DIY Gel Air Freshener - With only a few ingredients you can make your own gel air fresheners! Decorate with some silk flowers or leaves and they are pretty enough to even give as gifts!
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So, I'm starting to accept the fact that fall is approaching. The days here are getting shorter already, the weather has been getting cooler, I have received more fall/harvest catalogs in the mail than I care to talk about and my oldest starts kindergarten next Tuesday! I suppose it's time to trade in the grill for the crock pot, the sandals for the boots, and the fresh air for air fresheners. Do you do this, too?
My house needs to smell good year-round. I'm a candle addict and have tried every air freshener imaginable from plug-ins and reed diffusers to oil/wax tart warmers and traditional candles. If you're averse to air fresheners we probably wouldn't get along that well, but even so, the DIY Gel Air Fresheners I'm sharing today are made with only four ingredients (for the gel) - one of them being distilled water.
And to welcome in fall, I thought it would be fun to throw some silk autumn leaves and berries into the jars to dress them up a little!
For those of you who love a nice smelling home like I do, I hope you enjoy this quick tutorial! Here's what you'll need to get started:
DIY Gel Air Fresheners
- 2 cups distilled water
- 1 oz. unflavored gelatin (equal to 4 envelopes)
- 1-2 tablespoons fragrance oil
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2-3 smaller glass jars
- Silk flowers, leaves or other additions you think would be fun!
Wash your glass jars out, dry them and position your silk flowers or other "decorative items" in the jars the way you would like them. Remember that this step is totally optional! If you just want the gel only, don't put anything else in the jars. You could always just add some food coloring to the gel if you'd like it to match a certain room, etc. Don't be afraid to be creative!
Then, it's time to get things started on the stove top! In a saucepan heat 1 ½ cups of the distilled water with the salt and stir until salt is dissolved.
Next you'll add the gelatin in, stir until that is dissolved and then remove the pan from the heat. Once the pan is removed from the burner, add the remaining ½ cup of distilled water and stir. Lastly, gently pour the fragrance oil in, stir again until well mixed, and then start adding the liquid to the jars. I used some fragrance oil I had with my candle-making supplies. I made sure to pick something with a wonderful autumnish (I don't think that's a word) scent!
It's okay if your silk flowers stick out above the liquid. I kind of like the 3D effect. In fact, I put my berries right on top.
Here's where you'll need to be patient. Put the jars in a safe place and allow them to cool overnight for the gel to form properly. The next day your air fresheners will be ready to use! These are so much fun to decorate for different rooms in the house or to give as gifts to friends and family. How do you plan to decorate yours? I'd love for you to share your ideas in the comments!
Gel Air Freshener
Materials
Instructions
- Wash your glass jars out, dry them and position your silk flowers or other "decorative items" in the jars the way you would like them. Remember that this step is totally optional!
- Then, it's time to get things started on the stove top! In a saucepan heat 1 ½ cups of the distilled water with the salt and stir until salt is dissolved.
- Next you'll add the gelatin in, stir until that is dissolved and then remove the pan from the heat. Once the pan is removed from the burner, add the remaining ½ cup of distilled water and stir.
- Lastly, gently pour the fragrance oil in, stir again until well mixed, and then start adding the liquid to the jars.
- It's okay if your silk flowers stick out above the liquid. I kind of like the 3D effect. In fact, I put my berries right on top.
- Here's where you'll need to be patient. Put the jars in a safe place and allow them to cool overnight for the gel to form properly. The next day your air fresheners will be ready to use!
Notes
- Personalization and Decoration: Take advantage of the opportunity to personalize your gel air fresheners by adding silk flowers, leaves, or other decorative items to the jars. This step allows you to customize the appearance of the air fresheners to match your decor or personal preferences. Experiment with different arrangements and combinations to create unique and visually appealing designs.
- Proper Dissolving of Ingredients: Ensure that the salt and gelatin are fully dissolved in the distilled water while heating on the stove. Stir the mixture continuously to facilitate the dissolution process and prevent any clumps or uneven distribution of ingredients. Properly dissolved ingredients contribute to the smooth texture and effectiveness of the gel air fresheners.
- Patience During Cooling: Exercise patience during the cooling process to allow the gel air fresheners to set properly. Place the jars in a safe location and allow them to cool overnight to ensure that the gel forms correctly. Rushing this step may result in incomplete setting of the gel, affecting the longevity and performance of the air fresheners. Once cooled and set, your homemade gel air fresheners will be ready to use, filling your space with delightful fragrance.
Laura Stark
Wow!! There's so many people I could give these to, with each one customized to the add-ins and scents! So smart of you!!
