabletop, etc., and it has a slot on the back for mounting it on the wall if you prefer that.” Plus, it’s really low-maintenance: “It runs off of a couple of batteries, but in my experience they last months to a year because it requires so little power to operate. One can of spray lasts me at least a month, and my house is always smelling fresh.” Another reason this reviewer labels this the best air freshener for home: “The spray diffuses nicely throughout the room, and I like that they have different scented cans you can buy.”
Highlights:
- Automatic
- Battery-operated
- Long-lasting
Best splurge
Vitruvi Terracotta Stone Essential Oil Diffuser
Made of handcrafted porcelain, this sleek and stylish pick is the best essential oil diffuser we’ve seen because of its superior scent distribution—and reviewers who bought this home fragrance diffuser agree! One 5-star reviewer loves the discreet, fashionable design, saying, “It looks like a lovely little vase, not too modern, not too classic.” Reviewer Chuck likes the functionality, saying that “the gentle white light makes a great nightlight” and praising its “3-hour continuous setting AND 7.5-hour intermittent setting.” You can use it with a variety of essential oils and won’t have to worry about setting it and forgetting it since it’ll shut off automatically.
Highlights:
- Attractive design
- Continuous and intermittent scent settings
- Built-in light
- Auto shut-off
Best all-natural option
Fresh Wave Odor Removing Packs
This 6-pack of odor-busting packs is the best all-natural air freshener solution, according to reviewers. Five-star reviewer Patricia says, “This product is the most amazing thing I have found in many years for removing ALL odors.” And you can trust her because she has been “living in humid states for most of my days, and trying everything under the sun to combat that musty, mildew smell you end up with when things stay closed up.”
Plus, these deodorizing packs are made with all-natural ingredients so you don’t have to worry about using these in homes with kids or pets. They also work on diaper pails, as reviewer Sarah found out: “I only have to change the sachet every six to eight weeks…or longer! An absolute necessity if you have a stinky baby!”
Next, find out the secrets of people who always have a clean house.
Highlights:
- Reusable
- Non-toxic
- Works on any type of smell
