DIY toilet air freshener

A restroom is a room in an apartment or house that is visited by all people living in the home almost most often. Therefore, it would be useful to make sure that doing this is more pleasant. This is not only about the interior of the plumbing unit and the equipment used. It is equally important to eliminate the unpleasant odor that the toilet may emit - homemade fresheners will help you effectively deal with it.

You can use homemade air fresheners to combat unpleasant odors in the toilet.

Essential oil for toilet

Most often, people use air freshener in the toilet. It develops an unpleasant odor that can only be destroyed by a strong aroma. To prepare such a mixture, we need essential oil. You can use any, choose your favorite scent so that the aroma is not harsh, but pleasant.

To make it yourself, you need to drop a little essential oil onto a piece of cotton wool, put it in a small jar and place it on the radiator for a while. The heat will cause the oil to evaporate and smell. After this, move the jar to the toilet. To prevent the smell from decreasing, you need to periodically add a little oil. It is good to use cedar, pine or orange oil.

You can make an automatic air freshener in the form of a spray. We will need:

Water;
Essential oil;
Spray container.

Use any spray bottle. An empty glass washing container will do. Pour water and 20 drops of essential oil into it. Shake well. This air freshener absorbs unpleasant odors well. You can spray your room with it and enjoy the freshness.

If you want a more concentrated DIY formula, make a spray with vinegar. To do this you will need:

Water;
Flavor;
Vinegar;
Spray bottle.

Mix a glass of water with half a glass of vinegar. Pour 5 drops of flavored oil into the liquid, stir and pour into the bottle. Vinegar eliminates unnecessary odor without a trace, and essential oil refreshes.

Gelatin based

Making gelatin-based balls is a lot like making jelly. You will need 50 grams of gelatin, 2 tbsp. spoons of a 9 percent solution of vinegar, salt and soda and a glass of water at room temperature.

Gelatin is poured into water and left to swell for 20-30 minutes. Afterwards, the container is placed in a pan with hot water and, stirring, brought to a water bath until completely dissolved. It is important not to let the water boil, otherwise the mixture will not harden. After complete dissolution, the gelatin is filtered and mixed with the remaining ingredients. If desired, dyes and aromatic oils are added to add scent. The resulting mixture is cooled and later divided into small parts, ready for use.

Due to the high concentration of gelatin, the balls bear little resemblance to the usual “quivering” jelly. They have a fairly dense consistency and are easy to cut with a knife, maintaining their shape.

Gel toilet fresheners

The recipe is one of the highest quality and is liked by many housewives. To prepare this toilet air freshener, you need to buy gelatin.

In a glass of warm water, dilute a pack of gelatin. Mix the mixture thoroughly with your hands so that there are no lumps.
Add a teaspoon of glycerin there. This must be done, then the gel will not dry out.
Pour in a couple of drops of pine or lavender oil.
Add half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

The gel freshener turns out beautiful if you add a little dye to it. This bright mass is placed in an open glass jar and placed in the toilet.

There is another way to prepare a gel air freshener. To do this, take two bowls. In one, steam 15 g of gelatin in warm liquid. In another, mix a tablespoon of salt, a little essential oil and half a glass of vinegar. Add a couple of drops of dye and mix the two mixtures. We take ice molds, put the gel in there and put them in the freezer. When the mixture hardens, take out the frozen pieces and put them in the water tank in the toilet. With each flush, the automatic freshener disinfects the water and kills bacteria.

Air freshener made from baby soap and vinegar

This product is suitable for a removable block on the toilet. Ingredients:

Baby soap;
Vinegar;
Soda;
Flavor;
Glycerol;
Water.

It's not difficult to make. Grate a pack of baby soap with small holes, add two tablespoons of soda, a spoonful of glycerin and a little vinegar. A reaction will occur, the soda will begin to hiss and rise. Pour in any flavoring you like; the smell should be strong enough. Dilute the product with water to form a thick mass. Mix and pour into the used block. Hang the product on the toilet. The advantage of such an air freshener is that the soap does not become soggy in lumps, but is consumed gradually. The toilet will be clean without any chemicals, due to the antibacterial properties of baby soap, soda and vinegar.

Industrial products

And yet, before thinking about how to make a freshener yourself, I would recommend analyzing the range of available ready-made products. Still, the perfume industry does not stand still, and if you can find a scent that will not irritate you (and even more so if the price is reasonable), then you should not waste time on chemical experiments at home.

Classification of compositions

Almost all products available for mass sale can be divided into two groups:

flavorings - various compounds characterized by a strong and pleasant (at least from the manufacturer’s point of view) aroma. Once in the air, flavor molecules have virtually no contact with suspended substances, but simply “clog” the unpleasant odor, affecting our receptors more intensely.
deodorants - despite the popularity of the name, this group is represented by a limited number of brands. The thing is that the principle of operation of an air deodorant is to bind the molecules responsible for the appearance of an unpleasant odor and convert them into an inactive form. As a rule, deodorants have practically no odor of their own, and during production they additionally add fragrance.

To one degree or another, most flavorings contain deodorizing components, but their effectiveness is low. So if you are sensitive to extraneous odors, then it is better to find a fairly expensive deodorant with a neutral composition.

