How to choose or make the right air freshener for the toilet?
The first air fresheners were developed and put on sale in the middle of the last century. Now they are so in demand that lines of several varieties of air fresheners have been established, differing in properties, release form and consistency, to suit every consumer taste.
Essential oil for toilet
Most often, people use air freshener in the toilet. It develops an unpleasant odor that can only be destroyed by a strong aroma. To prepare such a mixture, we need essential oil. You can use any, choose your favorite scent so that the aroma is not harsh, but pleasant.
To make it yourself, you need to drop a little essential oil onto a piece of cotton wool, put it in a small jar and place it on the radiator for a while. The heat will cause the oil to evaporate and smell. After this, move the jar to the toilet. To prevent the smell from decreasing, you need to periodically add a little oil. It is good to use cedar, pine or orange oil.
You can make an automatic air freshener in the form of a spray. We will need:
- Water;
- Essential oil;
- Spray container.
Use any spray bottle. An empty glass washing container will do. Pour water and 20 drops of essential oil into it. Shake well. This air freshener absorbs unpleasant odors well. You can spray your room with it and enjoy the freshness.
If you want a more concentrated DIY formula, make a spray with vinegar. To do this you will need:
- Water;
- Flavor;
- Vinegar;
- Spray bottle.
Mix a glass of water with half a glass of vinegar. Pour 5 drops of flavored oil into the liquid, stir and pour into the bottle. Vinegar eliminates unnecessary odor without a trace, and essential oil refreshes.
Kinds
An extensive family of devices, united under the name “air freshener,” includes fragrances, deodorants, sprays, and gels. According to the spraying method, they are distinguished:
- manual (balloon) means;
- automatic devices;
- combined action.
Which one to choose is determined based on the initial data - the area of the room, the neglect of the situation. Sometimes it is more convenient to replace industrially produced deodorants and air flavorings with homemade, oil-based ones, as they are environmentally friendly and harmless to humans.
According to the operating principle
All air fresheners used in everyday life are divided into fragrances (“embellishing” the smell in the room) and deodorants - those compounds that act on the irritating component at the molecular level.
Each group has its own relative advantages and disadvantages. If you are allergic to strong, strong odors, then it is better to choose a deodorizing option. A compromise solution involves combining both solutions in one bottle.
Flavors
The most common air fresheners. A few short presses on the spray cap are enough to fill the space with the fresh aroma of meadow herbs or sea breeze. One problem: when applied to the underlying component (unpleasant amber), the freshener can create an unimaginable combination of odors, because it does not eliminate the cause of the discomfort, but only masks it.
Deodorants
Much more effective than air flavorings, they do not contain perfume fragrances. But they destroy the structure of the odor and most effectively eliminate its nature.
Combined
This group combines the advantages of both previous ones. At the same time it improves the smell and destroys molecules.
By release form
Ease of use, as well as healthy competition between manufacturers, provides for the release of several different options for sprayers:
- “manual”, in cans;
- automatic;
- with a combined system.
Next, we will consider each type separately in detail.
Aerosols in cylinders
One of the most common types. Present in supermarkets, on the shelves of hardware stores, and markets. They are distinguished by the variety of scents offered, convenient release form, and ease of use. But the main advantage is the affordable price.
Automatic sprayers
Special devices that periodically release a stream of aromatic substance into the air.
Then you should monitor the consumption of the cylinder and change it on time. Another point is the dependence of the flavor on the energy source
It doesn’t matter whether it’s charging batteries or powering from a household network. Without electricity, the device loses its advantages
Combined
A combination of several spraying methods achieves the most complete effect. That is, there are 2 modes: manual and automatic. Unfortunately, such products are not suitable for cleaning the toilet bowl. A separate, special group of flavors is intended for this - float, dry, lowered into the flush tank.
Flavors for flushing
These are highly specialized products for refreshing the bowl and filling the tank with flavored (sometimes tinted) liquid. They are divided into suspended, submersible, dry and gel.
Dry ones are glued under the rim onto a previously cleaned surface from the inside. Gel ones are placed in a hanging container, washed with water and create a wave of pleasant smell. The tablets for the tank are placed directly into the storage container, gradually dissolve and fill the bowl with a colored, flavoring liquid.
