• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Repurpose
  • Crafts
    • Cricut
    • Kids
    • Paper
    • Winter
  • Holidays
    • Valentine's Day
    • Easter
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
  • Fashion
    • Sewing
    • Beauty
    • Hairstyles
  • Gifts
    • Baby Shower
    • Father's Day
    • Mother's Day
  • Homemade
  • Home
    • Furniture Makeovers
    • Lifehacks
    • Decorating
    • Organization
    • Parenting
    • Gardening
    • Health
  • Food
    • Recipes
  • Knitting & Crocheting
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Decor
  • Repurpose
  • Paper
  • Crafts
  • Kids
  • Cricut
  • Fall
  • Fashion
  • Father's Day
  • Baby Shower
  • Food
  • Beauty
  • Recipes
  • Furniture Makeovers
  • Gifts
  • Hairstyles
  • Health
  • Holidays
  • Christmas
  • Easter
  • Halloween
  • Home
  • Gardening
  • Parenting
  • Homemade
  • Kids Crafts
  • Knitting & Crocheting
  • Lifehacks
  • Mother's Day
  • Organization
  • Party
  • Sewing
  • Spring
  • Upcycling
  • Valentine's Day
  • Videos
  • Wedding
  • Winter
  • Woodworking
search icon
Homepage link
  • Decor
  • Repurpose
  • Paper
  • Crafts
  • Kids
  • Cricut
  • Fall
  • Fashion
  • Father's Day
  • Baby Shower
  • Food
  • Beauty
  • Recipes
  • Furniture Makeovers
  • Gifts
  • Hairstyles
  • Health
  • Holidays
  • Christmas
  • Easter
  • Halloween
  • Home
  • Gardening
  • Parenting
  • Homemade
  • Kids Crafts
  • Knitting & Crocheting
  • Lifehacks
  • Mother's Day
  • Organization
  • Party
  • Sewing
  • Spring
  • Upcycling
  • Valentine's Day
  • Videos
  • Wedding
  • Winter
  • Woodworking
×
Home » Health

Money Saving DIY - How to Refill Any Plug-in Air Freshener

Modified: Aug 7, 2025 by Vanessa Goodpaster-Beaty · This post may contain affiliate links · 30 Comments

Money Saving DIY - How to Refill Any Plug-in Air Freshener pinterest image
Money Saving DIY - How to Refill Any Plug-in Air Freshener pinterest image

This is a great DIY trick for refilling those oil plug-ins without having to pay for the refills. Let’s face it, when you buy the refill oils, you are mostly paying for the container that they come in. Instead of doing that, you can just refill it yourself and save a fortune - plus you get to choose the oil that you use, so your home will smell like you want it to.

The steps are so easy, and you can use any scent that you want. Refilling your oil containers also cuts down on the amount of trash that you have, so this is a cheap and environmentally friendly tip. There are just a few steps:

  1. Take the wick out of your old plug-in
  2. Fill the container about ½ full with your favorite essential oil
  3. Fill the remainder of the container with water
  4. Replace and use

Note that you can also use liquid potpourri that you can find at any Dollar Store for around $1. If you are using this method, eliminate the water and just fill the entire container with liquid potpourri. Then just plug it in and enjoy! This really is an easy way to fill those plug-ins and save money to boot.

 

More Health

  • 4 DIY Lip Balms
    25 DIY Lip Balm Recipes and Accessories
  • 20 DIY Gym Gear And Clothing Ideas For The Best Workout Ever
  • Delicious Chicken Pasta served on a plate
    This Chicken Pasta Recipe Is Sure To Become A Family Favorite
  • 10 Homemade Recipes For Relief From Hay Fever And Seasonal Allergies
120.9K shares

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Vanessa Beaty

    July 16, 2015 at 7:22 am

    Thank you Jacquelyn <3

    Reply
    • ANNA K

      July 13, 2016 at 1:47 pm

      COULD I FILL IT WITH ANY LIQUID FROM A DIFFUSER? I LOVE THE JO MALONE DIFFUSERS! THANKS!!!

