How To Turn Fabric Softener Into A Multipurpose Air Freshener

Keeping your house smelling nice can be a chore — especially if you have pets or children! Also, air freshening products add an extra expense to your household. Luckily, there's a quick and affordable way to freshen up your home with liquid fabric softener. This DIY TikTok hack uses only a few ingredients and is an affordable and multipurpose replacement for traditional air fresheners.

Posted by @candacehb, this TikTok video illustrates how you can combine fabric softener and water in a spray bottle to create an air freshening spray. Since this hack's main ingredient is fabric softener, you can choose any brand or scent you prefer — whether that's one with more natural ingredients or a scent you enjoy smelling. While using only fabric softener and water will create a good air freshener, adding baking soda to your solution can help to absorb bad odors and make this spray even more effective.

In the video, we watch as someone pours fabric softener directly into a spray bottle. They then add water from the sink and shake the bottle. The mixture is then shown being sprayed on carpets, curtains, and upholstery. While pouring the ingredients straight into the bottle will work, using a measuring cup will help to avoid spills and keep track of how much you use.

To make this air freshener, combine an ⅛ cup of the fabric softener of your choice, 2 tablespoons of baking soda, and a little warm water. Mixing the main ingredients together before putting them into the bottle should make it easier to create. Once your solution is in the bottle, fill it the rest of the way with warm water and shake it until the baking soda has dissolved. If you use colder water, the baking soda could become clumpy and will make the solution difficult to spray.

This homemade air freshening spray is multipurpose, so it can be used in the air or on mattresses, rugs, carpets, couches or armchairs, fabrics, or anywhere you find not-so-great smells around your home. If you want your spray to have a stronger scent, you can add more air freshener to your solution. If you prefer a lighter scent, you can add less.

For an air freshener with fewer chemicals, you can try using a fabric softener with more natural ingredients like Downy Natural Blends.  Using an air freshener with all-natural ingredients will also help if you have sensitive skin and are using the spray on bedding or furniture. Since this trick only uses a small amount of fabric softener and baking soda, each bottle is fairly inexpensive to make. As an added bonus, you can use the leftover softener for laundry or save it for when your air freshener runs out.