New cars smell good, real good! If you’ve ever got in a brand new auto, you probably know the smell we’re talking about here. Unfortunately, this scent doesn’t last for long. Even worse, it’s the most difficult to mimic.
After being welcomed by the great smell for a few months, or let’s say a year if you’re amongst those who don’t give rides to strangers, you’re left wandering all over for an air freshener that will bring back the long-gone New Car Smell.
Why? Because by this time your car has been invaded by all sorts of odors ranging from smelly socks, cigarette and weed smoke to French fries and all manners of sweats! Though no air freshener will ever bring back the New Car Smell’’ you can eliminate all the bad odors and create new smells.
Best Air Freshener for Cigarette Smoke – Editor’s Pick
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Car Air Freshener Buying Guide
Car air fresheners come in all sorts and sizes. Gels, charcoal, and ionizers work by cleaning the air of all odors and bacteria leaving clean and fresh air behind. Others use chemical fragrances which mask the bad smells.
Still, others are all-natural and don’t rely on chemicals or artificial fragrances to clean the air around you. When purchasing these units, you need to check out their price in relation to how long they keep the air fresh or smell good.
Again, consider whether they require any powering or not. If you opt to go for fragrances, consider going for one that won’t overpower the car’s occupants. With that, let’s go to the fun part: 2022’s Best Car Air Fresheners
1. Febreze Car Vent-Clip Air Fresheners
The unique design of these air fresheners has seen most of their users find other uses for them. Some have them in their bathrooms, boats, pets’ houses, and virtually anywhere else where air freshening is critically required.
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| Scent | Linen |
| Color | Linen & Sky |
| Brand | Febreze |
| Power Source | Air Powered |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 8.1 x 2 x 6.6 inches |
These air fresheners are designed to clip on your car vents. One package has 4 of these units. They have a pleasantly sweet aroma that replaces bad odors. The seller claims that each of the fresheners lasts for at least 30 days.
Pros
- Clips on the air vents
- Have a sweet scent that’s not overpowering
Cons
- Doesn’t last as the manufacturer states
However, most of its reviewers have highly disputed this saying that each goes for around 1-2 weeks. While some appreciate them for their great scent, others argue that their life isn’t worth the money.
2. California Scents Spillproof Organic Air Freshener
If you’re seeking for an air freshener that lasts quite a long time, I guess you may want to give this California a shot. A package of these air fresheners has 4 cans with a variety of organic fragrances.
If past reviewers’ testimonies are anything to go by, each can will take you close to a year! What makes this air freshener stand out from Drive above is that it can be placed in different locations.
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Pros
- The scents last long
- Great scents
Cons
- The scents may be overpowering for some
| Scent | Cherry |
| Color | Coronada Cherry |
| Brand | California Scents |
| Item Form | Pads |
| Power Source | Not_applicable |
Going through the reviews, some customers found the scents closest to a new car’s smell. Others say that they were too strong while some received dried cans with no scent at all.
3. LITTLE TREES Car Air Freshener I Hanging Tree Provides Long Lasting
Not unless you’ve just relocated from another planet, Little Trees with their tree-shaped air fresheners requires no introduction at all.
Why? This company has existed since the early 1950s. All along, they have been able to produce air fresheners with all sorts of fragrances including vanilla, chocolate, and Black Ice. For those who don’t like extremely perfumey’ air fresheners, this is the way to go.
These Little Trees have a scent that’s not overpowering at all. The only drawback is that they last for a shorter time than one would expect. On the upside, each pack has 24 of them which sounds a good deal, especially for around 15 bucks.
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Pros
- Each pack has 24 pieces
- Have a masculine fragrance
Cons
- The scent doesn’t last long
| Scent | Sandalwood, Bergamot and Lemon |
| Color | Black Ice |
| Brand | LITTLE TREES |
| Item Form | Hanging Tree |
| Power Source | Not_applicable |
4. Ozium Smoke & Odors Eliminator Gel. Home
Auto Expressions describes this air freshener thus: The Anywhere Odor Eliminator. Ozium won’t emit any new scents per see.
Rather; it helps absorb bad odors that won’t be eliminated by other fragrances. Ozium is in the form of a gel.
However, it won’t melt no matter how hot your car’s interior becomes. Again, its compact design makes it easy to hide under seats, in offices, and in bathrooms. Even better, this air freshener is cheap. At below 7 dollars, you can have several for different places.
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Pros
- It eliminates bad odors fast
- It’s small to place anywhere
Cons
- Have no new fragrances
| Color | Blue |
| Brand | Ozium |
| Item Form | Gel |
| Power Source | Not_applicable |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 2.6 x 2.1 x 2.8 inches |
5. FRiEQ Car Air Purifier, Car Air Freshener and Ionic Air Purifier
FriEQ car purifier works in the same way as Ozium Gel Eliminator and Healthy Car Air Purifier. This air freshener plugs into your car’s 12V cigarette outlet.
It works by emitting negative ions that bond with the positively charged ions from cigarette and weed smoke and other stale odors.
FriEQ claims that this purifier releases up to 4.8 million ions per cm3. Though hard for us to prove this, past users’ testimonies about its performance are proof that it does the trick. It also emits a bluish light that boosts your car’s aesthetics.
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Pros
- Uses no chemicals
- It’s decorative
Cons
- Won’t work without power
6. Chemical Guys AIR_101_16 New Car Smell Premium Air Freshener
Chemical Guys seem to have discovered the way to a new car’s smell. Or let’s say that this is the closest that you can ever get. This air freshener comes in a 16 Fl. Oz jar.
However, the manufacturer says that you can dilute it with up to 2 gallons of water. Even after diluting, this freshener’s unique fragrances remain strong. One spray could take you for almost a month.
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Pros
- Closest to New Car Smell
- Long-lasting fragrances
Cons
- Has rubber-like fragrances
| Brand | Chemical Guys |
| Item Form | Spray |
| Power Source | Manual |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 8.27 x 2.36 x 2.36 inches |
| Floor Area | 16 Ounces |
The best thing about Chemical Guys is that you need not worry about where to place it. You can spray and leave it on your garage shelves until when required next. Secondly, you can spray anywhere from the carpets to the trunk.
Has it any drawbacks? Sure. Its fragrances smell like rubber immediately after spraying. Fortunately, it fades into the New Car Smell’ after 1-2 hours.
7. North American NA222-6 Citrus Orange Air Freshener
For those who love fresh orange zest scents, now you can have it welcome you to your car every time you open the door.
Though not specifically meant for use in cars, most car owners have made it a go-to due to its ability to mask different odors easily and naturally without exposing you to harmful chemicals.
This air freshener uses pure citrus oils and has no hydrocarbons or fluorocarbons. Users recommend it since you only need a small amount that lingers for so long. You can also use it in your bathroom, kitchen, garage, and nasty trash cans.
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Pros
- It uses fresh orange oils
- Have brilliant scents
Cons
- The scents may overpower some users
| Scent | Orange |
| Color | Orange |
| Brand | Blue Magic |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 8 x 4 x 4 inches |
| Unit Count | 1.00 Count |
