We Tested Dozens of Air Fresheners to Find the Best Ones for Your Home (2024)

Plug-ins can’t be beat for non-stop freshening. In our GH Cleaning Lab tests, we found that when set to “low,” the scent was very pleasant and noticeable — even in large spaces — for a full 50 days. Febreze’s Fade Defy Plug, a GH Seal star, uses two compatible alternating scents so that once your nose begins to get used to one and you stop smelling it, the other kicks in. This way, you’re always detecting a whiff of scent to remind you that it’s working. Switching between the two oils keeps the wicks from clogging too, which is another reason some plug-ins stop working before the oil is used up.

Even more innovative, this $6 air freshener digitally monitors and controls the oil warmer for a more even and consistent release of the scent. No longer will you get a strong burst only to have it fade quickly away. Other features we liked include the adjustable scent level (though even on "low" it may be a bit strong for small spaces) and the light alert for when a new refill is needed.

Another GH Seal star, this inexpensive air freshening spray doesn’t just cover up smells, but actually neutralizes and eliminates them by encapsulating and deactivating odor molecules in the air while adding a burst of fragrance. That's a lot of bang for the buck.

We first tested Febreze many years ago in our GH Cleaning Lab and it continues to perform well in our tests. It gets rid of strong smoke and cooking odors quickly, even in our large Good Housekeeping test kitchens. Pet owners — even those with cats and litter boxes to contend with — who tested this at home reported that it eliminated the dank smell in their living areas where pets hang out. However, the scent may not last long enough for some.

The trigger spray nozzle is comfortable to hold, and it uses nitrogen to propel a fine mist from the can. Safety note: Be sure to wipe up any overspray that falls onto bare floor surfaces. It can make them slippery. If Linen & Sky, isn't for you, it's available in several other scents.

Febreze has some of the most inexpensive, hardworking air fresheners out there, and the newest entry from the brand specifically targets kitchen odors and imparts a fresh lemon scent that's long-lasting. In our GH Cleaning Lab tests, it removed the lingering smells of fish and bacon so well that even after our testers left home and returned, the offensive odors were a distant memory. “All odors, even wet dog, were successfully eliminated when using this product,” one tester said.

Its ability to obliterate garbage can odors even helped it win a past . When sprayed into a stinky trash can, odors dissipated almost instantly, thanks to its lemon scent. Plus, this product states that this air freshener contains double the amount of odor-fighting chemicals compared to the basic Febreze, such as the Febreze Air Linen & Sky spray. Like with all sprays, be aware that when the spray hits the floor, it can make it slippery. Opt for the money-saving pack of three or try it out by purchasing just one can of this air freshener spray.

Don't let its size or inexpensive price fool you — this cheap little air freshener does things we've never seen before from a plug-in, and for under $6. Glade's Plug-ins Plus saves energy and extends the life of its fragrance with its unique rest or sleep cycle. Simply set the device to stop emitting scent for eight hours when everyone is sleeping or if you'll be away for the day. It also has an indicator light when the oil level is at 30%, so you know it’ll soon be time for a refill. When it does run out, the auto shut-off feature kicks in, so there’s no wasted electricity. Why didn't someone think of this sooner?

In our Lab tests, its great performance and innovative features wowed us. The scent it emitted was pleasing and noticeable, though a bit robust at first, and the rest cycle was easy to set and change. We found the plastic refills lighter to handle than glass ones and think the auto-off feature is a very smart safety innovation. We stressed it in our testing by setting it to run continuously on the highest scent intensity and still got over 30 days of performance out of it. Dial it down and set the rest cycle and it'll last even longer. The one downside was that some reviewers said its light was too bright in a bedroom at night.

Fresh Wave’s odor eliminator comes in the form of a gel that evaporates over time as it nixes airborne odors. Simply peel off the seal on the jar and screw the vented lid back in place. Set it on a counter, tabletop or shelf to continuously deodorize spaces up to 200 square feet. Fresh Wave’s line of deodorizers have worked well in GH tests, and we’ve found this gel to be a convenient and effective way to eliminate odors in confined spaces, for instance, burned popcorn in a microwave where you wouldn’t use traditional sprays or other methods.