The presence of any of the listed products does not relieve owners from the need to periodically sanitize the toilet and replace consumables.
Gel toilet fresheners
The recipe is one of the highest quality and is liked by many housewives. To prepare this toilet air freshener, you need to buy gelatin.
- In a glass of warm water, dilute a pack of gelatin. Mix the mixture thoroughly with your hands so that there are no lumps.
- Add a teaspoon of glycerin there. This must be done, then the gel will not dry out.
- Pour in a couple of drops of pine or lavender oil.
- Add half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
The gel freshener turns out beautiful if you add a little dye to it. This bright mass is placed in an open glass jar and placed in the toilet.
There is another way to prepare a gel air freshener. To do this, take two bowls. In one, steam 15 g of gelatin in warm liquid. In another, mix a tablespoon of salt, a little essential oil and half a glass of vinegar. Add a couple of drops of dye and mix the two mixtures. We take ice molds, put the gel in there and put them in the freezer. When the mixture hardens, take out the frozen pieces and put them in the water tank in the toilet. With each flush, the automatic freshener disinfects the water and kills bacteria.
Effervescent helium bomb for toilet
The effervescent bomb can be placed in the toilet block or flush cistern. To prepare you will need:
- citric acid - 2 tbsp. l.;
- baking soda – 300 g;
- toothpaste – 50 g;
- automatic machine powder – 100 g;
- gelatin – 1 pack (25 g);
- any essential oil, but it is better to choose one with an antibacterial effect - 10 drops.
Tea tree, eucalyptus, juniper, wormwood, sandalwood, bergamot, cedar are oils with an antibacterial effect.
It is better to combine no more than three scents belonging to the same group, for example:
- conifers - pine, cedar, spruce;
- fruit - strawberry, orange, mango;
- floral – rose, violet, geranium.
Pour 80 ml of water at room temperature into a metal bowl and add gelatin, leave to swell for 30-40 minutes. Then place the bowl with gelatin in a water bath for 7-10 minutes, stirring constantly. When the gelatin has completely dissolved, pour soda, citric acid, powder, toothpaste into a bowl and add essential oils. Knead all ingredients well, roll into small balls, or you can use ice (baking) molds. Leave to dry for 2-3 hours. Place the finished balls in a toilet block or lower them into a cistern.
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Air freshener made from baby soap and vinegar
This product is suitable for a removable block on the toilet. Ingredients:
- Baby soap;
- Vinegar;
- Soda;
- Flavor;
- Glycerol;
- Water.
It's not difficult to make. Grate a pack of baby soap with small holes, add two tablespoons of soda, a spoonful of glycerin and a little vinegar. A reaction will occur, the soda will begin to hiss and rise. Pour in any flavoring you like; the smell should be strong enough. Dilute the product with water to form a thick mass. Mix and pour into the used block. Hang the product on the toilet. The advantage of such an air freshener is that the soap does not become soggy in lumps, but is consumed gradually. The toilet will be clean without any chemicals, due to the antibacterial properties of baby soap, soda and vinegar.
Antibacterial and refreshing toilet soap
When making soap, they use soap remnants, which often remain in every home.
- remnants – 4-5 pcs.;
- glycerin – 1 tbsp. l.;
- Domestos – 50 g;
- soda - 1 pack;
- grapefruit, eucalyptus, tea tree oil 5 drops each.
Grate the soap and melt it in a water bath, add glycerin, Domestos, soda and oils. Mix the resulting mass thoroughly and divide into small pieces, which are rolled into balls. Apply them after 3-4 hours, when they dry.
Baking soda for toilet freshness
It is important for all of us that the toilet not only smells pleasant, but is also crystal clean. One way to do this is with baking soda. It will not only remove all bad odors, but also disinfect the toilet room. There are several recipes for making your own air freshener in the form of disinfection tablets. Here are the most effective of them.
First recipe
We will need:
- Soda;
- Vinegar;
- Lemon acid;
- Hydrogen peroxide;
- Essential oil.
