Little Trees says that the life of a car air freshener is 4 to 6 weeks, and while this is true on average across all air fresheners, there are some factors that can make a Little Tree last longer than other brands. If you’re looking to get the most out of your money, here are some tips to help your Little Tree go the distance.
- Keep it in its plastic wrapper until you’re ready to use it.
- Once unwrapped (and preferably affixed to a surface), avoid touching or squeezing the air freshener; this reduces how much fragrance oil is released into the air.
- The hotter it is outside, the faster an air freshener will lose its effectiveness—so try keeping it away from direct sunlight when possible! This also means that if you live in an area with colder temperatures during parts of the year (like I do), make sure not to put any heaters right next to where your tree is hanging so as not to speed up its evaporation process inadvertently (I’ve learned this lesson firsthand!).
In reality, Little Trees last a lot longer than 6 weeks, with many people reporting they still get the original scent even after 2 or 3 months!
Since you’re reading this article, you now know that the claim on the packaging—that the scent will last for 6 weeks—isn’t entirely true. In reality, Little Trees last a lot longer than 6 weeks, with many people reporting they still get the original scent even after 2 or 3 months!
Here’s what some people had to say when we asked them:
- I never changed it in my car (like EVER) and it was still working 7 months later!
- Mine lasted around 5-6 months before I felt like changing it.
- After 9 months, it’s still as strong as when I first put it up!
Your car’s climate control system can affect the life of your Little Tree.
How long your Little Tree Car Freshener lasts depends on a variety of factors. A cool, dry climate is ideal for maintaining the scent of your air freshener. Consequently, warm, humid temperatures can significantly reduce its potency. In fact, if you park your car in direct sunlight during the day and turn on the air conditioner to offset the heat, you may find that your Little Tree starts to lose its aroma much more quickly.
In addition to climatic conditions, temperature control systems can also cause fluctuations in scent strength. For example, setting an auto-conditioned car at 60 degrees Fahrenheit or lower could extend the life of your Little Tree Car Freshener by several weeks! However, this also means that if you want to maximize the lifespan of your air fresheners, you’ll need to be judicious about when and how often you set them off into action. Consider how often you drive during peak daylight hours and what kind of temperatures are normal for those times. If it’s consistently very hot outside when you’re using them most often (say between 11am – 4pm), take care not to use them too frequently then as they’ll be less effective anyway!
If you keep your car outdoors during the summer months, store your Little Trees in a cool place until you’re ready to use them.
To get the most mileage out of your Little Trees, keep them in a cool place when they’re not hanging from your rear view mirror. A spare closet, basement, or even a refrigerator will do the trick. Just make sure to remove it from any temperature-controlled environment before putting it in your car — leaving it in the fridge for too long can cause it to dampen and lose its fragrance.
Although you’ve probably never thought about what kind of climate that cedar tree forest is located in (answer: cold), there’s a reason that the production area of these air fresheners is kept at a frigid level year-round. The cooler temperatures help preserve their scent, so if you leave yours in warm conditions for too long, you may notice that it doesn’t smell as strong as it once did.
Direct sunlight and high temperatures will alter the smell and make your freshener less effective.
Direct sunlight and high temperatures can alter the smell of a freshener over time, and make it less effective. It’s also important to note that car fresheners are made with gels or resins that are sensitive to extreme temperatures. So, in order for your Little Tree air freshener to last as long as possible, keep it out of direct sunlight.
If you want to get the most out of your Little Tree, don’t leave it hanging in the sun all day—you’ll still want to keep it out of direct sunlight and away from sources of heat whenever possible, or else risk being unable to enjoy its fresh scent.
You might be able to get more than 4 to 6 weeks out of each freshener.
You might be able to get more than 4 to 6 weeks out of each freshener. Some people have reported getting 2 or 3 months of use out of their fresheners, and if you keep your car in a garage, you can get even more time out of each freshener.
The car freshener lasts longer if you keep the car in a garage or other cool place because it slows down evaporation. You could also try keeping the air conditioning on low throughout the day so that it doesn’t have to work as hard when you first get into the car. Not only will that extend the life of your Little Trees Car Freshener, but it will also make sure that your car is nice and cool when you’re ready to drive away!