Fresh Wave Gel is plant-based and claims to be safe for people, pets and the planet with no synthetic perfumes, alcohol or phthalates. It is EPA Safer Choice certified too, meaning the product contains chemical ingredients that are generally recognized as safer. Multiple reviewers were wowed at its ability to eliminate odors from their house full of dogs or cats and said that it doesn’t just mask the odor, but actually gets rid of it. When the gel disappears, the jars are refillable. The gel evaporates slowly, so you won't likely notice immediate results and larger spaces may need multiple jars.

Luxurious and versatile, this spray can be used to add a rich, inviting fragrance to your home, car or linens. Caldrea is known for its creative mix of unique essential oils that produce fragrances with depth and pampering qualities. We especially like spraying it on clean bed linens when making up the bed. Trust us, you'll feel like you’re in a 5-star hotel when you slip between the sheets. It can even be sprayed on linens as you iron.

The spray is a Lab and consumer favorite and was a past Good Housekeeping Cleaning Award winner. With over 1,700 reviews on Amazon and score of 4.3 stars, shoppers praise it for its light scent that’s refreshing but not overpowering. Caldrea is more about imparting a light, fresh scent than it is tackling tough odors, so persistent smells may need a second application.

Poo-Pourri works by creating a barrier on the toilet water’s surface to trap odors and keep them from reaching the air. All you do is spritz three to five sprays onto the water in the bowl before you go. “I love that this goes directly into the toilet instead of the air,” one tester said. We were impressed by how well it kept bathroom smells from becoming airborne in our tests, plus how pleasant a scent it left behind.

Poo-Pourri is made with natural essential oils and claims to contain no alcohol or formaldehyde. To confirm that fact in our testing, we reviewed graphs of the chemical profile of the fragrance. Poo-Pourri comes in an incredibly varied array of scents with clever names (Royal Flush anyone?) and several sizes, even for travel. The mini bottles are pretty enough to leave out for guests to use, with one tester saying "the product packaging was very fancy and I put it in my guest bathroom.”

These mini devices are an ingenious and discreet way to freshen the air in your car. They attach to your car's air vent via a clip in the back and emit the fragrance as cool or warm air wafts through it. A GH Seal star, Febreze Car has a dial to adjust the scent intensity to low, medium or high, so as not to overpower the limited air space of a car. However, even on the lowest setting, it may be a bit strong at first for some.

In our tests, it lasted up to 30 days when used on the lowest setting as claimed, but the one we recently placed into a Jeep Grand Cherokee lasted well over a month. It's a fan favorite on Amazon with over 8,500 reviews and a 4.6 rating. Shoppers comment that this is their favorite car freshener as it eliminates the distracting — and admittedly, unattractive — “tree” hanging from the rearview mirror. Not to mention, when you consider the price is for a pack of four, this is a pretty inexpensive option too. For those who prefer not to have fragrance blowing on them when driving, simply clip it to a rear seat vent.

A candle is a decorative and continuous way to freshen the air and give your home a distinctive signature scent. Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day products are well known for its luscious, realistic, essential oil fragrances, and this garden-inspired scented candle is no exception. Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning products do well in GH Lab tests and the candle comes in a wide variety of the same floral fragrances such as lavender, basil, geranium, honeysuckle and lemon verbena.

The candle is made of soy and vegetable wax and has a lead- and metal-free wick. We confirmed it lives up to its claimed to burn time of up to 25 hours, and when it runs out, the jar is recyclable or reusable. We especially like the screw-top lid that protects the wick and keeps the candle surface free of dust when it's not in use. With more than 3,600 reviews on Amazon and a 4.3 rating, multiple shoppers said they found the aroma very pleasing, though some said it was not noticeable enough and others complained that it didn't burn all the way down.

Get to the root of the problem and eliminate odor-causing bacteria in your home. This EPA-registered air freshener kills airborne germs, including bacteria and viruses. By removing the source of the odor, your home will smell fresher and help protect you and others from airborne viruses. And, it's available in three scents.

