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These easy gel air fresheners are great to use all over the home in smelly spaces. They don’t contain any of the harmful chemicals found in commercial air fresheners and use natural essential oils to scent the area. Since this recipe uses agar-agar instead of gelatin, it’s also completely vegan!
Agar-agar is a natural gelatin substitute made from seaweed. It dissolves easily in water and is semi-translucent, which means colors will still be vibrant in this gel. Gelatin uses different ratios, so you should not substitute it in this recipe.
Gel air fresheners work by diffusing fragrance, in this case, essential oils, as the gel evaporates. Since the gel takes a while to evaporate, the scent lingers much longer than a room spray or diffuser.
This recipe uses easily accessible and effective potassium sorbate to prevent mold from forming in the gel. It’s food grade, which means it’s safe to use. It’s not recommended to substitute with salt since salt can make the gel unstable and more melty.
Dissolve the agar agar in one cup of warm water in a saucepan and allow to dissolve for five minutes. Bring to a boil and stir to mix together well.
Transfer to a heat safe container with a spout and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Add the potassium sorbate and stir to combine, then add ½ cup of water and ½ cup of vodka.
If you’re choosing to add food coloring, add it now and mix well.
Pour into small mason jars and add your essential oils. Mix well.
Set in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
To Use Gel Air Fresheners
Place these jars into areas of your home you’d like to scent such as in your bathroom, by your kitchen sink, in your laundry rooms, or in linen closets.
You can either leave them open without a lid or add a mason jar wire insert that will allow the scent to escape.
The scent will last about a month in temperate weather. You can compost the gel after it has dried out and reuse the jars again.
To make your gels last a little longer, combine 1-2 tablespoons of white vodka with essential oils and add to your gel to refresh the scent.
