If you've ever wondered whether that little tree hanging from your mirror is doing you any harm, you're not alone — it's one of the most-searched questions about car air fresheners. Here's what the actual research says, without the scare tactics or the empty reassurances.
What studies have found
A 2020 study by NIOSH/CDC researchers (published in Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health) tested 12 different car air fresheners — including vent clips, hanging ornaments, sprays, and wraps — and found they collectively released hundreds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), some of which are classified as potentially hazardous. This was true across product types, including "natural" and "green" labeled products, not just synthetic ones.
Separately, a 2007 NRDC investigation found phthalates (chemicals used to make fragrances last longer) in most of the air fresheners it tested, often undisclosed on the label — because in the US, "fragrance" is a legal umbrella term that doesn't require companies to list individual ingredients.
So is that a reason to panic? No — but it's a reason to be informed.
No study has shown that ordinary use of a car air freshener causes disease. The exposure levels involved are low compared to occupational or industrial exposure. But it's fair to say: air fresheners release chemicals, "natural" doesn't automatically mean fewer of them, and the ingredient list you can't see matters.
Why the format matters
This is where delivery method makes a real difference. A pressurized aerosol spray releases a concentrated burst of chemicals as fine airborne particulates you can inhale directly, plus a propellant. A paper or cardstock hanging freshener works by slow passive off-gassing — no propellant, no spray, no direct particulate inhalation. That's a meaningfully different exposure pattern, even though a paper freshener isn't "chemical-free" either — scent is scent, wherever it comes from.
What we do differently at Luxe
We make paper air fresheners, not aerosol sprays. That's a real, practical choice: no propellant, no pressurized can, no spray mist in an enclosed car. If strong fragrance exposure is a concern for you, cracking a window for the first day after hanging a new one (when scent is strongest) is a reasonable, easy step.
Bottom line: car air fresheners of every type release some level of VOCs — that's just chemistry. If you want to minimize exposure while still enjoying a scent, a hung paper freshener with good ventilation is a more conservative choice than an aerosol spray in a closed cabin.
Sources: Flattery et al., 2020, CDC/NIOSH (stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/231123); NRDC "Clearing the Air" 2007 (nrdc.org); EWG fragrance reporting (ewg.org).