Your next DIY project is here: DIY Air Fresheners! Whatever your favorite scent is, now your home can smell energizing or calming, and, most importantly, fresh. Here is a simple guide to creating your own air freshener at home so you can customize the scents to meet your own preferences and mood.
What you’ll need:
- Empty, clean spray bottle. Feel free to reuse old bottles, but make sure you clean them out first.
- Distilled water. Tap water that’s low in minerals should be okay. However, distilled water is best as tap water can be “hard water” or high in minerals.
- Witch hazel.
- Funnel for easy pouring.
- Essential oils of your choosing.
- Dried herbs and flowers.
Now we’re ready to get started.
DIY Air Fresheners: Step 1
First, start by picking out your preferred essential oils. Some of our favorites include a zesty citrus combination of lemon, orange, grapefruit, and lime, a refreshing mix of tea tree, rosemary, and peppermint, and a calming atmosphere of bergamot, lemon, and cypress. There are plenty of warm, calming, or invigorating scent recipes, so feel free to get creative!
DIY Air Fresheners: Step 2
Next, you’ll need distilled water. Again, using distilled water is important to keep minerals out of your spray, which may leave residue or film on surfaces in your home. You can purchase distilled water. However, for an extra level of DIY, you can also easily make your own by boiling tap water.
Fill a pot halfway with tap water, then place an empty glass bowl in the water. Place a baking rack inside the pot to make sure the glass bowl does not touch the pot’s bottom. Second, heat the water until it’s boiling, then place ice on top of the pot’s lid, which will cause condensation. When the condensing steam falls into the bowl below, that makes the distilled water.
Continue this process until you have the distilled water you need but be sure to keep the heat low enough that the water in the bowl does not boil.
DIY Air Fresheners: Step 3
You can purchase dried herbs and flowers for this DIY air fresheners project. However, while you are making the distilled water, you could also dry your own botanicals for these DIY air fresheners. Low-moisture herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and sage simply need to be rinsed and patted dry. On the other hand, with more delicate items such as flowers, be sure to handle with care and avoid pouring water directly on the blossoms.
Then securely tie your herbs and flowers into bundles with string and hang them to dry. You can use paper bags to shield against dust. Wait one to three weeks and you’ll have your very own dried herbs or flowers!
DIY Air Fresheners: Step 4
Now it is time to put everything together!
First, using a ratio of 10-15 drops per 2 ounces, pour your preferred essential oils into your empty spray bottle. Next, fill the bottle halfway with witch hazel. Witch hazel acts as a mixing solution, helping the oil and water combine and enhancing the scent. Fill the other half of the bottle with your distilled water and shake to mix.
And there! You have your very own DIY air fresheners.
Finally, as a decoration and to remember which scents are which, add a sprig of your dried herbs or flowers to the bottle. You can also tie some of the dried herbs or flowers to the outside of the bottle for some extra flair, or add a label describing the scent. These DIY air fresheners will never expire, but the scent may fade after a while.
Now you can enjoy a variety of fresh scents in your home, so get crafting!
Have any DIY tips and tricks you’d like to share? Get in touch! Send us an email at info@polyteakoutdoor.com or subscribe to our mailing list today for more outdoor living news.