Its effectiveness in eliminating odors and nixing germs in open spaces earned this air sanitizer a spot in our 2023 Cleaning and Organizing Awards. The Lab found that the fine mist disperses well and testers loved the scent and "peace of mind" this product gave them. "It kills all the germs you can’t see and I’m so happy about that,” one said.

To use, close or cover all openings in the room — a.k.a., all doors, vents and windows — and shake the bottle before spraying towards the center of the room, moving your arms in a sweeping motion. The product's instructions suggest leaving the room for 4–12 minutes and then open ventilation points again.

Recommended by one of our Cleaning Lab experts, this closet dehumidifier eliminates and prevents musty odors by absorbing moisture and removing excess humidity from the air. This product is a newer version of airBOSS' Closet Dehumidifier, which our GH Cleaning Lab experts also loved. Results are not immediate, but in GH tests, airBOSS' products were especially effective in musty closets and kept winter coats smelling fresh even in storage during humid months.

To use, remove the aluminum seal and place or hang the bag on a hook in a closet, laundry room, small bathroom, basem*nt or garage storage area. Then, enjoy the lavender aroma and your fresh-smelling clothes throughout the hot humid summer.

Air fresheners can be tricky to test, especially in the expansive, wide open spaces of our Good Housekeeping Institute Labs and test kitchens. Technically speaking, the best way to test them is in specially constructed small, climate-controlled "smell" chambers, where a measured amount of malodor and the test fragrance are injected in so that trained testers can rate the extent of removal.

Since we don't have these types of chambers in our Labs, we evaluate air fresheners — of which we've tested dozens through the years — the way consumers do: by using them in our day-to-day tasks.

Unfortunately, there isn't an easy answer, as all air fresheners have their own set of pros and cons, depending on your target area and personal preferences.

✔️ Continuous — or automatic — air fresheners, like gels, solids, diffusers, crystals and plug-ins work 24/7, so they are on the job and ready to tackle an odor as it happens. But because they work around the clock, they are constantly emitting fragrance and also getting consumed when no odors may be present. Most usually last at least a month or more.

✔️ Sprays work instantaneously and are the easiest way to achieve immediate odor removal results. You only spray them when and where you need them, but the scent can fade fairly quickly. And some may just cover up — not eliminate — an odor, only to have it return.

✔️ Candles take a bit of time after lighting for the wax to melt and to begin emitting a fragrance. Even when they do, the scent may be more subtle than with other types of fresheners and fade quickly once the flame goes out. Candles are one of the most beautiful ways to impart fragrance in the air, plus they add a nice ambiance to the room. However, they can be dangerous, so never leave burning candles unattended and always keep them away from children and pets. Never burn a candle for longer than one hour per inch of the candle's diameter. So, a three-inch wide candle should burn for no longer than three hours. Otherwise, it gets too hot and too much of it gets liquified. If that happens, jar candles can crack and pillar candles can leak and drip onto the furniture or a counter.

✔️ Type: Think about whether you want your space to be continually scented or if you prefer to impart a bit of freshness when you need it. Continuous air fresheners are hands-free and are especially helpful in small spaces, like trash cans, closets, the car or pet areas with persistent odors. Sprays work quickly in large open areas and provide targeted results, while candles add warmth and subtle background fragrance to wherever they are placed. Most homes have a need for multiple types.

✔️ Price: You don't have to spend a lot of money for a high-quality air freshener. In fact, our Lab pros found that most of the best air fresheners only cost between $5 and $10. More expensive options, like a diffuser, should be considered an investment, since you'll get more use out of them over time.

When it comes to air fresheners, if it's a spray, be sure to spray a product toward the center of the room in a sweeping motion to get the best coverage. For plug-ins, make sure nothing is blocking them and to change the refill as soon as it’s empty. Don’t forget to spray soft surfaces, like carpets, upholstery, pet beds and drapes as they can retain odors too.

And if you're selling your home and want to subtly appeal to potential buyers, go for a scent that appeals to the most people. Spicy scents, like cinnamon, cloves or vanilla, baking scents or subtle herb scents, like basil, are most appealing; stay away from anything too sweet, fruity or overpowering.