Yahoo Lifestyle This GH Seal Febreze Air Freshener Is Just Under $6 on Amazon
- 1/13
This GH Seal Febreze Air Freshener Is Just Under $6 on Amazon
This story was updated in January 2023 to add more information about each featured product, based on testing done by the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab.
A home can be spick and span, but if it doesn't smell clean, it doesn't feel clean. You know what it's like to leave and come home only to smell the garlic you sautéed at dinner or the bacon you made for breakfast. And if you smell it, so will your guests. A good air freshener is an easy, inexpensive way to make your home smell clean and fresh as well as eliminate — not just cover up! — odors without being too overpowering.
The Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab tests of hundreds of cleaning products year-round, including those that claim to get smells out of microwaves, washing machines, fabrics, carpets, pet and cooking zones and more. When we test air fresheners, we evaluate them both in the Lab and at home to better simulate real-life conditions. We assess the intensity of the scent initially and over time, monitor how long they last (especially if they claim to work for weeks or months) and evaluate ease of use. We also check for any leakage or damage to surrounding surfaces as well as any specific performance claims the product makes.
Our top picks:
Read on to learn more details about how we test air fresheners and what to consider when buying an air freshener. We also have round-ups of the best shoe deodorizers and the best candles for your home if you are looking for more ways to freshen up your space.
courtesy - 2/13
1) Fade Defy Dual Scented Oil Warmer
Febreze
walmart.com
$5.57
Plug-ins can’t be beat for non-stop freshening until you no longer notice them or they clog and stop working, sometimes even before the oil in the bottle is used up. GH Seal star Febreze’s Fade Defy Plug uses two compatible alternating scents: Just as your nose begins to get used to one and you stop smelling it (or go nose blind to it), the other kicks in. This way, you’re always detecting a whiff of scent so it reminds you that it’s working. And 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 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. 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. 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.
P&G - 3/13
2) Air Freshener Spray
Febreze
amazon.com
$5.49
A GH seal star, this 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, and pet owners who tested this at home reported that it eliminated the dank smell in their living areas where pets hang out. 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.
P&G - 4/13
3) Kitchen Odor Eliminator
Febreze
target.com
$4.19
The newest entry from Febreze specifically targets kitchen odors and imparts a fresh lemon scent. In our GH Cleaning Lab tests, it removed the lingering smells of fish and bacon so well that even after we left home and returned, the offensive odors were a distant memory. One use where we found it particularly effective and that helped it win a 2022 Good Housekeeping Cleaning & Organizing Award was its ability to obliterate garbage can odors. When sprayed into a stinky trash can, odors dissipated almost instantly. Like with all sprays, be aware that when the spray hits the floor, it can make them slippery.
P&G - 5/13
4) Plug-Ins Plus Air Freshener Warmer
Glade
amazon.com
5.48
Don't let its size fool you — this little air freshener does things we've never seen before on a plug-in. Glade's Plug-in 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. Brilliant!
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 longer. This air freshener also gets praise from shoppers with over 21,000 reviews and a 4.7 rating on Amazon.
SC Johnson - 6/13
5) Odor Removing Gel
Fresh Wave
amazon.com
$14.99
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, like from burned popcorn in the 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. 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.
Fresh Wave - 7/13
6) Linen and Room Spray Air Freshener
Caldrea
amazon.com
$11.81
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. It's a Lab and consumer favorite and was a 2021 Good Housekeeping Cleaning Award winner. With over 3,000 reviews on Amazon and score of 4.6 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.
Caldrea - 8/13
7) Before-You-Go Toilet Spray
Poo-Pourri
amazon.com
$8.33
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. In our tests, we were impressed by how well it kept bathroom smells from becoming airborne, 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 Good Housekeeping Seal testing, we review graphs of the chemical profile of every new Poo-Pourri fragrance covered by our GH Seal. 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, too.
Poo-Pourri - 9/13
8) Car Air Freshener Vent Clips
Febreze
amazon.com
$15.03
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. For those who prefer not to have fragrance blowing on them when driving, simply clip it to a rear seat vent.
It's a fan favorite on Amazon with over 8,000 reviews and a 4.6 rating. Shoppers comment that this is their favorite car freshener as it eliminates the distracting “tree” hanging from the rearview mirror.
P&G - 10/13
9) Scented Soy Aromatherapy Candle
MRS. MEYER'S CLEAN DAY
amazon.com
$6.89
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 their luscious, realistic, essential oil fragrances, and these garden-inspired scented candles are no exception. Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning products do well in GH Lab tests and the candles come 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. It claims to burn up to 25 hours, which our testing confirmed. 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 almost 3,000 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.
Mrs. Meyer's - 11/13
10) Closet Dehumidifier
AIRBOSS
walmart.com
$9.88
These closet dehumidifying crystals eliminate and prevent musty odors by absorbing moisture and removing excess humidity from the air. To use, simply remove the aluminum seal and place the canister of crystals with its vented top on a closet shelf, in a small bathroom or a basement or garage storage area. Once the crystals turn into liquid, it’s time to empty and replace it. In GH tests, airBOSS was especially effective in musty closets and kept winter coats smelling fresh even in storage during humid summer months.
airBOSS - 12/13
11) Stone Diffuser
Vitruvi
sephora.com
$119.00
Impressively sleek, this diffuser freshens the air using a blend of water and essential oils. It runs continuously for four or eight hours and shuts off automatically once it runs dry. Its outer stone casing — unlike most plastic diffusers — gives it a sophisticated look. In testing by our GH Wellness Lab, Vitruvi was rated best overall with Lab experts and consumers in our best essential oil diffusers review. Perfect for bedrooms, bathrooms or any place you want to evoke a relaxing vibe, it comes in nine matte colorways, including white, blush, charcoal, terracotta and black.
Vitruvi - 13/13
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In the Lab, we cook stinky foods, make stinky garbage, put wet towels into plastic storage containers to make them smell musty and ask staffers for stinky pet toys and clothing items they'd like to donate for testing. We then call in staffers to smell these containers or the air before and after using the test products to rate the performance. We assess the chemical formulas, safety data sheets, packaging, labeling, scent strength and duration and ease of use and we review the manufacturer's documentation for the internal claim support testing they do. Finally, we have consumer testers use the products in their own homes and give us feedback via a detailed survey that is incorporated into our performance and ease-of use tabulations.
Carolyn Forte/Good Housekeeping
