All of this takes its toll, and your car can start to smell a little off-color. Those synthetic-scented air fresheners often only make things worse or are so cloying that you’d rather live without them.
Fortunately, there’s a fantastic, natural way to make your car smell amazing. Car freshener essential oils are the perfect deodorizer that can not only transform the way your car smells but offer an abundance of other benefits too.
When you start using a car air freshener with essential oils, you’ll also set the mood and tone for your journey. Plus, there are all sorts of mental and emotional benefits of essential oils. You can improve your focus, boost your energy levels and stay relaxed and calm while behind the wheel or in the passenger seat.
If you want to transform the way your car smells and make every drive about more than just commuting, this guide can help. We may not be able to do anything about the traffic, but we can do something to make the time you spend in transit more pleasant and even beneficial!
Why you should use essential oils for cars
That new car smell is sadly the end result of hundreds of chemicals and sanitizing agents. While certain chemicals, like those that work as flame retardants, aren’t that bad smelling, many of them are not ideal for breathing in. They’ve been linked to everything from cancer to memory loss.
It’s not just new cars that are problematic either. Older cars can release toxic dust into the air, so you’re not much better off there.
In both cases, using essential oils in your car’s interior is an excellent and healthy idea.
You can even use certain essential oils for car sickness. Lavender essential oil, ginger, peppermint, cardamom and spearmint are all very effective anti-nausea agents. Create your own blend and tailor it to your needs and preferences!
It’s up to you to ensure that the environments you and your family regularly spend time in are as healthy as possible. Using essential oils for car freshness is one of the easiest ways to do this.
Not only will the oils keep your car smelling great, but they are also an excellent way to combat bacteria and viruses on interior surfaces.
How to use car freshener essential oils
Even if your diffuser wasn’t built for a car, there are several options if you want to buy one that is. But there are other ways to use a car air freshener with essential oils, too:
- Add a few drops of your chosen essential oil to a cotton ball before tucking it into one of your car’s air vents.
- Do the same with a wooden clothespin before clipping it into place on an air vent.
- Drip a few drops of essential oils for car sickness onto a terracotta ornament before hanging it in your car.
- Put a few drops of your essential oil or blend onto a piece of felt. Cut this into a shape that amuses you, thread a piece of string through it, and hang it over your rearview mirror.
Top car freshener essential oils
When you start using essential oils for car freshness, let your nose be your guide. Make sure that you know enough about the oils you’ve chosen to use them safely and to provide the maximum benefits.
These are some of the most popular essential oils for making your car smell amazing:
Balsam Fir
Balsam fir has a rich, sweet scent that brings to mind the gorgeous smell of a day spent in the woods. It also has a soothing and cleansing effect, so you can create an energizing, uplifting environment while getting rid of harmful bacteria.
Basil
With its sweet, warm, fresh, floral, crisp scent, basil essential oil can be characterized as airy, vibrant and uplifting. It stimulates the mind, clarifies your thinking process and calms your mood and fortifies it. It will leave you feeling energized and ready for anything.
Bergamot
Bergamot is not known as the Prince of Citrus for nothing. It has a sunny, pleasant aroma that’s refreshing and rounded. It’s a wonderful choice if you suffer from anxiety when driving, and it will boost your mental alertness.