13 Best Non Toxic Air Fresheners For A Clean Home
Choosing non toxic air fresheners was a huge priority for me when I started to make conscious efforts to live a more non-toxic lifestyle. When I learned that conventional air fresheners are actually adding toxic chemicals to my indoor air quality, I knew it was time for a change.
Finding a non toxic air freshener is actually harder than you think. It requires looking at the ingredients one by one to ensure they’re safe.
I have tried many air fresheners and I am sharing which ones I continue to use and recommend. The criteria I use for determining the best natural air fresheners are:
- It needs to have clean ingredients. No toxins like phthalates, formaldehyde, etc.
- Doesn’t cause headaches. I easily get headaches so I have strict expectations.
- It needs to actually work.
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Top Pick: Aera Diffuser
If I had to just choose one non toxic air freshener, it would be the Aera Diffuser. I love that I can place it in small rooms and large rooms and I can still smell the scent. Plus, the scent I tried didn’t give me a headache!
Toxins In Air Fresheners
Honestly, there are a ton of toxic ingredients in air fresheners including. I’ll start by sharing some ingredients you should avoid when looking for a natural air freshener.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in air fresheners are toxic because they contribute to worsening your indoor air quality. The worst part of VOCs can irritate your respiratory system, trigger allergies, weaken your immune system, and lead to headaches and dizziness.
Phthalates
Phthalates are known as endocrine disruptors, which can interfere with hormonal balance. This leads to reproductive issues and developmental problems. This chemical has also been linked to respiratory irritation and allergic reactions.
This is a MUST-avoid chemical for me. I don’t want my home to smell good if that means it can disrupt my hormones and body.
Formaldehyde
Toxic air fresheners sometimes contain formaldehyde which can cause respiratory irritation and allergic reactions. It can cause irritation in the eyes, nose, and throat. This chemical can also increase the risk of certain cancers. Definitely a must-avoid chemical for me.
Are Air Fresheners Toxic For Pets?
Air fresheners can be toxic to pets in similar ways as it does to humans. Toxic air fresheners can potentially cause respiratory issues and allergic reactions. Since pets have sensitive respiratory systems, the strong toxic odors from air fresheners can irritate their lungs and lead to coughing.
Some ingredients can even be toxic to pets if ingested or inhaled. So I would choose to use pet-friendly air fresheners instead.
How To Choose a Non-Toxic & Sustainable Air Freshener?
Natural Ingredients
I would choose non-toxic ingredients that are plant-based and made without synthetic fragrances. Some common ingredients include non toxic essential oils, plant extracts, baking soda, and activated charcoal.
Fragrances without phthalates, formaldehyde, VOCs, and other toxic chemicals are less likely to cause allergic reactions and skin irritations.
Packaging
Go for safe air fresheners that are not only toxin-free but also use sustainable packaging. Usually, this includes packaging made of recycled materials or biodegradable materials.
Best Non Toxic Air Fresheners
1. Pura Smart Home Fragrance Diffuser
About Pura:
Pura is a non toxic automatic air freshener. You plug it into the wall and it automatically diffusess scent. The intensity of the scent can be controlled through the Pura app on your phone. They’re made with clean ingredients free from parabens and phthalates.
The natural fragrances are also vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and cruelty-free. I wrote a full breakdown of Pura ingredients if you want to know exactly what’s inside the product.
Best For:
Smaller rooms like a bedroom, bathroom, or office. The scent won’t go too far for big spaces.
My Review:
I love that Pura is a plug-in diffuser because it can really save space. I have a small bathroom so not having something on the ground is really useful. The scents smell really good and I like that you can blend two scents together.
Since each fragrance can last up to 100 hours long, it’s nice to be able to get different scents so I don’t get bored of one.
Many people compare the Pura diffuser to the Aera diffuser and honestly, I like the Aera diffuser more. I think the fragrance intensity can be controlled better on the Aera. For bigger rooms, Aera works really well but doesn’t it work as well with Pura.
READ MORE: Here are more safe reed diffusers to choose from.
