A car air freshener is an accessory that almost every car owner will purchase at some point in their life. In fact, most owners will purchase a car air freshener almost as soon as they take delivery of the car. This is because a cars cabin is completely enclosed. As a result, if any odors enter the cabin, the probability of them leaving without intervention is almost nonexistent.
Back in the day, the only type of air fresheners available were hanging cardboard air fresheners that one could attach to their rear-view mirror. This style of car air freshener gave way for more advanced and effective products that would change the way we fought bad odors in cars.
1. Hanging Air Fresheners
This type of air freshener for cars is perhaps the most well known as it's almost impossible to miss when you get into a car. You would have probably seen them in the cabs you take as they are usually the cheapest air fresheners on the market. They are basically pieces of scented cardboard that were designed to continuously diffuse aromas in the cabin. These are the most affordable kind of air freshener you can buy but are far from being the most effective. They don’t last for more than 20 days. Another issue with this style of air freshener is that it hangs in front of the windshield and blocks the sightline of those driving. A number of US states have laws that prohibit a vehicle from being operated unless the driver’s vision is unobstructed.
2. Aerosol/ Spray Air Fresheners
Think of this as a deodorant for your car. They were first introduced in 1948 after the world war. At the time, the military was using this technology to diffuse insecticides. After the war, innovators managed to adapt military technology into a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellant that would release an aromatic mist into the air. This mist had the ability to hang around and mask any bad odors around it. This style of car air freshener is still popular today but is nowhere near as convenient or effective as newer products. This is because these air fresheners don’t work automatically and require consistent manual inputs to stay effective.
3. Vent Clip Air Fresheners
This style of air freshener can be found in multiple different variants that follow the same idea. Vent clip fresheners were designed to directly stick onto a car's air conditioning vent. As the air blows from the car's air conditioning system, it passes through the air freshener creating a constant flow of aroma. They are quite effective at masking bad odors but only work with the air conditioning on. Variations include sticky gel, vent stick, and oil wick air fresheners. While these air fresheners don’t hang in front of the windscreen, they can still be an eye sore as they are stuck directly onto the air conditioning vents.
4. Gel Containers
Unlike the stick gel vent clips, these cabin air fresheners come in the shape of a resealable container. The top part of the container can be adjusted to increase or decrease the amount of aroma being diffused into the cabin. In most cases, they are designed to fit into cup holders but can be placed pretty much anywhere you like. However, they do render cubby spaces and cup holders useless once inside.
5. PUREFLOW® Air Freshener
The very latest in car air fresheners, the PUREFLOW® Cabin Filter Air Freshener has been designed to do its job without ever being noticed. Unlike other cabin fresheners that are attached inside the car, this patented air freshener for cars fits directly on to the cabin air filter pleats and as a result, is completely out of sight for passengers. Once the car’s air conditioning system has been turned on, this air freshener diffuses a balanced and natural scent with the help of advanced slow-release technology. This helps create a consistent flow of aromatic freshness that can last up to 90 days (Other car air fresheners can only manage as much as 30 days).
Until the next big invention in car air fresheners takes place, the PUREFLOW® air freshener for cars remains the most advanced and effective way to mask odors and create an aromatic environment. So next time you’re planning on changing your car’s air freshener, stop by the PUREFLOW® website and get yourself the very latest in air freshening technology.
