Air Freshening Tabs - Make these tablets with only three ingredients and then place anywhere that needs some freshness like the bottom of garbage pails or in closets. After about a month, crumble them into your laundry for another boost of scent!
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Raise your hand if you're getting tired of this cold weather. If you could see me through your screen, I have two arms up in the air right now! Cold weather is not my thing. Why do I live in Wisconsin, you ask? To be close to family. Oh, and the other seasons here are absolutely stunning. But winter, nope, I'm not interested.
One of the problems with winter is the stale air. It's been so cold lately that you just don't want to be opening windows throughout the house if you know what I mean. We're paying a pretty penny to heat this baby! The only way I would open a window at this time of year is if we had a horrible sickness in the house or I set our home on fire while pretending I was a contestant on the TV show Chopped. Who else adores that show? Love.
Okay, so back to where I was going with this. . .I'm the type of person who needs my home to smell nice. . .all the time. I have more scent warmers, candles and deodorizers than probably my entire neighborhood combined. Just ask my husband. I can't help it. It's a bit of a weakness.
What do you do with these tablets, you ask? There's a ton you can do with them. . .place them in a closet, put them under a sink, hide them at the bottom of garbage cans, throw one behind the toilet in the bathroom, place one in a bowl under your the seats of your car. Put them anywhere that needs a bit of "freshness."
These tablets are super easy to make, with only 3 ingredients! Do you already use the Downy Unstopables in your wash? I use way more than I should in each and every load because I love them so much. The "Fresh" scent is my favorite but you can use whatever scent that appeals to you. If you don't have the scent booster, you could always use essential oils as well.
Let's get started!
Ingredients & Materials
- 2 cups baking soda
- ⅔ cup distilled water
- 1 cup Downy Unstopables In Wash Booster or 8-10 drops essential oil
- Silicone mold
- Begin by combining the baking soda and the water until the consistency of the paste gets pretty thick.
- Stir in the scent booster or essential oil.
- Spoon the mixture into the silicone mold. I filled each of the cups about ¼ of the way.
- Allow tablets to dry for 48-72 hours.
I know, I know. The last step is brutal, isn't it? Who wants to wait? Well, you do. You'll need to. The tablets need to dry out completely before you can use them.
Here's what the tablets looked like when I popped them out of the mold. I ran around the house placing them everywhere. Don't take too big of whiff up close, they are pretty strong - they need to be in order to scent a larger room.
I'm able to keep my tablets in place for about a month. After that, you know what I do? I crumble them up and throw them in the wash with a load of laundry. Brilliant? Yes. I love that I'm making those little scent boosters do twice the work - first as an air freshener and then as a scent booster in my laundry! BONUS!
I would love to hear how you plan to use your air freshening tablets in the comments! It's so much fun to share ideas and I always seem to learn something new from all of you!
LOOKING FOR MORE DIY CLEANING IDEAS?
Air Freshening Tabs
Materials
- 2 cups Baking soda
- ⅔ cup Distilled water
- 1 cup Downy Unstopables In Wash Booster or essential oil
- 8-10 drops Silicone mold
Instructions
- Begin by combining the baking soda and the water until the consistency of the paste gets pretty thick.
- Stir in the scent booster or essential oil.
- Spoon the mixture into the silicone mold. I filled each of the cups about ¼ of the way.
- Allow tablets to dry for 48-72 hours.
Notes
- Consistency Check: When mixing the baking soda and water, aim for a thick paste-like consistency. If the mixture is too runny, the tabs may not hold their shape well, making it difficult to remove them from the mold or leading to crumbling.
- Scent Selection: Consider the strength of the scent booster or essential oil you're using. Adjust the amount according to your preference, keeping in mind that the fragrance will disperse gradually over time. Start with a conservative amount and add more if needed after testing the initial batch.
- Patience in Drying: Allow the air freshening tabs to dry thoroughly before attempting to remove them from the mold. Rushing this step may result in tabs that are too fragile or moist, causing them to break apart. Give them ample time—ideally 48 to 72 hours—to ensure they are completely dry and solid.
Anonymous
I can't wait to make these! Thanks for sharing 😊
Amir
hi, lot of thanks for your thoughtful and clever diy idea!
can make the tabs in colors?
thank you again 🙋
Sara
I suppose you could potentially add some color to the freshening tabs however you'd need to be careful that whatever dye or colorant you add doesn't transfer to surfaces.
lou
hi, can you put the air freshener tablets in a ice cube tray
Sara
Sure! They may, however, be a bit more tricky to get out of the tray and because of the smaller size, you may need a couple to be effective.
Nesley Henry
Thanks for the natural way. Have found what I was looking for.
Juliet
wow, this is nice. I cannot stand a stale room but I live with a person who is allergic to cold air. I will definitely try this out
Lisa
Where do I find a silicone mold? Can I form them in an ice cube tray?
Sara
I linked to the silicone mold I used right in the blog post. Just click on the link. I would recommend a silicone mold over an ice cube tray because the tabs will be easier to pop out of the silicone mold when they're dry and ready.
Anonymous
I can't wait to make these! Thanks for sharing 😊
Tara
Ahh!! You, my friend, are a GENIUS. First- they look like those toilet tank bleach tabs lol. 2nd- love that you gave a natural option for those who prefer it. 3rd- LOVE the 2nd life idea for them!! So smart, and last I love that you are addicted to "smelly-good-things" like me. I can't get enough. I-HAVE to make these ASAP. But first need the mold. Darn it. I guess I have to wait 2 whole days. Thanks for this AWESOME idea!
BTW do you have an HE top loading washer with low water by chance? Or any of those combos? Do you put the disk in first before any clothes, or break it up on top of the clothes like you would sprinkling regular baking soda in a load of laundry? Maybe I missed thsy part bc I was so excited. Thanks!!
Sara
Hi Tara! Thanks so much for the sweet comment! I do have a top loading washer but it's not HE. I usually break the disc up and sprinkle it over the clothes before starting the cycle. Good luck to you!!
anita agius
I made
these, BUT they never got hard, it's been 2 days now, Why?
Sara
These tabs can take up to three days to dry. A couple other reasons why they may not be drying as quickly as you'd expect could be due to too much water in the tablet, high humidity or the mold material. Silicone molds seem to work best.
1928
do you have a fridge freshener idea
Sara
Have you tried an open box of baking soda in the fridge? Another idea would be to soak a piece of paper toweling in vinegar, place it in the bowl and put it to the back of your fridge. The vinegar should neutralize the odor in the fridge. Good luck!
Monique
I just made a batch of the air freshener tabs. My home smells great already but why do have the feeling that I did something wrong as I needed 3 molds to empty the bowl with the mixture and there are still whole "beads" visible. Unfortunately I cannot show the picture I took. Still I hope for the best! Time will tell if it all works out?.
Maybe next I make just half of the recipe.?