      Reply
  2. nanda

    August 08, 2015 at 10:08 am

    Most helpful

    Reply
  3. nanda

    August 08, 2015 at 10:09 am

    Very helpful

    Reply
  4. meagan

    August 31, 2015 at 12:01 am

    I've done this recently and the wick expands after being in the water/potpourri. This prohibits me from using it again. Is there a solution that works for you that doesn't cause this? Aside from just buying the air wick refills again?

    Reply
    • TERESA

      September 21, 2015 at 3:43 am

      I use shoelaces as wicks. Works great. Just cut them to the length you need, thread one end through the cap and then double back with that same end so it fills the cap.

      Reply
      • callisto

        September 24, 2015 at 7:57 am

        yes ur right i just did it because i refilled mine and they puffed up so i did shoelaces and it worked and my house is full of pleasent smells now

        Reply
      • N C Carlson

        May 06, 2016 at 4:03 am

        Thank you so much for the shoelace trick! I was wondering how to avoid the odor of the original wick.

        Reply
  5. meagan

    August 31, 2015 at 12:03 am

    Never mind I read some comments that answered my question. Thanks for your diy ideas. Very helpful.

    Reply
  6. callisto

    September 24, 2015 at 8:07 am

    PEOPLE DONT USE WATER ... IT DOESNT MIX AT ALL U WILL BE PISSED OFF HERES WHAT I DID

    1.... TAKE OFF THE CAPE
    2... CLEAN THE BOTTLE AND THROW AWAY THE WICK
    3.... GO GET SOME ESSENTIAL OIL OR HIGHLY FRAGRANCED OIL U LIKE
    4.... A SHOE LACE
    5 .. QTIP
    6.... CUT THE SHOELACE TO THE SIZE N LOOP IT OVER THE QTIP AND TAPE THE TIP OF IT
    THIS IS BECAUSE I STRUGGLED TO GET THE LACE IN THE PORT OF THE PLUGIN SO IT WILL STAY STRAIGHT
    7... FILL WITH THE OIL AND PUT THE TOP ON
    8... IF U PAY CLOSE ATTENTION U CAN C THE OIL RISING ON THE LACE AND PLUG IT IN ...
    9... WITHIN 5 MIN U WILL SMELL IT AND U WILL C THAT THIS WAY WORKS BETTER THEN ANY PERSONS IVE DOE IT TO 6 AIRWICK PLUGINS AND IT SMELLS SOO GOOD
    10 .... ONCE THE OIL FINISHES JUST GET NEW OIL AND START AGAIN

    Reply
  7. Cristy

    November 17, 2015 at 8:22 pm

    How in the world do you get the wick out??

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      September 14, 2019 at 4:04 pm

      just pull it out

      Reply
  8. sam

    December 31, 2015 at 3:37 pm

    Hi
    I am from those people who deosnt understand wirhout pictures I am more visuel or stupid hihi but sorry I cant understand the shoelace thecnic is it possible to make me drawing or pictures pls pls pls thank you

    Reply
  9. Dabney Goss

    January 19, 2016 at 3:54 pm

    Use regular rubbing alcohol instead of water. (Not 91% which is flammable).

    Reply
  10. Caster400

    March 28, 2016 at 2:25 am

    Our just just use a spray with 3cup water and the oil u want and from a distance in the room w Lil baking soda. So dont have to worry about fires. Or accident s. Use it as room spray instead .. Use as needed.?? I hope I helped

    Reply
  11. Tonya

    November 07, 2016 at 8:47 pm

    Has anyone ever tried a body spray to fill the empty bottles with if so did it work?

    Reply
  12. Kris

    November 19, 2016 at 12:38 am

    I wanted to make my own air freshners. I think they are too expensive especially since they only last a month or so. I also cannot find a tolerable fragrance. Air wick no longer uses a scratch and sniff on their packaging. So, I made orange oil from Pininterest and I have many empty Airwick plug ins, but I could not find how to replace the wick. All the sites do not address replacement. I tried washing one but it fell apart so I tried some cotton furniture cording. I am trying to see if this works.