2.Fresh Wave Odor Removing Gel
About Fresh Wave:
Fresh Wave odor removing gel isn’t actually an air freshener, they’re an odor absorber. So instead of adding fragrance, it takes musty smells out just like our coffee grounds do. They use plant-based oils and also have a Safer Choice label from the EPA. They have no phthalates, VOCs, and other toxins.
Each 15oz odor gel can last 30-60 days.
Best For:
This is the best odor removing gel is best if your home has some lingering smells.
My Review:
Fresh Wave is my go-to product whenever I want to take smells out of my home. I don’t even use any other air freshener – I just place a tub of the odor gel in the affected area. After a few days, I noticed the musty smells really do go away.
I found that each 15oz tub lasted me around 50 days.
Read my detailed review of Fresh Wave here.
3. Enviroscent Non-Toxic Car Air Freshener
About Enviroscent:
Enviroscent is a clean home fragrance brand and they have an extensive “never list” that ensures none of their products have those toxins.
Each package comes with 6 slim car fresheners you can hang in your front mirror. The scent of each stick is very long-lasting and each stick can last over 30 days.
Best For:
These natural air freshener sticks are great for adding a bit of scent to your car.
My Review:
First of all, I love how these are thin sticks. So many other car fresheners that hang down the middle are thick and it just blocks your view. The scents are definitely subtle and not overpowering. The only downside is the sticks don’t last too long – around 2.5 weeks instead of the 30 days they claimed.
But I really like that it’s liquid-free so I don’t need to worry about it making a mess.
Read my Enviroscent review post here.
4. Scent Fill Natural Non Toxic Air Freshener
About Scent Fill:
You’ve probably heard of Febreeze air fresher sprays and plug-ins. Their products are actually not exactly non toxic. If I had to choose, the brand Scent Fill is a much better and safer natural Febreeze alternative.
This natural plug-in air freshener is made with 100% plant-based ingredients and no synthetic materials. It’s free from parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde.
Best For:
If you’re a fan of how Febreeze, Air Wick, or other traditional plug-in air fresheners work, you’ll love Scent Fill. This could be really good to put in bathrooms.
My Review:
aerI found that Scent Fill wasn’t just a cleaner alternative to Febreeze but it also smells so much more natural. It doesn’t give me a headache like conventional plug-ins do. The scent does diffuse quickly though. Mine lasted a little over 2 weeks. To make it last longer, I manually remove it from the wall when I’m not at home.
I love that this non toxic plug in air freshener is also compatible with almost all other plug-in air fresheners. If you don’t have one already, this Scent Fill modern air freshener set comes with two refills and one plug.
5. Grow Fragrance Plant Based Air Freshener
About Grow Fragrance:
Grow Fragrance is a non toxic air freshener spray. It’s made with 100% plant-based ingredients and many people say their scents are comparable to high-end luxury ones. It contains no toxins, no phthalates, no parabens, no aerosols, no petrochemicals, and other synthetic chemicals.
Best For:
Spraying on fabrics
My Review:
I like spraying Grow on my couch, pillows, dining chairs, and even my clothes. Especially after I go thrifting, I like to give my new clothes a good amount of Grow fragrance spray. I recommend using it as a bathroom spray as well.
I looked at Grow’s ingredient list and everything looks safe to use. As a lavender lover, my favorite scent is the Lavender Blossom.
6. Aera Diffuser
About Aera Diffuser:
The Aera diffuser is a smart home device that diffuses scent. You’re able to control the intensity of fragrance by using the Aera app on your phone. You can even set specific times in the day to start diffusing fragrance so you can come home to an amazing-smelling space.
Best For:
Those who love the convenience of a smart home device will love the Aera diffuser. It’s also best for diffusing scent in larger rooms or spaces. Small spaces work too – just need to lower the scent intensity.
My Review:
I adore the Aera diffuser so much and it’s become my go-to nontoxic air freshener. I cannot get over how easy it is to turn the device on/off, control scent intensity, and set diffusing timers just from my Aera app.
Aera fragrances are also made with clean ingredients. They also have pet-friendly fragrances.
