11 Best Air Fresheners for Every Room in Your Home

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. GH Seal star Febreze’s Fade Defy Plug uses two compatible alternating scents to 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 $5 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, and 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. 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.

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, 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.

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-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. 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.

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 2021 Good Housekeeping Cleaning Award winner. With over 1,400 reviews on Amazon and score of 4.4 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.

These closet dehumidifying crystals eliminate and prevent musty odors by absorbing moisture and removing excess humidity from the air. In GH tests, airBOSS was especially effective in musty closets and kept winter coats smelling fresh even in storage during humid summer months. 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.

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 four matte colors, including white, eucalyptus, lavender and cocoa.

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.

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 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. 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 almost 3,500 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.

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.

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.

Its ability to obliterate garbage can odors even helped it win a 2022 Good Housekeeping Cleaning & Organizing Award. 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.