    Reply
    • ann

      March 29, 2017 at 12:00 am

      Search ebay for Replacement Wick (PE/PET FIBER) for Plug-in Air Freshener

      Reply
    • Dana

      January 31, 2019 at 5:05 pm

      You can buy replacement wicks from Amazon. I think maybe 6 for $4.95 I believe.

      Reply
  13. Lisa

    January 05, 2017 at 4:41 pm

    Even if it is healthier than perfumes, this sounds incredibly expensive. I know that "cheap oils" are available. But they're not usually therapeutic grade and of just poor quality, you may as well buy the perfumed stuff. My oils are $20 for a small bottle. I would literally have to dump an entire bottle into one of these to fill it halfway. That does not seem economical at all. I wouldn't even waste my time or energy on this. I would just use my mister with a few drops my essential oils instead. Am I missing something?

    Reply
    • Timothyf7

      June 08, 2018 at 1:09 am

      Buy more inexpensive oils for this... this DIY is for aroma, not aromatherapy.

      Reply
  14. ann

    March 28, 2017 at 11:57 pm

    When refilling air wick plug in do you use 100% fragrance warming oil OR can it be deluted with another oil like safflower oil?

    Reply
  15. Charlotte

    July 16, 2017 at 7:46 pm

    I was wondering about the wicks. They seem to get all puffy and seems like the refill falls out.Does anyone have this problem and what do you do or suggest?

    Reply
    • Timothyf7

      June 08, 2018 at 1:09 am

      Available at Amazon!

      Reply
  16. skarpeci

    March 09, 2018 at 5:54 pm

    I think you can mix essential oil with almond oil as it "is widely used as a carrier in aromatherapy in combination with essential oils." Other oils become rancid rather quickly.

    Reply
    • Timothyf7

      June 08, 2018 at 1:13 am

      I would think any carrier oil would work fine. It is only going to last a month. The thinner, the better.

      Reply
    • Brian

      March 21, 2019 at 5:45 am

      I use the highest % rubbing alcohol and 1/2 -of a bottle of scent oils and it works just like the real thing granted the higher quality oil you buy the better it works. But its a DIY THING the whole idea is to save some money dor other things you need so try the rubbing alcohol about 1/2 & 1/2 and youll be good to go

      Reply
  17. CM

    August 04, 2018 at 9:31 pm

    Am sure someone has experimented.....the whole point of this is to save $ but I prefer not to use fragrance (synthetic./chemical) oil so I am using essential oils (EO) which is a little more expensive than fragrance oil but not as expensive and toxic as using the Air Wick/Glade stuff. My wick is shot so I am doing the shoelace (have a fat sports shoe one that I've doubled up) trick. So this is my question, I don't want to fill with EO because they are expensive - so do I mix EO with water (they do mix because EO is not actually oil), alcohol or carrier oil in my Air Wick?

    Reply
  18. Lynda Finn

    October 08, 2018 at 11:39 pm

    Unfortunately, where I live, the cost of a 10ml bottle of essential oil is greater than buying a new commercial refil.

    Reply
  19. Kelly-DIYer Always....

    July 10, 2025 at 1:47 pm

    This works great, and I get the scents they don't offer all the time!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

DIY n Crafts Avatar

Hi, I'm Leah! I started DIYnCrafts long ago to spread crafts and happiness. Currently, we have thousands of easy crafts and tutorials, making us the biggest crafty site on the internet.

More about the team → and me

Recent:

  • Cute Monkey Card Paper Craft for Kids
  • 4 DIY Crown Molding Ideas and Products
    20 DIY Crown Molding Ideas and Products
  • 24 diy cocktail kits and ideas featured
    24 DIY Cocktail Kits and Ideas
  • easy diy fall farmhouse cloche centerpiece
    DIY Fall Farmhouse Cloche Centerpiece

Pages:

  • About Us
  • Be Featured
  • Contact Us
  • Email and Push Notification Subscriber Settings.
  • Privacy Policy

Categories

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2022 DIYnCrafts LLC.

120.9K shares
  • 1.5K