Car Air Freshner - Essential Oils - Healthy and Inexpensive

I have, for years, used essential oils in my car. I have tried many different types of diffusers for the car. Some have worked better than others. I usually don't like the clip on type. I had one that clipped on and had a bottle at the bottom and it had a wick that would pull the oils up from the bottle and blow as you used your vents but the wicks got really clogged and I didn't think the smell compensated for the bottle getting bumped and it melted the plastic below it etc. 
 
I have purchased the cutesie air fresheners as you can see I have some cherry plastic one's now and I have had a flip flop and other cute fresheners but they haven't lasted long and I don't always like the smell.

I purchased some terracotta diffusers with little corks to hold the oils in but had a horrible experience when I put in more than one drop and it leaked out the bottom and melted the console beneath it. 

I found one of them the other day in the kids chalk bucket so I added a picture here. I guess it would work if you only put in one drop as I remember it did but I don't remember the smell getting through and working immediately so I prefer this other method I'll share. 

The disposable fresheners I get, I usually don't like the smell as it is really strong. So, I usually buy those, open them in the garage or somewhere and let them vent most of the powerful scent they have. Once they are used up, I then use them to diffuse my own oils. 

I keep a few bottles of different oils in the car somewhere I can get to them easily. 

When I get in, I put a drop or two of the favorite oil on the freshener. I do this by using a dropper bottle or if the bottle doesn't have a dropper, I place the freshener over the top of the open bottle, tip the bottle and freshener sideways and rotate the bottle while it is still connected to the freshener so that some of the oil gets onto the freshener and then tip them upright again and then put the lid on the bottle. 

If there is a dropper, I usually turn the freshener sideways, put on a few drops. Wait for the oils to absorb into the old air freshener. I then turn on the vent or fan and allow the scent to permeate the car. 

When I was driving three or four children to school each morning, I would do this with the "Thieves" oil I talk about in several of my posts.It would boost their immune system and keep them healthy. I would also keep chewable vitamin C in the car and have them take a few each morning in the winter. It worked well for us. 

Here is a link to how I make a similar blend to "Thieves" that we use for bug spray. The five oils in "Thieves" oil are Cinnamon, Clove, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, and Lemon. They are all immune boosters or bacteria and Virus killers.

I buy the oils in bulk and make up my own mix to diffuse. Here is a link to yesterdays post where I talk about all the oils and diffusing them at home and links to most of my oil posts.

My sister, for my birthday last year, purchased this car diffuser for me as she knows I use oils all the time. It has little absorbent tabs you can slide into the end after putting a drop of essential oil on it. Then, you plug it into the lighter outlet and it heats up and puts the scent into the air. 

I won't leave it plugged into the car as the outlet works even when the car is off and it gets hot so I don't want a car fire. Also, on short trips around our small town, I don't often take the time to pull it out, drop in a scent and plug it in as I am in and out of shops running errands so the only time this would be functional is if I had a commute or when we travel. We have used it when we travel but when you heat up essential oils, you kill some of the benefits of the oil. 

If you want to learn more about this, there are many great books on oils and they all explain why this happens. I read a great one for my Nursing continuing education units which gave me a greater understanding of the healing benefits of Essential oils. There are many I own and they are all very good reading.

So, save yourself the money for the heated one and buying new tabs to put into them and just get an old car air freshener and your favorite blend or single oil and start enjoying the healing benefits, as well as the wonderful smell it will bring to your car.   

I made a video of me explaining how I use them on youtube if you want any more clarification. Otherwise, enjoy your driving! Here is a link to the video I made if you would rather watch that.