Pour a glass of soda into a large bowl, add a quarter cup of citric acid, a large spoonful of hydrogen peroxide and a teaspoon of vinegar. Mix thoroughly. At the end, add a little flavoring. Using a spoon, spread the product onto the paper in small portions and leave to dry for a couple of hours. After that, we collect the peculiar tablets in a jar and use them in the toilet. Every family has used disinfection containers that are attached to the toilet. We put one tablet in them and every time you wash them off, the room will smell like essential oil. An automatic air freshener will kill all germs.
Second recipe
Mix baking soda and citric acid one to three. Add several types of antibacterial essential oil to the mixture. This can be lavender, lemon and mint oil. Each one needs at least 30 drops. Mix everything well and if the product is too dry, add water. Pour the liquid carefully in small portions to avoid the reaction of citric acid and soda. You need to bring the mass to the state of clay so that it sculpts well. Make small balls out of it and leave to dry. The next day, you can use an automatic toilet freshener.
The simplest version of an air freshener made from soda
You need to take a small container and pour a little soda into it. Drop a little oil inside for scent. Cover the top of the jar with foil, cutting small holes in it so that the product vents and fills the toilet with aroma. This is a quality handmade product.
People with allergies can use this method to absorb odor. Pour water into a spray bottle and add a spoonful of baking soda and vinegar. Shake well. This product has antiseptic properties. It can be sprayed directly into the toilet to remove germs. This homemade fragrance does not smell of anything, it simply absorbs the unpleasant odor. Suitable for allergy sufferers and small children.
Varieties
The range of air fresheners is constantly expanding. The products differ not only in their composition and smell, but also in their principle of action.
The main classification is as follows:
- aerosol cans;
- microsprays;
- gels;
- wall mounted electronic devices;
- dry fresheners in the form of plates for toilet bowls;
- automatic sprayers.
Air fresheners in the form of sprays are the most common option for such products. Aerosols are easy to use. To spray the scented composition, just shake the can, remove the cap and press the button.
Microsprays do not differ in their operating principle from standard aerosols. The difference lies in the composition of the mixture and the resulting effect. Microspray is more concentrated, which allows you to effectively deal with unpleasant odors and fill the room with a pleasant aroma longer. The product comes in the form of a small case with replaceable cans, which is attached to the wall.
Gel fresheners are a small cartridge containing a scented gel. The cartridge is placed in a special frame, which is mounted on a stand. The convenience of this type lies in the fact that the gel constantly fills the air with a pleasant aroma until it dries completely. The cartridge can then be easily replaced with a new one.
Electronic devices for combating unpleasant odors have appeared relatively recently. The devices operate from the electrical network or battery. The device is equipped with replaceable aerosol cans or gel cartridges.
The devices are equipped with special sensors that allow you to adjust the operating mode of the device:
- Set the frequency and intensity of spraying.
- Adjust the operating time of the device.
- Set limits on the spraying of the freshener. For example, the sensor may respond when a light is turned on.
Toilet fresheners can be produced in the form of dry solid plates or special blocks containing gel. When the water is washed off, part of the substance is removed and aromatizes the air.
Toothpaste freshener
Instead of expensive, not always effective products, you can use ordinary toothpaste in the toilet for freshness. The cheapest paste with a strong mint flavor will do.
In order to get a good air flavor, a new tube is pierced from different sides with a thick needle and placed in the toilet flush cistern.
Water flows into the pierced areas, washing out the paste, and until the tube runs out, there will always be a fresh minty smell in the toilet.
Industrial products
And yet, before thinking about how to make a freshener yourself, I would recommend analyzing the range of available ready-made products. Still, the perfume industry does not stand still, and if you can find a scent that will not irritate you (and even more so if the price is reasonable), then you should not waste time on chemical experiments at home.
Classification of compositions
Almost all products available for mass sale can be divided into two groups:
- flavorings - various compounds characterized by a strong and pleasant (at least from the manufacturer’s point of view) aroma. Once in the air, flavor molecules have virtually no contact with suspended substances, but simply “clog” the unpleasant odor, affecting our receptors more intensely.
