Automatic Air Fresheners

If you find yourself dealing with uninspiring smells in your bathroom, you’re not alone. Air fresheners and bathrooms have gone hand in hand since before anyone can remember. However, when using a traditional spray air freshener, the scent delivery is up to you. If you are looking for a more discreet product, which maintains a pleasant scent over the long-term instead of masking it temporarily, an automatic air freshener is a more reliable option.

Features

An automatic air freshener is a small unit including a small container filled with concentrated liquid. Most versions of this product are refillable and you can choose the type of scent you want.

The scent is released through a dispenser at regular intervals. Some products, such at the Glade Sense & Spray Automatic Air Freshener, use a sensor to determine when to spray. When the sensor is activated, the scent is dispersed. When the container needs to be refilled, the unit may beep or flash to alert you. Most automatic products are powered by batteries, while others can be plugged directly into a wall outlet. In a bathroom, wall outlets can be scarce, so make sure that you have available plugs if you opt for a pluggable version.

How to Use

Each type of automatic air freshener comes with specific instructions as to how to use the product. However, most are not complicated in the least. You may have to insert batteries according to the product instructions. The unit may come already filled with the scented liquid, in which case it is ready for use. If you are refilling your unit, simply purchase the refill packs and follow the guidelines on the back of the product to install them.

Product Information

Automatic air fresheners are manufactured by companies such as SC Johnson and Procter & Gamble. Common brand names include Lysol, Glade, Air Wick, and Febreze. In the case of automatic air fresheners, most products come with a starter kit, including a dispensing unit and one refill. These kits are not expensive; they are usually between $10 and $20. Additional refills will cost extra.

Advantages and Disadvantages

The benefit of an automatic air freshener is that you don’t need to worry about spraying it yourself. In addition, you can choose the interval between sprays. Most often, these range between 5 and 45 minutes. If you want to simply turn the product off for a period of time – for instance, if you only want to use it when you are entertaining – all you have to do is push a button on the top. However, not everyone who has bought an automatic air freshener walks away happy. Sometimes the scent is too strong and the intervals aren’t far enough apart, causing those who are sensitive to perfumes to get headaches. Another problem is that the dispenser makes a mechanic spritzing sound each time it delivers a scent, which is less discreet than one might hope for. Finally, air fresheners that spray when they sense movement may spray too often if there is a lot of movement in a crowded room.