25 best car air fresheners of 2024 | CNN Underscored (2024)

Those ubiquitous cardboard trees are getting a luxury makeover as the world of high-end fragrance meets automotive accessories. Move over pine, and say hello to hinoki-, heirloom tomato- and oud-scented car fresheners that make your vehicle smell like your favorite candle or a fancy boutique.

The latest generation of car air fresheners offers a new take on the format, in addition to high-end and bespoke-feeling scents. There are diffusers, hanging tags, vent clips and decorative fragrance holders designed to fill your car with a subtle yet long-lasting scent.

Ahead, we’ve rounded up 25 luxe twists on the humble car freshener in all the styles, materials and fragrances you could imagine.

Votivo’s luxury fragrances are now available in a clip-on cartridge that can be affixed to your car vents. The brand offers nine scents, which can be purchased individually for $10 or at a discount in a bundle of three on its site.

With its combination of luxury scents and new materials, Drift’s wood car freshener is a true standout. The wooden scent block comes with a metal visor clip and provides fragrance for 30 days.

Pura’s smart diffusers are a favorite of ours, and now you can bring the custom-scent experience on the go too. The diffuser plugs into your car, and the fragrance cartridges last about a month.

This set of five auto-fragrance hanging tags comes in high-end scents like Wild Brooklyn Lavender and Big Sur After Rain. It makes a great gift for someone heading out on a road trip.

Diptyque’s beloved Baies scent is now available to make your car smell gorgeous. The diffuser comes with a scented insert that lasts for up to three months.

Fans of Homesick’s candles and reed diffusers will love the brand’s car fresheners. They’re a modern take on those old cardboard hanging air fresheners that come in Homesick’s signature scents, like New York City and Beach Cottage.

Tech enthusiasts will flip for Hotel Collection's car fragrance diffuser, which can detect movement to automatically turn on and off when you enter or exit your car. The diffuser oils — which come in 10 scents — are sold separately and eligible for monthly subscriptions for regular refills.

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Jo Malone’s gorgeous scents can now waft through your car. The canister-style diffuser can be fitted with cartridges in three of the brand’s signature scents: Lime Basil & Mandarin, Wood Sage & Sea Salt and Peony & Blush Suede.

Vacation’s hanging cardboard car fresheners feature cheeky retro designs and come in a few of the sunscreen brand’s signature scents, including Classic, Bali Boy and After-Sun Gel.

Zara Home’s car air freshener has a clip so you can attach it to a visor or vent. They last from one to three months and are available in several other scents, including Light Cotton and Dark Amber.

Bring some bling to your car’s interior with Bath & Body Works’ crystal-accented vent clip. It’s designed to hold the brand’s car fragrance cartridges, which can be purchased individually for $5 or in a bundle of three scents for $11.

Flamingo Estate, an Oprah-approved lifestyle brand, has gotten in on the luxury car-scent game with its cult-favorite Roma Heirloom Tomato car fragrance tag.

The gorgeous design of Clemt’s dashboard-mounted car freshener is what makes it a standout. The top unscrews from the base of the diffuser, allowing you to use your favorite essential oils in your car.

Cenniu’s smart air freshener is designed to fit in your car’s cup holder. It has sensors that turn it on and off when the vehicle is and is not in use. The fragrance intensity can be changed to suit your preferences and lasts up to four months.

The signature scent of Anthropologie stores, Capri Blue’s cult-favorite Volcano scent comes in a car diffuser too. It includes a decorative vent diffuser and four scented reeds.

This stylish car diffuser imparts Glasshouse Fragrances’ Lost in Amalfi scent throughout your vehicle, and the scent discs, which last 30 days, are refillable.

Hanging cardboard air fresheners are getting a makeover in modern shapes and colors. This set of three pretty lavender fragrance tags from Target is a budget-friendly way to make your car smell great.

Another entry in the elevated cardboard car freshener category is Mrs. Meyer's super-cute hanging diffusers. Available in the cleaning brand's signature lavender scent, the round diffuser will keep your car smelling fresh for 30 days.

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The sleek white-and-gold design of Scent New York’s car diffuser makes it a true standout. It clips on to the car vents and emits one of three scents: Leather, White Flower or Santal.

Looking for a gift idea for the cool teen in your life who just got their first car? Look no further than DedCool’s hanging car freshener with top notes of bergamot and fresh dew.

Lazy Royal’s air freshener cube can be hung from the rearview mirror or clipped on to the vents. It’s available in a variety of scents inspired by luxury perfumes and colognes.

This highly stylized take on the traditional cardboard car freshener mimics the look of a hotel door tag. It is scented with woody hinoki and comes in a vintage-inspired shade of avocado green.

Available in black or rose gold, this aroma stick clips on to car vents, emitting a fresh grapefruit smell that lasts for up to 60 days.

With notes of juniper berry, pinon and sandalwood, Square Trade Goods’ hanging fragrance card in Juniper Santal will impart a lovely scent that lasts from two to four weeks.

25 best car air fresheners of 2024 | CNN Underscored (2024)

FAQs

25 best car air fresheners of 2024 | CNN Underscored? ›

What Are The Best Air Fresheners For Cars? The best air fresheners for cars on the market in 2024 are the Air Spencer CS-X3 Air Freshener, Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag, Chemical Guys New Car Smell, Ozium Smoke & Odors Eliminator, and the Febreze Unstopables Car Air Vent Clip.

