The 7 Best Air Fresheners For The Office

Fresh, pleasant-smelling air is a welcome quality in just about any environment. As opposed to the best air fresheners for your home, to identify the best air fresheners for the office, think about the different locations which could use a little spruce. When it comes to picking an air freshener for the workplace, it’s important to be extra conscientious about the scent and the overall design of the freshener.

Keep in mind that when you’re using an air freshener in a public space, you’re not the only one who will be smelling it; your coworkers or customers may have different scent preferences — and some might be especially sensitive to fragrance, especially if they’re synthetic or overpowering. For that reason, an odor-neutralizing formula (rather than an odor-covering formula) might be a good option here. Unscented solutions, like activated charcoal bags, absorb unwanted odors without any scents at all. If you’d prefer a more natural fragrance, there are brands that refresh and neutralize air with plant-derived ingredients which some reviewers report don’t bother their allergies like other air fresheners do.

You’ll also want to consider the design of your air freshener. Sprays allow you to manually freshen up the spot that needs it most. Then there are odor absorbers, which soak up unwanted smells when placed under cabinets, in drawers, in closets, or in small rooms. Finally, electric air fresheners (whether plug-ins or desktop units) release regular bursts of scent; while these are the most noticeable, they can also be the most irritating to those with sensitive noses.

Scroll on for the best air fresheners for any kind of office.

1. The Best Air Freshener Spray For The Office

Because it comes in a non-aerosol bottle, uses cruelty-free, plant-derived ingredients, and skips the artificial colors, phthalates, and parabens, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day spray is a great option for shared spaces. It comes in five gentle scents, all of which can be used in the air or on fabrics. The recyclable bottles are also made from at least 30% post-consumer plastic. Most importantly, some reviewers who are “sensitive to perfumes” report that the formula “doesn’t bother [their] allergies or asthma.”

• Scent: Geranium, Basil, Honeysuckle, Lavender, or Lemon Verbena

One reviewer wrote: “It takes very little to do the trick. Great scent. Natural smell and feel. I’m sensitive to chemicals so it’s perfect for me. I use it at home and at the office.”

2. The Best Odor-Removing Gel

Using non-toxic ingredients, these Fresh Wave odor-removing gel containers absorb a wide variety of unwanted smells with their plant-based gel; they also release a fresh, subtle scent into the air without you having to think about it. Each container has a ventilated cap that allows air to filter in and out. You’ll want to place them somewhere where they won’t be disturbed, like on a shelf, under a cabinet, or out of the way on a desk.

• Scent: pine needle, lime, clove, anise, and cedarwood

One reviewer wrote: “Easy to setup and refill. Bought several for an office environment. Good way to eliminate odors without the strong smell of some other brands that only seem to mask the smell.”

3. The Best Non-Scented Solution

These activated-bamboo bags purify the air using absorbent charcoal, which soaks up unwanted odors from pets, smoke, mildew, trash, food, and more. Since they’re totally unscented, they’re great for sensitive noses — and each order comes with 15 small, individual bags, so you can position them all around the office and toss them in drawers, closets, and bathrooms. Each one is reusable for up to two years and even has a cord for hanging.

• Scent: none

One reviewer wrote: “These little bags have changed my life! I am allergic to fragrances found in all odor-eliminating products, but these beautiful little bags are scent-free and are amazing at eliminating any and all odors.”

4. The Best Desktop Fragrance Dispenser

If you have your own designated space and want a heavier fragrance, Air Wick’s Essential Mist diffuser is a favorite among reviewers. This starter kit comes with an electric diffuser (that’s battery-operated, has adjustable settings, and automatically disperses the scent) and a Lavender and Almond Blossom refill pod that lasts up to 45 days. Because it’s cordless and compact, it’s desktop-friendly and pretty low-maintenance.

• Scent: Lavender and Almond Blossom

One reviewer wrote: “Everyone who passes my office asks ‘what's that smell’ and when I show them this little gadget, they want it! It streams out a quiet and slow vapor for a few seconds and depending on the setting [...] The oil comes out the box and snaps right into the unit, no water needed. Such a relaxing smell.”

5. The Best Plug-In Air Fresheners

Marketed as the more natural version of Air Wick’s standard plug-in air fresheners, Air Wick Botanica is “nature-inspired” and “planet conscious” (according to the brand), and it skips the dyes, chemical propellants, and phthalates. Instead, it uses essential oils. This starter kit comes with two plug-in warmers and six refill bottles, each of which provides scent for up to 60 days on a low setting. It also comes in multiple package sizes.

• Scent: French Lavender and Honey Blossom, Caribbean Seagrass and Sandalwood

One reviewer wrote: “As expected, this scent smells fantastic. I bought this pack to split amongst my office and my home. My staff/coworkers concur with my opinion.”

6. The Best Spray For Powerful Odors

FunkAway spray is marketed as an “extreme odor eliminator” that’s powerful enough for sports gear and work equipment. However, it actually eliminates unwanted odors (instead of just covering them up) using its special formula that encases and breaks down bacteria. For that reason, according to reviewers, it’s great for spots that could use a strong freshening up including bathrooms, carpets, lockers, and more.

• Scent: Fresh

One reviewer wrote: “I was sorta skeptical about their claims but it worked and I'm very happy with the results. I tried various other sprays with tea tree oil and stuff like that and they smell nice but they didn't really do anything [...] This stuff, however, worked really well.”

7. The Best Air Freshener For The Office Bathroom

When multiple people are using the same bathroom, you want to keep it as fresh as possible. Poo-Pourri is a best-selling cult-favorite bathroom spray that’s racked up more than 140,000 reviews and earned a 4.7-star overall rating because it handles odors before they ever even hit the air. Just spritz it into the toilet bowl before you go, and the essential oil-based formula will trap odors underneath the surface of the water. The 8-ounce bottle featured here is a great size for public areas, but it’s also available in smaller containers (or refill styles) in additional scents.

• Scent: Citrus, Lavender Vanilla

One reviewer wrote: “I work in an office where everyone seems to use one bathroom in particular to do their doo. Air spray only mixes with the doo smell and it is not nice. I buy this to keep in that bathroom. Not smelling my co-workers business is worth the out of pocket cost. This stuff WORKS.”