A DIY wax air freshener is such a fun and creative way to keep your home smelling amazing! Make a scented wax sachet for an easy, fun, and completely customizable way to fill your house with beautiful scents. Plus, they double as charming decorative accents!
Made with natural wax, your favourite fragrances, and a few creative embellishments, these scented wax tablets are perfect for hanging in closets, drawers, or even your car. They’re simple to make, budget-friendly, and they make lovely handmade gifts for friends and family!
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How to Make a Wax Air Freshener
Materials:
- 2 cups Soy wax
- 1.5 teaspoons Essential oils (or fragrance oils; sage citrus and cinnamon)
- Cinnamon sticks
- Star anise
- Twine
Equipment:
Watch the step-by-step video tutorial:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Melt the wax
- Pour 1 inch of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the water boils, reduce the temperature to low.
- Add 2 cups of soy wax to a melting pot and place into the simmering water.
- As the wax melts, stir gently several times.
- Once the wax is liquid, insert a thermometer into the melting pot. Heat the wax to 185F and then remove from heat.
Step 3: Add fragrance
- Add 1-1/2 to 3 teaspoons of essential oil to the wax, depending on how strong smelling you’d like the wax tablets to be. Here we added 1-1/2 teaspoons of fragrance oil, in a combination of sage citrus and cinnamon.
- Stir slowly for at least 1 to 2 minutes, until the wax and oil are combined. Cool the wax until it’s about 140F.
Step 4: Pour a base layer of wax
- Pour the wax into silicone molds, filling them half way.Put the melting pot with the remaining wax back in the warm water to keep it liquid.
- Let the wax set in the molds until it’s slightly firm, but still soft. You’ll see the wax change to a creamy white colour.
Step 5: Add decorations to the wax tablets
- Pour another thin layer of wax on top of the cooled wax. The wax you pour should be at least 110F (or 140F at the highest).Work 2 to 3 sections at a time, keeping the wax warm in-between.
- Place scented decorations gently into the wax, arranging them to look nice.We added cinnamon sticks and star anise to these air fresheners.
- Repeat, adding more wax and decorating the remaining sections of the mold.Allow the wax to set fully, about 3 to 4 hours.
Step 6: Demold and add twine hangers
- Remove the wax air fresheners from the molds. Push up gently on the bottom of the mold and lift them out.
- Cut an 8 to 10 inch piece of twine. Fold it in half and slide the ends up through the hole in the tag.Then put the ends back down through the loop and tie them into a knot. Repeat with the rest of the air fresheners.
- Have fun making wax tablets in all different scents and designs.
- Your wax air fresheners are complete!
Helpful Tips:
- When working with candy canes (or anything else that may melt or transfer colour), only place them in the wax once it’s cooled to 120F or lower. You can also leave the candies wrapped to avoid this issue.
- Have small molds handy to pour in any extra wax. They can be used as wax melts!
- Add a metal grommet into the hole of the scented wax tablet before adding the twine hanger. This creates a polished, gift-ready look!
What scents and add-ins can I use to make a wax sachet?
We made 3 different types of air fresheners:
- Orange Spice: This warm and cozy air freshener uses a combination of sage citrus and cinnamon scented oils. Star anise and cinnamon sticks are used for decoration (and scent!)
- Winter Forest: Make a natural and festive wax sachet with pine and eucalyptus scents. We decorated them with holly sprigs, berries, dried conifer sprigs, and mini pinecones.
- Frosted Peppermint: This wax air freshener has a sweet and nostalgic scent from the peppermint and vanilla oils used. We’ve decorated these wax tablets with mini candy canes and/or round peppermint candies, as well as some silver glitter.
You can use these combinations or create your own unique scent! Try adding some of the following to your wax fresheners and choosing scented oils to match:
- Dried flowers, such as lavender or rose petals
- Dried herbs, like rosemary or thyme
- Dried citrus slices (orange, grapefruit, or lemon)
- Greenery, such as dried eucalyptus leaves
- Coffee beans or tea leaves
- Spices like cloves or fennel seeds
What type of wax is best for making a wax air freshener?
We like using soy wax for candles and any crafts involving wax. It’s a clean burning, natural wax, and it has a nice off-white colour to it.
Soy wax is very soft, though, so if you want to decrease the chances of these air fresheners melting, you can add in some beeswax. Beeswax is a lot harder than soy wax, which will help the air fresheners keep their shape.
Can I re-use or refresh my scented wax sachet?
If the scent fades you can remove the twine hanger and remelt the wax air freshener in the melting pot or double boiler. Try to pick the embeds out of the wax first, or remove them as the wax softens.
Add new fragrance oil to the melted wax and then pour a new air freshener. You can also re-use this wax for a candle or wax melt.
Where’s the best place to display a wax air freshener?
Wax air fresheners work best in small, enclosed spaces where the scent can diffuse effectively. Ideal spots include closets, drawers, cars, bathrooms, or near entryways. They’re also great for hanging on coat hooks or placing in decorative bowls.
Since wax can melt, it’s essential to keep your wax sachet out of direct sunlight or warm areas like dashboards, heaters, or windows that get a lot of sunlight. High temperatures can cause the wax to soften or lose its shape.
If you want to use your decoration as a wax car air freshener, place it in a mason jar with a frog lid. This will allow the scent to disperse while keeping the wax contained.
A wax air freshener is as practical as it is pretty — and they smell so good! They’re sure to add a touch of freshness and elegance wherever they’re placed.
Whether you gift them to friends or enjoy them in your own home, a scented wax sachet is a simple yet thoughtful project. It makes such unique homemade decor, and they’re super fun for your group’s craft night activity.
Here’s even more scented DIY ideas:
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon Canada
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