All-Natural DIY Air and Fabric Freshener

If you have read any of my other all-natural DIY cleaning posts, you know that my husband and I have two cats that we love to pieces. However, the smell that sometimes comes with cats…we do not love. Honestly, it was my cats that got me thinking about an all-natural air freshener. I knew that store-bought air fresheners could irritate their senses, but I needed something to help when there was a particularly stinky kitty-bathroom visit, or just to help freshen up our couch (specifically their favorite spot on the back of the couch by our living room window).

Because of this, the hunt and trial-and-error for a perfect air freshener began! It took a few different tests, but I finally settled on an air freshener that I love and use on nearly a daily basis, bonus is it also works as a fabric freshener! This is great for the living room, bathroom, and bedroom — I have even sprayed it in my washing machine when it started to smell mildewy, and it took the smell right out!

New to making homemade cleaners? Check out our beginner’s guide to get started.

Equipment & Tools

Amber Spray Bottle: Essential oils break down and are damaged over time when exposed to UV rays, so using an amber-colored bottle or another opaque spray bottle is crucial to maintaining the quality of this spray.

Funnel: This is entirely optional, but a funnel helps to pour the ingredients into the bottle without spilling it.

Ingredients Needed

Plain, Unflavored Vodka: Vodka is a great odor eliminator. When combined with essential oils, it makes a great odor-fighting solution. But do not worry — the vodka smell does not last. You will instead be left with the light scent of whatever essential oil you choose.

Another benefit of this spray is that because vodka can also kill some bacteria (but keep in mind, vodka is not a disinfectant), you can use this spray to deodorize your couch, pillows, mattress, etc., and give them a light cleaning as well!

Essential Oil: This is what gives the spray its beautiful scent. You can use whatever essential oil you desire, but I recommend lighter, less overpowering scents. If you have pets, you want to consider which scents are irritants to their senses or could be hazardous.

I generally like to use the same oil in the air and fabric freshener that I use in my carpet powder so that my rooms aren’t full of different scents.

How to make an all-natural Air and Fabric Freshener

Add Ingredients to Spray Bottle: Add the vodka and essential oils to your spray bottle. Then, top it off with water. Tighten the lid and give it a light shake to combine everything.

Storage: Store in a cool, dark area to maximize the shelf life of the spray.

To Use: Spray as needed on areas needing to be freshened such as couch cushions, rugs, pillows, mattresses, and comforters.