What is the best and longest lasting car air freshener? ›

What Are The Best Air Fresheners For Cars? The best air fresheners for cars on the market in 2024 are the Air Spencer CS-X3 Air Freshener, Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag, Chemical Guys New Car Smell, Ozium Smoke & Odors Eliminator, and the Febreze Unstopables Car Air Vent Clip.

What is best to keep car smelling fresh? ›

Vacuum regularly and use baking soda.

If you're looking for a way to keep your car smelling fresh and new, try vacuuming regularly. A clean car not only looks better, but it helps reduce odors as well. Use baking soda to absorb odors if they're particularly strong or lasting.

What car freshener actually works? ›

The Bottom Line. Overall, the best car air freshener is Febreze Unstopables Car Odor-Fighting Car Freshener Vent Clip.

What is the best air freshener for odor? ›

Febreze is often the best air freshener in these situations, such as our best pick for homes with pets, the Febreze Pet Odor Defense for managing pet smells, and our favorite option for kitchens, the Febreze Aerosol Room Spray Air Freshener for food-related smells.

What do dealerships use to make cars smell good? ›

Original Factory Scent™ is widely used by Car Dealerships and Auto Auctions to improve the desirability of vehicles to their customers. Used car managers are using this product to reduce smoke odor, improve the marketability of used cars, and move cars off the lot at a quicker rate.

How do I get the worst smell out of my car? ›

Baking soda: According to Matthew Hart, owner of AxleWise, the first thing you should try is “cleaning the upholstery first with baking soda, vinegar, or club soda mixed with a bit of dishwashing soap. I would then follow that by wiping down with a mixture of distilled white vinegar and fabric cleaner if possible.”

How can I make my car smell luxurious? ›

Essential oils are a great option to add fragrance to your car. All you need is one of your favorite essential oils, and a cotton ball or pompoms glued to a clothespin. Put a few drops of oil on the cotton ball or pompoms - peppermint is a great option if you or anyone who rides with you is prone to carsickness.

Which fragrance is best for cars? ›

List of the best car perfumes
NameAmazon RatingsAmazon Price
Areon Wish Gel Air Freshener for Car4.0 / 5Click here
My Shaldan Japan Gel Car Perfume3.9 / 5Click here
Godrej aer twist, Car Air Freshener3.8 / 5Click here
YOURKARTS.COM Solar Powered Car Perfume3.8 / 5Click here
6 more rows
Feb 16, 2024

What is the best odor eliminator? ›

Compare
ProductsProduct LinksEffectiveness
Best Overall: Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag$39 at Amazon5/5
Best for Bathrooms: Poo-Pourri Before-You-Go Toilet Spray$10 at Amazon5/5
Best for Fabric Upholstery: Febreze Fabric Refresher$15 at Amazon5/5
Best for Refrigerators: Ellis Harper Fridge Ninja Deodorizer$20 at Amazon5/5
4 more rows
Jan 9, 2024

What does ozium smell like? ›

It has a bit of a commercial building smell to me, not light or floral at all. If you need something strong and not "feminine" smelling, this might be it. It does linger in the air for awhile, so it does what it is supposed to do. It is a smaller can than most sprays, but you don't need to use too much.

How long does Meguiar's air refresher last? ›

Now you can enjoy a refreshing Black Chrome scent every time you get in your car. Meguiar's advanced Re-Fresher technology not only permanently removes* unwanted odors wherever they hide, but also replaces odors with a pleasant scent that lasts for weeks.

Where is the best place to put car air freshener? ›

The most common and effective way to use hanging car air fresheners is by hanging them from your rearview mirror. Ensure that the string is securely fastened to the mirror. The positioning allows the scent to circulate throughout the car, providing a pleasant atmosphere for both you and your passengers.

What is the strongest car air freshener? ›

Air-con cologne is the best air freshener for a car in need of a serious refresh. Also called air-con refresh or air-con bomb, it's one of the strongest car air fresheners there is.

What type of air freshener lasts the longest? ›

5 Types of Air Fresheners That Have Long Lasting Fragrance
  1. Scented Candles. Various types of air fresheners can be adapted to the needs and tastes of online casino players. ...
  2. Electric Diffuser. As the name suggests, electric diffusers require a power source or battery power to operate. ...
  3. Reed Diffuser. ...
  4. Spray Deodorizer. ...
  5. Incense.

What is the strongest odor in the world? ›

The 10 Worst Odours in the World
  • Hydrogen Sulphide.
  • Fact: Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, uses geothermal springs beneath the city to provide hot water. ...
  • Raw sewage.
  • Corpse flower.
  • Rotten flesh.
  • Special mention: gangrenous flesh. ...
  • Thioacetone.
  • Durian fruit.
Oct 18, 2017

How do I keep my new car smelling forever? ›

This might seem like a no-brainer, but cleaning your upholstery, mats, and carpet will keep your car smelling fresh for a long time. Cars accumulate all sorts of dirt and debris from shoes, belongings, and the elements, so regularly cleaning the interior of your car is a surefire way to keep bad odors at bay.

Why do air fresheners not last in my car? ›

Over time, the scent particles in air fresheners can break down due to exposure to oxygen and humidity levels. Another factor that affects how long an air freshener will last is that some contain ingredients that can cause them to degrade when exposed to light or heat.

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