Like the Pura device, this diffuser can diffuse scent whenever I want which is controlled using the mobile app. But I like Aera more because it can diffuse in bigger spaces. I also like the look of the device a lot more.
Read my review on Aera diffuser here.
7. Best For Baby Room: Munchkin Arm and Hammer Nursery Fresheners
About Munchkin:
Munchkin is a baby products brand. Along with baby products and accessories, they also have a baby air freshener. It’s made with baking soda and a bit of scents. It comes in a set of 5 or 10.
Best For:
This baking soda air freshener is best to put in baby nurseries. Also, great idea to put in diaper bags, changing tables, and hampers to reduce the odor.
My Review:
I never want to expose little ones to too much scent, even if it’s made with natural ingredients. So I like how these Munchkin packs are made with baking soda and are lightly scented. Each one lasts close to 90 days so I don’t need to change it out too often.
8. Best Non-Toxic Plug-In: Enviroscent Non Toxic Plug-In Air Freshener
About Enviroscent:
Enviroscent’s non toxic plug-in air freshener works by placing the scented puck inside the plug. Then, plug it into the wall. Wait a few seconds and you’ll start smelling the fragrance.
Best For:
Those who like plug-in air fresheners but don’t want to deal with potential liquid mess.
My Review:
Enviroscent’s non toxic plug-in air freshener is one that I adore! Since it’s liquid free which means I don’t need to worry about leaks, flames, and spills. Within 2 minutes, I could already smell the scent. I placed it in my living room and I could smell it from all around.
My absolute favorite scents are Sea Salt + Aloe and Lemon Leaf + Thyme. I wasn’t a huge fan of the Spring Water + Lotus though.
It gives me peace of mind when I smell the scents because Enviroscent’s plug in freshener contains non toxic ingredients like natural essential oils made without carcinogens, formaldehyde, parabens, and phthalates.
I wrote a post of my Enviroscent review post here.
9. Best Odor Absorber Bag: Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag
Besides the Fresh Wave Odor gel, another really effective odor absorber I found was from the brand Moso Natural.
They’re charcoal odor absorbers that work really well to get rid of unwanted smells and moisture.
This is 100% scent free and does an amazing job at masking bad smells. These are great household products to pair up with another scented nontoxic air freshener I have on this list. It’ll give you a very clean-smelling space while adding a little bit of scent.
The best thing about this charcoal bag is it can last up to 2 years. You just need to occasionally place it into the sun for one hour at a time to refresh it.
At the end of the lifecycle, you can sprinkle the bamboo charcoal into your garden which helps promote plant growth. A great nontoxic and sustainable air freshener.
10. Best For A Clean Scent: Fresh Wave Odor Removing Spray Clean Scent
About Fresh Wave Spray:
Fresh Wave spray is essentially the same as the odor gel but in a different consistency. Since it gets. rid of musty odors, it can be really useful to spray at affected areas.
The non toxic odor removing spray is non-GMO, safe for pets, and safe for the planet. It’s made without phthalates, aerosols, synthetic perfumes, alcohol, and other chemicals.
Best For:
Those who want to get rid of musty smells in small areas like your clothing, carpet, couch, and more.
My Review:
My favorite product from Fresh Wave is the odor gel and my second favorite product from the brand is their best clean-scent room fresheners. I love their original scent.
I treat this as the best non toxic room sprays to mist your living space, spray your trash cans with, and to pre-treat your clothes. It’s also great as a deodorizer for refreshing your shoes, sports clothes, furniture, backpacks, and more.
A few sprits of this product can go a long way and remove the odor very well for a room of fresh air.
I wrote an honest Fresh Wave Spray Review here.
11. Best For A Floral Scent: Grow Fragrance Black Currant Rose Non Toxic Air Freshener
Best For:
Someone who likes a natural scent that smells a bit feminine but not too much.
My Review:
I’ve already talked about how much I love Grow fragrance sprays above. This black currant rose air freshener spray smells very subtle, natural, and floral.
I use this to spray on fabrics like couches, gym bags, carpets, shower curtains, and car seats as fabric fresheners. You can even pair this room spray with safe laundry detergents so you get added freshness.
