When you hear air freshener, you probably start to think about those cardboard tree cutouts your Uber driver uses that claim to smell like ‘pine,’ but not like any pine you’ve ever smelled. Well, we’ve come to expand your horizon of what good smells can mean and where you can use them. Gentle fresheners can be used in dresser drawers and closets to elevate your morning and nighttime routine and gently infuse your clothes and intimates with a scent that will follow you throughout your day. Keep reading to find our top 8 fresheners, and because not all of us have plugs in our closets and definitely not in our drawers, we’ve included some scents that require no electricity.
WHY USE A FRESHENER? THE PROS AND CONS.
Why should you use an air freshener in your closet? Especially when, up until now, all you’ve seen are the ugly, cardboard cutouts sold at gas stations, or the Febreze gel plug-ins, both of which leave a more synthetic scent, than one you can truly become enveloped in. There are a few reasons to invest in an air freshener, starting with the fact that your closet just… smells.
Reasons Your Closet Smells:
- You. Okay, we didn’t mean for that to come off as mean, but the truth is, it is pretty likely you’re going to wear that t-shirt, dress, or those jeans more than once. As we head into the summer months, that means your clothes are coming in close contact with your sweaty skin, all that sunscreen (hopefully), and any dead skin that you naturally shed throughout the day. Let’s not get started on your shoes either, summertime also means not wearing socks. Air fresheners can help transform your closet and ensure that the first scent you’re hit with when opening your closet door is something pleasant like lavender and not sweaty sneakers.
- Moisture, also known as dampness, can seriously transform your closet for the worse. Moisture can enter (and take over) your closet due to a few factors: you hang your not-completely dry clothes, your closet shares a wall with the bathroom (cue extra steamy showers), or a water pipe may be leaking in the near vicinity. So many things can go wrong, leading to a musty smell that clings to your clothes and mold that slowly takes over.
- Mold. Yes, the aforementioned mold can significantly contribute to bad closet odors that end up clinging and even destroying your favorite garments. While a fragrance can save you from carrying that musty smell into your cubicle, it’s important to stay vigilant and reduce closet odors before they have a chance to arrive.
Tips & Tricks For Storing Seasonal Clothes
- Your Clothes will Thank You. Fresheners not only transform spaces, but they have the power to lightly infuse your clothes with aromatically pleasing aromas. Your shirts, sweaters, and jeans won’t carry that worn-in cotton smell that seems to follow clothes that have sat on the shelf or hanger for a few days too long. Fresheners can give your garments that added boost that allows you to throw on some sweats and run to your local bodega and STILL smell good.
- Better Morning Routines. It’s no secret that we’re not all morning people, and we’ve tried to alter our ways through various enticing routines: a fresh cup of coffee, a light yoga session, a multi-step skincare routine, and finding an alarm that doesn’t nearly scare you half awake. One vital step of our morning routine that we all have and yet somehow have all overlooked is the getting dressed portion. Think about how often you open those closet doors and stare inside the way you would look into a fridge, waiting for the options to materialize in front of you. Air fresheners can make that waiting period more pleasant, akin to standing by an open window and smelling that first warm Spring day.
OUR TRIED & TESTED FRESHENERS
The delicate white ceramic ring is set on a rope and surrounds a scented wax oval that will bring irresistible Spring freshness to your closet or drawer. Designed for small spaces, the Baies Scented Oval will gently scent your intimate hidden corners. Hang from the hanger rod or place gently in a drawer amongst your favorite socks, tees, and sweaters.
Diptyque’s French-made Baies is fruity and floral, gracefully combining roses and black currant leaves for a sweet, sultry smell perfect for calm mornings and quiet nights.
This aesthetically rose-colored ribbon is a modern take on the classic potpourri sachet, minus the mess and the hunt for dried florals. Designed for small spaces, the scented ribbon can hang in closets, amongst clothes, and in the hidden corners of your dresser drawers to aromatically coat your favorite garments.
The Scented Ribbon comes in the Morgan Park scent, which evokes the natural scent of a lush park and cove, combing the salty sea air with the crunch of freshly fallen leaves. Made to be alluring yet soft, the smoky-sweet unisex scent is infused with pepper, cedar, ylang-ylang, and sandalwood.
Caldrea uses natural essential oils to recreate the scent of long summer days by the ocean. For those of us who need a little extra oomph to our routines, coat the smells of your morning commutes and nights out with this freshly scented room spray. Use in your closet, in your bedroom, and your clothes as you iron them.
These natural air purifiers do more than just release fresh scents, they eliminate unpleasant odors too. Filled with bamboo charcoal, the Air Purifying Bag keeps small spaces dry, eliminating future odors. It can cover up to 90 square feet which means you can tuck it into the corner of your closet, armoire, drawer, and anywhere else you may need it.
These may not be the most attractive option on this list, but the refreshing scent of Cedar and Lavender can be key players in creating long-term closet health. Add a block to any closet, drawer, or trunk to keep the area smelling good while keeping moths at bay. To refresh the scent, all you have to do is lightly sand the surface.
You probably know Mrs. Meyer from the colorfully packaged surface sprays and natural ingredients, which is what makes the brand’s venture into small-space scents all the better. These Lavender-scented sachets last 60 days and are made from repurposed wood and essential oils, and can be used in small spaces such as closets, drawers, lockers, cars, and bags.
This stone diffuser is made from matte ceramics to seamlessly blend into any room to elevate any room while releasing a gentle scent. It can diffuse a 500 sq. ft. space and requires a plug. Therefore while this item probably cannot be placed in your closet, you may place it on your bedside table or on an armoire to gently freshen your entire bedroom and personal space.
The Aera diffuser uses aromatherapy to transform medium and large rooms. It requires a plug and, therefore, probably will not be used directly in your closet, but place the diffuser on a table in your bedroom to wake up and go to bed in an aromatically pleasing setting. The best part? It is controlled by your phone or Alexa to create schedules so that you can decide what your room will smell like when you come home from work and how certain essential oils can help you drift to sleep.
SUMMARY
There are a number of air fresheners out there, each of which can bend and match your routine to make your mornings and nights all the more peaceful. Air fresheners can ease the unpleasant odors your closet takes on from moisture, mold, and natural body scents. Gentle fresheners can also help you become a morning person (we know that’s a tall order, but trust us) and unwind after a long and challenging day. You may even find yourself asking your kids to play hide and seek so that you can go and hide in your closet to take a few breaths of aromatically pleasing air. It also never hurts to touch your favorite jeans and sweaters.
