GoodGuide Air Freshener Ratings

Air fresheners don’t actually get rid of bad smells. Instead, they overwhelm them with their own scent. The problem is that the scent used in most air fresheners comes with a range of health concerns. The biggest of comes from the presence of terpenes, compounds found in many plant oils that are used to give cleaners and air fresheners a pine, lemon, or orange scent. They’re not toxic themselves, but terpenes react with ozone to form the irritating, possibly carcinogenic, formaldehyde. (more)

Since there’s probably always some level of ozone in your house (how much depends on the air quality outdoors and on whether you've got an ozone-generating air purifier), most pine, lemon, or orange-scented fresheners are contributing formaldehyde to the air in your home. Although the amount created is generally small, there are enough other sources of formaldehyde around the house that it’s better not to add any more to the air.

Air fresheners also sometimes contain phenol, which can cause respiratory problems and skin irritation. And a recent study by the National Resources Defense Council found phthalates in many common air fresheners. Although they don’t appear on the ingredients list, phthalates are commonly used as part of chemical fragrances, and have been linked to hormone disruption, developmental problems, birth defects, and cancer.

The companies that make air fresheners aren’t required to list ingredients on the product, although some choose to do so, and you can browse our rankings for companies that disclose their ingredients lists.