How Are Car Air Fresheners Made?
Good Chemistry All good scents are simply products of good chemistry, or rather good chemists. Companies spend quite a bit of cash on research and development, perfecting smells like a post-rainfall spring meadow without having to add any actual rain. Once a particular scent is conceived, scientists go to work trying to concoct the best recipe of aroma compounds–basically chemical solutions containing substances like vanillin (vanilla) or hexyl acetate (fruit)–until the desired scent is perfected. In the case of air fresheners for your car, a huge batch of the formula is drawn up and sprayed directly onto cotton-fiber card stock, which is better suited for absorbing. After an exact dosage is sprayed, the paper is allowed to dry before being cut into novelty shapes (grapes, pizza, pine trees, etc.) and packaged for shipment. Follow Your Nose The other popular form of auto air freshener is the spray mist, which is just a concentrated form of the solution in a convenient spray bottle. A
