Gel Air Freshener: Make Your Own Gel Air Freshener Naturally

This DIY gel air freshener is fun to make, give away as gifts, and makes your house smell like your favorite smells like pine or cinnamon.

As we get closer to Christmas, I really want my home to smell like the holidays. I have a real tree, but it just doesn’t seem like enough scent to me. I’ve come up with some quick and easy gel air freshener that will scent any room beautifully.

DIY Gel Air Fresheners

This gel air freshener recipe is easy to make and takes just a few ingredients, many of which you probably have in your kitchen already.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons gelatin
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup vodka
• 1/4 teaspoon potassium sorbate
• food coloring
• essential oils
• 4-4ounce mason jars

Instructions

1. Begin making the gel air freshener by sprinkling the gelatin over one cup of lukewarm water. I use a glass bowl, but stainless steel will work too. Plastic bowls will take on the color and scent and be difficult to fully clean.
2. Let the gelatin and water sit for about 15 minutes to bloom. This is when the gelatin gets rehydrated by the water.
3. Next, pour into a non-reactive pan and heat for a few minutes. You’ll just need to heat it long enough to fully dissolve the gelatin.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit.
5. After it has cooled some, add the potassium sorbate and stir well. Add the remaining amount of water and the vodka. Stir well. Add a few drops of food color and stir well.
6. When you have your gel air freshener the color you want, you can add the essential oils. For this amount, 30 drops or so will be enough. The amount of oil you use will depend on the type of oil and your nose. Patchouli is very heavy and you’ll want less oil than say, lavender, which has a lighter scent.

Notes

When you have your gel scented and colored, you can then pour it into the small mason jars. Place these in the refrigerator for a few hours. When they are set, bring them out of the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature. You can then cover them until you are ready to use them or give them as gifts. Be sure to label the jars as air freshener so they aren’t mixed up with jam!

Gel Air Freshener Ingredient Info and Tips

You can also make this vegan by using 2 teaspoons of agar agar instead of gelatin.

Potassium sorbate is used as a safe, non-toxic mold and bacteria inhibitor. Because these are made with natural ingredients, there is always a possibility of mold.

Vodka is used in conjunction with potassium sorbate as a preservative. You can use rubbing alcohol instead, but that smell will be hard to cover up.

Salt can be used in place of the potassium sorbate, but it can cause your gel air freshener to not gel, or melt.

If your gel dries out too quickly, add a small amount (like a teaspoon) of liquid vegetable glycerin. Glycerin is a humectant that draws moisture out of the air.

Be sure to use only plain gelatin, and not any of the flavored ones. These contain sugar which will almost certainly cause mold to form.

Make More!

These gel air fresheners can last for weeks. Once your gel dries out, simply scrape the remainder out of the jar, clean it well and make some more.

Gel air freshener are fun and easy to make. Why not whip some up today?

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