The Many Types and Options  - A Few Examples

The most familiar car air fresheners are hanging cardboard.   Great for the quick fix and cover-up these air fresheners do nothing to eliminate lingering odors that come from the carpet or under the seat, the areas in your vehicle where stains and spills are the most likely to occur.  For carpet or under seat applications, non-hanging paper air fresheners tossed under your seat at the car wash work well for a few days but then fade quickly making a longer-lasting scented gel the better option to treat these problem areas.   Aerosol sprays offer a quick cover-up, but leave a residue if used frequently and you will need to use an aerosol spray frequently to maintain a fresh scent.   For longer-lasting fragrance experience, a scented oil wick or diffuser would be a better alternative.

While the area to be freshened and the type of air freshener are key factors in choosing an air freshener, aesthetics are another important consideration. Here are a few things to think about:   

Do I want an air freshener to be noticeable, for example hanging from the rearview mirror?   What does an air freshener hanging for all to see say about me to people getting in my car?

Or would, I prefer an air freshener that blends in with the design of your dash or vehicle’s interior?

Or is an air freshener that is discrete or hidden from view more what I like?

How Much Scent Is Too Much?

Ever been in a car that had an overpowering freshener scent?  Hanging cardboard, paper and aerosol air fresheners give you no control over how much scent is released into the air. A too strong floral or citrus smell could be worse that the odor you are trying to eliminate. Air fresheners with scent control allow you to set the optimal level of freshening or the perfect blend of scents in a multi-scent freshener.    

How Long Will It Last?

In the end, it all comes down to cost. While paper and cardboard fresheners  may be cheaper to buy, are they really cheaper when you have to buy several to do the job one long-lasting air freshener can do?

To help you figure this all out, we have created our product finder tool.  A simple to use tool that uses your answers to key air freshener personality questions to help you pinpoint the perfect car air freshener type for your freshening need and application.  Once you have chosen an air freshener type, use our scent personality survey to discover personalized fragrance recommendations based on your responses to eight lifestyle and personal preference questions.  Using both tools makes it easier to pick the best car air freshener for your vehicle.