Natural Car Air Freshener Made With Dried Herbs
A small sachet of dried mint and citrus peel can keep a car smelling pleasant with no liquids, sprays or oils. Here is how to make one, and what to know about heat, children and pets.
A car is a small, closed space that sits in the sun, and it slowly collects the smells of coffee, gym bags and warm upholstery. A little pleasant scent can make the drive nicer.
A dried herb sachet is the simplest natural option. It has no liquid to spill, nothing that can drip onto the dashboard, and you decide exactly what goes in. It adds a fresh scent, but it does not clean the air, so think of it as a finishing touch rather than a fix.
Why dried works better than fresh in a car
A car cabin heats up in the sun and cools down at night, which is hard on anything damp. Fresh herbs, fresh peel and wet cotton balls may turn moldy or smell sour after a few days of that cycle. Thoroughly dried leaves and peel hold their scent without that problem.
Keep the sachet where it cannot slide around or block your view: a door pocket, a cup holder or under a seat. Avoid hanging anything where it gets in the way of the windshield.
Dried Herb and Citrus Car Sachet
You need
- orange or lemon, for thin strips of peel1
- dried spearmint or peppermint leaves2 tablespoons (about 5 g)
- whole cloves, optional3 to 4
- small open-weave cotton or linen drawstring bag, about 8 x 10 cm (3 x 4 inches)1
Method
- Wash the fruit well under running water and dry it with a clean towel. Use a vegetable peeler to take off thin strips of peel, leaving the white pith behind.
- Dry the peel on a baking tray lined with parchment in an oven at 90 °C (195 °F) for 45 to 60 minutes, until brittle. Or leave it on a plate in a warm, dry room for 3 to 5 days, turning it now and then. Let it cool completely.
- Break the dry peel into small pieces and mix it with the dried mint and the cloves, if using.
- Fill the bag about two thirds full and tie it tightly with a double knot so nothing can spill out.
- Place the sachet in a door pocket, cup holder or under a seat. Squeeze it gently every few days to release more scent.
- Replace it after about 3 to 4 weeks, or sooner if the scent fades. Throw it away if it smells musty or feels damp.
Tips
- If you want a stronger scent, add more dried peel rather than essential oil.
- Make a spare and keep it in a sealed jar, so you can swap it in when the first one fades.
- Whole cloves are small, so keep the sachet out of reach of young children.
What the evidence says
We found no research showing that a herb sachet removes odors from a car. The scent mostly covers smells rather than removing them, so if something is causing the odor, such as a damp floor mat or spilled food, clean that first.
On mood, the evidence is thin. NCCIH says we do not know whether aromatherapy helps with insomnia because little rigorous research has been done. In one study of lemon and lavender scents in people under stress, lemon had a positive effect on mood, but neither scent affected stress indicators or pain control. So enjoy the smell, but do not count on it to calm you down or keep you alert. If you feel sleepy at the wheel, pull over and rest.
Heat, children and pets
Heat is the real car safety issue. The CDC advises never leaving infants or children in a parked car, even with the windows open. Please do not leave pets either. A freshener is never a reason to leave anyone in a warm car.
Strong scents are a real concern for animals. The ASPCA says concentrated essential oils can be a danger to dogs and cats that walk through them, get them on their coat or have them put on their skin. Signs include unsteadiness and depression, and swallowing them may cause vomiting and diarrhea. The ASPCA also points out that pets smell far better than we do, so something light to us may overwhelm them. That is why this recipe uses dried plant material only.
Questions people ask
Will the sachet still work in summer heat?
Dried peel and leaves cope with heat much better than fresh material. The scent may fade faster in a very hot car, so check the sachet more often and replace it when it smells faint.
Can I add essential oils?
We leave them out. The ASPCA warns that concentrated oils can harm dogs and cats and that pets have a much stronger sense of smell than we do. For more scent, add more dried peel.
Will it remove smoke or pet smells?
We found no evidence that it does. It covers odors rather than removing them, so clean the source first, then use the sachet to keep things smelling fresh.
Sources
- The Essentials of Essential Oils Around Pets — ASPCA
- Infants and Children and Heat — CDC
- Aromatherapy — NCCIH
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Herbs can interact with medicines and health conditions. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before trying a herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, giving it to a child, or taking any medication.
