Can You Spray Air Freshener in Car Vents?

Having smelly car vents is a difficult problem to solve, because unless you give them a good cleaning, the smell just keeps coming back. It makes driving your vehicle a lot less enjoyable—because what’s the point in having a nice car if it doesn’t smell like a nice car?

Your first instinct might be to spray car air freshener in the vents to see if that works. Well, while it can be helpful, it’s not the only thing you need to do… Read on to find out more!

Can You Spray Air Freshener Inside Car Air Vents?

So, is spraying your car air vents with spray air freshener a good idea to begin with?

Yes, it can be! It can work exactly as you’re imagining: the air coming through your car’s vents is freshened by the spray, leaving your car smelling good with minimum effort. If you use an alcohol-based spray like a perfume or a cologne, then it could discolour or otherwise damage the finish of the plastic or wood that it’s sprayed on, particularly if you spray it there day after day; you should also ensure that you spray something that won’t damage your lungs if you breathe in too much. But other than that, it’s fine.

What Is the Best Way to Clean Car Vents?

The first thing to do is to air your vehicle out. Remove the stale air and replace it with fresh air by opening the windows and leaving them open for a while, and by having the air conditioning running for an extended period. This should get rid of residual moisture in the system, which is a key cause of stale smells.

There are a few reasons your car vents might smell bad. The most common reasons for that include smoking in the vehicle, stale air, or water trapped in the vents. Even regular humidity can condense into the water in your vents, which then spawns bacteria and mould. As such, a key cause of bad smells in a car is if you don’t roll down the windows and don’t run the air conditioning for extended periods—so these actions are your starting point.

Next, consider replacing the air conditioner filter. The air that flows into the cabin all comes through this filter, the point of which is to prevent dust, moisture and odours. You can do this yourself or have someone do it for you.

How to Use Air Con Cologne

Next, use your air conditioner spray to disinfect and deodorise the vents. You can keep the fresh scent by using a card freshener or car mist. The first time you use your air con cologne, follow these simple steps:

1. Shake canister well before use ensuring all windows are closed and engine is started.
2. Set A/C to maximum speed and cooling, open all vents and ensure recirculation mode is activated.
3. Position front passenger seat as far back as possible and place canister in footwell. If using in rear of vehicle, ensure front seat is as far forward as possible. Nothing should obstruct spray pattern and do not allow contact with textiles.
4. Activate can by pressing down on valve and locking into position - keep a safe distance from face and close all doors and windows, leaving engine and A/C running.
5. Once canister has emptied contents, allow recirculation for 3 minutes. Wipe off any excess mist  which have have transferred onto windscreen and textiles immediately. 
6. Switch off engine, open all windows and ventilate vehicle for 10 minutes before driving.
7. Your vehicle has now been Cologne’d – enjoy fragrance for up to 28 days and protection for up to 6 months.

The best thing about our air con cologne is that it disinfects, too.

How to Keep Your Car Air Vents Smelling Fresh

Once you’ve cleaned the air vents with your air con cologne, you can keep the good smell around by hanging a card freshener from your vents. Ensure that the vent isn’t blocking the vent but merely resting against it so that the air can still flow in and out, picking up the scent from the card freshener as it goes.

For a little extra strength freshening, use car mist spray. This can be used whenever needed. It makes a great addition to keep up the fresh factor in your car by periodically adding a little extra.

What Is the Best Car Vent Air Freshener (UK)?

The best car vent air fresheners in the UK come from trusted companies that have been reviewed and backed by trusted consumer advocates. High-quality ingredients and scents should be the standard, and at Car Cologne, we pride ourselves on the luxury we provide.

Our wide range of scents is inspired by luxury colognes and perfumes and lasts up to 5 times longer than the other leading car air fresheners on the market. This makes them the perfect way to clean your car vents. To find the perfect scent for you, try our Scent Quiz, and contact us for more information.