# Air freshener with a scent that lasts

Source: HiveTried, https://hivetried.com/home/air-freshener/scent-lasts/
Category: Home > Air freshener. Updated 2026-10-08. Based on 150 counted first-hand reports from Target shopper reviews, Sep 2015 to Sep 2026.

**Question:** Which air freshener has a scent that lasts?

**Short answer:** Febreze Air Freshener Spray has the best record for a scent that lasts: 21 of 24 shoppers said it lingered, a strong showing for a spray. Air Wick Essential Mist Refills are close behind at 11 of 13, and Febreze Plug Scented Oil Refills follow at 17 of 24. Febreze Fabric Refresher has the weakest record here at 7 of 24.

**What stands out:** Fading is the big complaint for the fabric spray: 63% of its reviews say the scent faded fast, compared with 8% for the Febreze room spray.

## Ranking (shoppers who said whether it worked)

| Rank | Product | Scent lasts | Share | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Febreze Air Freshener Spray | 21 of 24 | 88% | yes |
| 2 | Air Wick Essential Mist Refills | 11 of 13 | 85% | yes |
| 3 | Febreze Plug Scented Oil Refills | 17 of 24 | 71% | yes |
| 4 | Air Wick Scented Oil Refills | 12 of 18 | 67% | yes |
| 5 | Febreze Fabric Refresher | 7 of 24 | 29% | no |

Ranked by the lower bound of a 90% Wilson confidence interval, so a product needs a high share and enough reports to rank high. An Amazon link is shown only when at least 60% say it works.

## Product notes

### 1. Febreze Air Freshener Spray

Shoppers liked the Linen & Sky scent itself: 72% say it smells good and 14% say it isn't overpowering. Febreze's own site agrees on staying power at 8 of 8, which we show but don't count.

- Praised for: Smells good (72%), Not overpowering (14%), Removes odors (11%)
- Complaints: Device stopped working (6%)
- Reports counted: 36

### 2. Air Wick Essential Mist Refills

Staying power is the main praise, in 55% of reviews, and 50% like the scent. It needs the Essential Mist diffuser, and 10% find the refills too expensive.

- Praised for: Smells good (50%), Good value (10%)
- Complaints: Too expensive (10%)
- Reports counted: 20

### 3. Febreze Plug Scented Oil Refills

Shoppers love the Downy April Fresh scent, at 74% of reviews, but 21% say it faded or the refill ran out fast. Reviews on Febreze's own site are split at 3 of 6, which we show but don't count.

- Praised for: Smells good (74%), Not overpowering (6%)
- Complaints: Bad or fake smell (9%)
- Reports counted: 34

### 4. Air Wick Scented Oil Refills

On staying power it's a mixed record at 12 of 18, with 18% saying the scent faded fast. The lavender scent itself wins praise in 73% of reviews, and 12% call it good value.

- Praised for: Smells good (73%), Good value (12%), Not overpowering (12%)
- Complaints: Bad or fake smell (6%)
- Reports counted: 33

### 5. Febreze Fabric Refresher

17 of 24 shoppers said the scent faded fast, even though 70% like how it smells. It's a spray for couches and linens, so expect to spray again.

- Praised for: Smells good (70%), Not overpowering (7%)
- Complaints: Too expensive (7%)
- Reports counted: 27

## Questions

**Which air freshener scent lasts the longest?**

Febreze Air Freshener Spray has the best record (21 of 24), followed by Air Wick Essential Mist Refills (11 of 13) and Febreze Plug Scented Oil Refills (17 of 24).

**How long should an air freshener last?**

Shoppers judge a spray by hours and a plug-in or diffuser refill by weeks. On the plug-ins here, 21% of Febreze Plug reviews and 18% of Air Wick oil reviews say the scent faded or the refill ran out sooner than expected.

**Does Febreze Fabric Refresher scent last?**

Often not. It has the weakest record here at 7 of 24, and 63% of its reviews say the scent fades fast. It's made for fabric, and the room spray and plug-ins held up better for shoppers on this page.

**Do air fresheners get rid of odors?**

Shoppers here talk far more about the scent than about odors: 11% of reviews for the Febreze spray say it removed an odor. For a smell that keeps coming back, find and clean the source.

## Method

HiveTried counts first-hand reports only, drops reviews written for free products, shows brand-site reviews without counting them, and never accepts payment for placement. Full method: https://hivetried.com/how-we-count/