12. Best For A Citrus Scent: Citrus Magic Orange Blast Non Toxic Air Freshener
About Citrus Magic:
Citrus Magic is a non toxic brand of odor-eliminating air fresheners that has the best citrus scents that smell natural. Their scents smell like a burst of fresh oranges.
It’s made with safe ingredients that are cruelty-free, pet-safe, and kid-safe. This non toxic freshener is made without harsh chemicals such as formaldehyde and parabens.
Best For:
Citrus lovers!
My Review:
This product has natural pure citrus oil and I personally love citrus. I also like how it’s not an aerosol spray which can contain lots of toxins.
13. Best For A Herbal Scent: Scent Fill Eucalyptus Spearmint Non Toxic Plug In Air Freshener
Best For:
Those who love plug-in air fresheners and make your home smell fresh.
My Review:
This non toxic air freshener plug in works with popular scented oil warmers or you can buy one from the brand. These are 100% plant-based product and is one of the best natural air fresheners that are cruelty-free and naturally eliminate odors.
Each refill can last up to an entire month and the scent is very soothing and subtle and doesn’t have overpoweringly strong smells.
FAQs
What is the safest non toxic air freshener to use?
For a safer and healthier option, choose toxic free air fresheners that are free from toxic chemicals like parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde. Non-toxic air freshener brands such as Grow, Scent Fill, Fresh Wave, Aera, and Pura offer reliable choices to keep your environment fresh without compromising your well-being.
What are the safest scents for your home?
The safest scents for your house are scents made without toxins like parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde.
What is the best natural room freshener?
The best natural room freshener is the Pura Smart Home Fragrance Diffuser. You can easily adjust the scent level to your liking and the scents are completely non toxic. With the Pura diffuser, you can adjust the scent level and stop the diffuser with the app on your phone.
What are the best non-toxic plug-ins?
The best non-toxic plug-ins are from the brands Enviroscent and Scent Fill. Both of these non toxic brands have subtle scents that don’t cause headaches.
Are plug-in air fresheners unhealthy?
Plug-in air fresheners are unhealthy only if it’s made with non toxic ingredients. Look for plug-in room fresheners that are made without parabens, formaldehyde, and phthalates.
Is there formaldehyde in Febreze plug-ins?
There is no formaldehyde in Febreeze plug-ins. That’s good news, however, it’s still not considered an entirely non-toxic air freshener plug-in. There are some other ingredients like 1,4-dioxane which is a known carcinogen and considered toxic.
What is the best way to make my house smell good all the time?
For a consistently nice scent in your home, combine the use of essential oil diffusers with a non-toxic air freshener spray for targeted areas. Here’s our guide on the top reed diffusers to boost your non toxic home fragrance experience.
To reduce odors even more, you can incorporate a charcoal air-purifying bag that effectively absorbs unwanted smells. This additional step will help eliminate unpleasant odors and maintain a fresher environment in your space.
That’s all for this article!
These are by far the best non-toxic options for non toxic air fresheners that are made safe. Having one or more of these products in your living spaces can really improve the atmosphere without adding endocrine-disrupting chemicals to a clean home.
These natural alternatives seriously do a great job at being an odor eliminator and hope you found a few that will become your new go-to scent!
Want a FREE Guide On How To Make Your Home Smell Amazing?
Use this extremely detailed guide to make your home smell insanely good with only non-toxic products. Also comes with a step-by-step checklist!
For more detailed non toxic living guides, check out these posts!
- 7 Best Toxin Free Reed Diffusers That Smell Amazing
- The Safest Wax Melts To Use
- 10 Best Non Toxic Laundry Detergents For Fresh Laundry
- The Best Non Toxic Dish Soaps
- Best Non-Toxic Hand Soap
- Is Pura Really Non Toxic?
- 7 Best Non-Toxic Gel Nail Polishes
- Is Scentsy Non Toxic?
- How to Clean Prefinished Hardwood Floors
- How to Take Out Musty Smells From Clothes Without Washing