Thanks!!!!!!!
Sara
They are definitely great for gifts, especially around the holidays!
Dmaria
How creative are you??? Cannot wait to try this..great idea and thanks for sharing. I love autumn. My favorite time of year 🙂
Sara
Thanks so much, Dmaria! They are so easy to make and look and smell SO good!
Kirby
Where do you get your fragrances from? Any specifics for the fragrence, or will any scented oil work?
Sara
Any fragrance or essential oil will work. You can normally find them at a craft store. I've even heard of people using the liquid potpourri you can buy in the candle aisle of stores. That may be worth a shot as well! Good luck!
Mary
Sounds great! Where do I buy the fragrance oil?
Sara
Mary, head to your local craft store or there's always Amazon.com and other online retailers that have huge selections and many fragrance options to choose from!
Jen
Where can you find the gelatin? Any suggestions on the best place to find the oils?
Sara
Jen, you can find the gelatin in the same aisle you find normal JELL-O. Local craft stores will have the oils or you can find them online. Some people have even tried liquid potpourri and it has worked. I've never tried the potpourri, however.
Michelle
Going to be making these this afternoon in rosemary and lemon with a dried lemon slice and a sprig or two of rosemary... Also doing a bathroom one with shells in it with seaweed and juniper...
Thank you for sharing these will be added to my homemade gifts for all occasions... xx
Sara
Michelle, those are awesome ideas! They sound so pretty. I'm sure they'll turn out great!
Maria
These sound great. Glad to be able to make something without all those chemicals from the ones you buy in the store. Do you have to use distilled water or can you use filtered water? Thanks.
Sara
Filtered would probably be okay, Maria. Good luck!
Maria
I tried these and they came out cloudy and gray. They looked fine until I added the fragrance oils then they turned cloudy and gray. Could the quality of the fragrance oils make a difference? I purchased one at the dollar store and the other came from a store in our local farmers market. I also used filtered water and not distilled water. Not sure if this would have made a difference. Any suggestions? I took picture and can send them to you. Thanks for your help.
Sara
Hi Maria, it could be the fragrance oil, particularly the color of the oil, if there is any color to it. Try again with a clearer fragrance oil and experiment with different kinds. I used candle fragrance oil for the fresheners I made and I didn't seem to have a problem with discoloration.
Maria
Thanks Sara. The fragrance oils were both clear. Maybe I will try to find the candle fragrance oil and try again.
Sara
Good luck, Maria. I hope the next batch turns out for you! Fingers crossed!
Kayla
This is awesome! I love that you can pick and choose what scents you want ^.^
Jamie
These look really neat.
I have a question though: why do you use salt?
Sara
Hi Jamie, the salt helps prevent mold from forming on the gelatin!
Jamie
Oh, that makes sense, thanks!
Sara
You bet!
Amy
How is the scent throw? I suppose it sort of depends on how much fragrance oil you use...
But when I use an air freshener I'd like it to scent a large area, and I was wondering how these did.Then again, if nothing else, they sure are pretty!
Thank you for sharing this idea 🙂
Sara
The scent throw is dependent on how much fragrance oil you use. Right now I have the fresheners in my bathroom and my kitchen. When I walk into the bathroom I can smell it right away. For the kitchen, I need to be closer to the jar in order to smell it. These would probably do best in a bathroom, bedroom or laundry room space! Good luck!
Stacey
Have you ever had any problems with mold or anything where these are made with gelatin? I'd love to make these as gifts so I want to be super sure they won't.
Sara
Hi Stacey! No I haven't had any problems with mold and it's been weeks since I've made them!
Elena
I use candles all the time but I don't use air fresheners. I love the idea of making my own with just a few ingredients. Will definitely be make some. Thanks for sharing.
Sara
Elena, you definitely should! Good luck and enjoy!
Sydney @Tastefully Frugal
What a great idea! What do you think of candy corn on top? May make a few with a Halloween theme... I'm thinking plastic spiders and skulls. Fun mommy treats for our Halloween party.
Sara
Sydney, I think candy corn would be so much fun and so would the spiders and other Halloween goodies. These are so versatile you can design them using whatever theme you can dream up!
Kelley
This is such a fun idea! I didn't realize how easy there were to make! Pinning so I can try it soon!
Sara
Yes, Kelley, they're super simple to make and they honestly have a pretty decent scent throw. Good luck!
Sam M. | Atkinson Drive
This looks awesome - I can't wait to try it!
Sara
They were so easy to make, Sam! You definitely need to whip some up!