Aerosol can and automatic sprinkler

In addition to the principle of operation, industrial production means can be divided into groups according to the form of release. Manufacturing companies offer several classifications, but from my point of view, the most convenient is the one shown in the table below:

Release form	Description
Aerosol	The most common variety, used almost everywhere. The air freshener is pumped into a can under pressure and then sprayed into the bathroom. The advantages of this solution are simplicity, compactness, low cost of most formulations and a wide range of aromas. The disadvantages I would include are not the best efficiency of most air fresheners, as well as a short operating time and the need to periodically spray the composition yourself.
Autodispenser	The principle of operation of an autodispenser is somewhat similar to an aerosol can, but in this case the liquid is poured into the spray tank. Depending on the settings, the sprayer releases a cloud of small droplets into the air either at the press of a button or when a timer is triggered (usually set to an interval of 15 to 30 minutes). Most models on the market consist of two parts: a wall/floor dispenser, which is quite expensive, and replaceable cartridges. The fact that flavor cartridges are not universal is a significant disadvantage: a situation may arise when you cannot find consumables for your model, and there will be nothing to replace them with.
Aroma block	Unlike aerosol forms, scent blocks are permanent. They are reservoirs with a gel or solid base impregnated with a volatile composition. Once the tank is opened, the contents gradually evaporate, eliminating unpleasant odors and adding the scent of your choice to the space. The obvious disadvantage is that it is not very effective: the device copes well in the background, but it clearly cannot suppress a strong “amber”.
Block for cistern/toilet	In principle, these compositions are included in a separate category, since they refresh the air not directly, but indirectly, through rinsed water. The aromatic block is either lowered into the tank or attached under the rim of the toilet bowl: when flushed, part of the active substance dissolves, forming foam. In principle, this is a fairly effective solution, but the composition is consumed quite quickly, so the costs will not be the smallest.

Flushable composition for toilet bowl

I won’t risk giving a definite answer to the question of which air freshener is best to buy: it is obvious that all options have pros and cons. From the point of view of comfort (and not economy), I would use a combined option: automatic aerosol + tablets for flavoring water in the drain tank.

Solid citrus flavor

Baking soda for toilet freshness

It is important for all of us that the toilet not only smells pleasant, but is also crystal clean. One way to do this is with baking soda. It will not only remove all bad odors, but also disinfect the toilet room. There are several recipes for making your own air freshener in the form of disinfection tablets. Here are the most effective of them.

First recipe

We will need:

Soda;
Vinegar;
Lemon acid;
Hydrogen peroxide;
Essential oil.

Pour a glass of soda into a large bowl, add a quarter cup of citric acid, a large spoonful of hydrogen peroxide and a teaspoon of vinegar. Mix thoroughly. At the end, add a little flavoring. Using a spoon, spread the product onto the paper in small portions and leave to dry for a couple of hours. After that, we collect the peculiar tablets in a jar and use them in the toilet. Every family has used disinfection containers that are attached to the toilet. We put one tablet in them and every time you wash them off, the room will smell like essential oil. An automatic air freshener will kill all germs.

Second recipe

Mix baking soda and citric acid one to three. Add several types of antibacterial essential oil to the mixture. This can be lavender, lemon and mint oil. Each one needs at least 30 drops. Mix everything well and if the product is too dry, add water. Pour the liquid carefully in small portions to avoid the reaction of citric acid and soda. You need to bring the mass to the state of clay so that it sculpts well. Make small balls out of it and leave to dry. The next day, you can use an automatic toilet freshener.

The simplest version of an air freshener made from soda

You need to take a small container and pour a little soda into it. Drop a little oil inside for scent. Cover the top of the jar with foil, cutting small holes in it so that the product vents and fills the toilet with aroma. This is a quality handmade product.

People with allergies can use this method to absorb odor. Pour water into a spray bottle and add a spoonful of baking soda and vinegar. Shake well. This product has antiseptic properties. It can be sprayed directly into the toilet to remove germs. This homemade fragrance does not smell of anything, it simply absorbs the unpleasant odor. Suitable for allergy sufferers and small children.

How to make effervescent toilet bombs?

How to make effervescent toilet bombs?
Bombs prepared according to the recipes described above are effervescent. If you want to make them even more fizzy, then add more citric acid, and when you throw them in the toilet, pour a little vinegar into it. The result will be an even more effervescent, disinfecting effect. You can also make effervescent toilet bombs with any essential oil or a combination of several, for example, lavender, mint, lemon, vanilla, jasmine and so on.

Watch a visual video on how to make fizzy bombs:

Toothpaste freshener

Instead of expensive, not always effective products, you can use ordinary toothpaste in the toilet for freshness. The cheapest paste with a strong mint flavor will do.

In order to get a good air flavor, a new tube is pierced from different sides with a thick needle and placed in the toilet flush cistern.

Water flows into the pierced areas, washing out the paste, and until the tube runs out, there will always be a fresh minty smell in the toilet.

Criterias of choice

When choosing an air fragrance or deodorant, it is important to remember that:

A statement about the “benefit” or “harmfulness” of a particular model or brand must be based on facts. Or your own preferences, including possible allergenic reactions.
Aerosols cause damage to the environment and contribute to the deterioration of human well-being. It is believed that certain air flavors contribute to the development of cancer.
Products containing natural ingredients and oils are the most harmless. They will 100% not interfere with vital functions and will not lead to a worsening of the condition.
Automatic devices are reliable and take control of the state of odors in the toilet room.
If there is a question about choosing an expensive, “fashionable” flavoring with non-natural ingredients and a cheaper one with natural ingredients, it is better to purchase the latter.

Citrus fruits for freshness in the toilet

Oranges and lemons contain many substances that have antimicrobial and antifungal properties. They will thoroughly disinfect and refresh the toilet without additional chemicals. It’s easy to make your own air freshener from these fruits. You will need:

Vodka;
Lemon;
Water;
Orange.

We cut off the skin in a thick layer from citrus fruits and put the peelings in a jar of vodka. Let it sit for several days. Dilute the mixture halfway with water. Then pour it into a spray bottle. You can add orange essential oil to the liquid to enhance the aroma. Spray as needed in the toilet. A bottle will last for a month.