- deodorants - despite the popularity of the name, this group is represented by a limited number of brands. The thing is that the principle of operation of an air deodorant is to bind the molecules responsible for the appearance of an unpleasant odor and convert them into an inactive form. As a rule, deodorants have practically no odor of their own, and during production they additionally add fragrance.
To one degree or another, most flavorings contain deodorizing components, but their effectiveness is low. So if you are sensitive to extraneous odors, then it is better to find a fairly expensive deodorant with a neutral composition.
Aerosol can and automatic sprinkler
In addition to the principle of operation, industrial production means can be divided into groups according to the form of release. Manufacturing companies offer several classifications, but from my point of view, the most convenient is the one shown in the table below:
| Release form | Description |
| Aerosol | The most common variety, used almost everywhere. The air freshener is pumped into a can under pressure and then sprayed into the bathroom. The advantages of this solution are simplicity, compactness, low cost of most formulations and a wide range of aromas. The disadvantages I would include are not the best efficiency of most air fresheners, as well as a short operating time and the need to periodically spray the composition yourself. |
| Autodispenser | The principle of operation of an autodispenser is somewhat similar to an aerosol can, but in this case the liquid is poured into the spray tank. Depending on the settings, the sprayer releases a cloud of small droplets into the air either at the press of a button or when a timer is triggered (usually set to an interval of 15 to 30 minutes). Most models on the market consist of two parts: a wall/floor dispenser, which is quite expensive, and replaceable cartridges. The fact that flavor cartridges are not universal is a significant disadvantage: a situation may arise when you cannot find consumables for your model, and there will be nothing to replace them with. |
| Aroma block | Unlike aerosol forms, scent blocks are permanent. They are reservoirs with a gel or solid base impregnated with a volatile composition. Once the tank is opened, the contents gradually evaporate, eliminating unpleasant odors and adding the scent of your choice to the space. The obvious disadvantage is that it is not very effective: the device copes well in the background, but it clearly cannot suppress a strong “amber”. |
| Block for cistern/toilet | In principle, these compositions are included in a separate category, since they refresh the air not directly, but indirectly, through rinsed water. The aromatic block is either lowered into the tank or attached under the rim of the toilet bowl: when flushed, part of the active substance dissolves, forming foam. In principle, this is a fairly effective solution, but the composition is consumed quite quickly, so the costs will not be the smallest. |
Flushable composition for toilet bowl
I won’t risk giving a definite answer to the question of which air freshener is best to buy: it is obvious that all options have pros and cons. From the point of view of comfort (and not economy), I would use a combined option: automatic aerosol + tablets for flavoring water in the drain tank.
Solid citrus flavor
Citrus fruits for freshness in the toilet
Oranges and lemons contain many substances that have antimicrobial and antifungal properties. They will thoroughly disinfect and refresh the toilet without additional chemicals. It’s easy to make your own air freshener from these fruits. You will need:
- Vodka;
- Lemon;
- Water;
- Orange.
We cut off the skin in a thick layer from citrus fruits and put the peelings in a jar of vodka. Let it sit for several days. Dilute the mixture halfway with water. Then pour it into a spray bottle. You can add orange essential oil to the liquid to enhance the aroma. Spray as needed in the toilet. A bottle will last for a month.
You might be interested in
- How to get rid of odors in the toilet
- How to clean a toilet cistern
- How to make an air fragrance with your own hands?
Peculiarities
Toilet air freshener is used to eliminate unpleasant odors. High-quality compositions instantly fill the room with freshness and a pleasant aroma. Some air fresheners can also act as a disinfectant, killing harmful bacteria in the air. The properties of the product are primarily affected by its chemical composition.
Air fresheners have different operating principles. There are flavoring, deodorizing and combined products. Fragrances do not kill the unpleasant odor, but only hide it. Such products, as a rule, have a persistent and strong aroma that affects the olfactory receptors, which allows them to mask bad odors in the room.
Deodorizing fresheners act on the molecules themselves, which are responsible for the formation of bad odors, neutralizing them. Deodorants are usually produced without fragrance. Scented deodorizing fresheners belong to the category of combined products.
