Blowing Away Your Car Wash Competition with the Best Car Air Fresheners

One of the best ways to add profitability to your car wash is to provide additional items for your customers to buy. Many car washes these days offer items all aimed at enhancing the car wash experience.
One item, though, is a perennial bestseller—the car air freshener. A lot of car washes sell these, and a lot of car washes can make a tidy profit off them, too.

Of course, there are a few things to consider before placing a bulk order. Air fresheners come in a multitude of scents and delivery systems, so how do you figure out which ones are the best ones to order from a car air freshener supplier?

That's what this resource is for. We're going to talk about the most popular car air fresheners and discuss which ones are perfect for your car wash.

Car Wash Operators: Why You Need to Stock Auto Air Fresheners

The first question you might have is why, exactly, do you need to stock auto air fresheners in the first place? Aren't normal vending machine items good enough?

The answer is that air fresheners for cars are by far the most popular impulse buy at a car wash. It makes sense, once you stop and think about it. After all, people at car washes have already spent money getting their car looking nice, so why not make sure it smells more like a new car and less like an ungodly combination of fast food and gym clothes the day after the wash?

How Do Car Air Fresheners Work?

If you're going to sell car air fresheners, you'll want to think about the different types out there. Car air fresheners have several ways they can eliminate unpleasant odors:

Masking the scent is the oldest way. This technique simply involves using a stronger, more pleasant scent to overpower the unpleasant smell. Many car air fresheners still use this method.
An air sanitizer can freshen up the air in your car by getting rid of germs and airborne bacteria—and the smells they produce.
Adsorption seems like it's just "absorption" spelled differently, but it's not. It is actually using materials like charcoal, zeolite, and silica gel to absorb the scent molecules. Okay, it's like absorption, but, strictly speaking, "absorption" is fluid permeating into a solid or another liquid.
Oxidation is another way to neutralize unpleasant smells. It's used mostly on organic odor sources like pet urine, and it consists of using an oxidizing agent like peroxide, bleach, or ozone.
A diffuser humidifier attacks the problem of unpleasant odors from two different angles. A humidifier increases the humidity in a dry area (like a car) to tone down the odors, while also having a pleasant scent that helps to mask odors, too.

What Kind of Car Air Fresheners Are Available?

In addition to car air fresheners eliminating unpleasant scents in different ways, there is also the matter of how the air fresheners are used. Until science moves us forward, there are five different ways a car air freshener can be deployed:

The paper air freshener is the original standard. You've seen these classics before, dangling from the rearview window of a car. They are among the longest-lasting air fresheners. Car Freshener and their Little Tree Air Freshener is the longtime leader in this platform. Everyone always loves Black Ice Little Tree and Vanillaroma Little Tree.
Gel air fresheners are also long-lasting. Unlike paper air fresheners, though, they come in fun three-dimensional shapes like cherries, dolphins, or in cans. The most popular versions of this are California Scents Cool Gel & Scentique Gel Air Fresheners.
Spray air fresheners have the fastest effect on foul odors, thanks to the fact that you spray a fine mist into your vehicle. It's easy to use, and you can control the strength and frequency of the air freshener's scent. Most people who buy this are looking for Ozium original, Ozium New Car Air Freshener and Scent Bomb Spray Air Freshener.
Canned air fresheners offer another good way to get rid of bad odors without an accompanying overpowering scent. To use one of these, simply twist open the can and set it in a drink tray. A canned car air freshener allows you to control the intensity of the scent by controlling the air flow in and out of the can. Some people like to place these air fresheners under the seat as well. The bestselling air freshener in this category is always going to be California Scents Organic Coronado Cherry Air Freshener.
Finally, you have car vent air fresheners. These clip onto your car vent. The blowing air helps circulate the new scent. This helps prevent the air freshener's aroma from concentrating in one area, and it can also look more fashionable than other options.

What Are the Best-Selling Car Vent Air Fresheners?

If you're looking to increase your profit margin, you'll want to know the best-selling types of car air fresheners on the market. One of the most fashionable types of car air fresheners is the car vent air freshener, and one of the most popular is Febreze's Hawaiian Aloha. Reviewers are especially enthusiastic about the unique scent, which is pleasant without being overwhelming.

Other popular brands include Yankee Candle, Refresh, Bahama & Co., California Scents, and—of course—Little Trees.

Little Trees Car Air Fresheners—Best of the Best

No matter what kind of car air fresheners you choose to stock, there is one brand that demands its own section—Little Trees. This brand was invented over 60 years ago when a chemist tried to help a milkman get rid of the smell of spilled milk in his truck. That one favor practically invented the car air freshener industry, and Little Trees is still going strong.

Little Trees has several scents available, from the classic pine scent to the current favorite, the masculine "Black Ice" version. If your customers aren't too keen on having a masculine scent, Little Trees also offers scents like "New Car" or "Bayside Breeze."

For those who don't like the "pine tree hanging off the mirror" aesthetic, Little Trees also has their scents in car vent air fresheners. Little Trees vent wraps are sleek and inconspicuous, so drivers can modestly claim their car just naturally smells that good.

Visit Superior Car Wash Supply for the Best Selection of Car Air Fresheners

If you're looking for a fantastic selection of car air fresheners, you should begin by visiting Superior Car Wash Supply. They have a reputation among car air freshener suppliers as having one of the widest selections of air fresheners, no matter what kind your customers prefer.

Superior Car Wash Supply also carries several other popular car wash items. Stock your vending machines with Armor All sponges and leather cleaners or browse the steering wheel covers and seat belt comforters in the Interior Access section. No matter what accessory you need for your car wash, it's a good bet that Superior Car Wash Supply will carry it.

Call Superior Car Wash Supply today at 800-554-9274 to talk with one of their experts about which car air fresheners would be most profitable for your business.