You probably spend more time than you think in the car, from running errands and commuting to exploring new places with friends and visiting relatives. Within the enclosed space of your vehicle, harmful pollutants like dust, chemicals, allergens, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and even mold can exist in the cabin. Your car’s cabin filter is largely responsible for limiting these contaminants, but air can also enter your car through open doors and windows. 

Poor air quality in your car can lead to several health concerns, including allergic reactions, respiratory problems, asthma issues, and headaches. The guide below explores why car air quality matters more than you think and how some car air fresheners can compound the problem. However, naturally scented and sustainably sourced luxury car fresheners from Drift infuse your car’s interior with signature fragrances designed to support your well-being. 

Hidden Health Effects of Poor Car Air Quality

The signs of poor air quality may be harder to recognize in the confined space of a vehicle, but the consequences are even more significant. Long-term exposure to poor car air quality can lead to issues like worsened asthma, respiratory distress, and even cardiovascular strain. However, even in the short term, symptoms include headaches, sneezing, itchy eyes, brain fog, and fatigue.

For example, if you drive in high-traffic areas, you’re more likely to breathe in the smog concentrated within the air. Children, elderly passengers, and those with pre-existing respiratory conditions may be more vulnerable to the effects of poor air quality within a vehicle. 

How Your Car’s HVAC System Impacts Cabin Air

Your car’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system provides more than just climate control. It also incorporates a cabin filter that’s designed to trap contaminants and limit the number that enter the cabin and affect the air quality within your vehicle. When you recirculate air through the HVAC system, it helps ensure you’re breathing cleaner air than what’s outside for you to breathe once you open the door. 

However, if mold and mildew build up in the ventilation ducts, the HVAC system only spreads those spores to the cabin. This is a common problem on older vehicles and those in humid climates. Cleaning the HVAC system is possible, but it’s an undertaking if you don’t know what you’re doing. 

How to Improve Car Air Quality Naturally

There are many ways you can improve the air quality within your vehicle, several of which don’t require expensive purchases or even extensive knowledge. Refreshing your car’s interior goes a long way in improving your health as you go about your life, regardless of where and how often you drive. Here are several ways you can improve your car’s air quality naturally. 

Tap Into Natural Airflow

Before there were heaters and air conditioning in cars, there were windows you had to crank to roll down and let the fresh air rush in. Modern cars make it even easier to enjoy the cool flow of air with power windows you can roll down as you cruise along on a nice day. If you’re able to keep your car secure after rolling the windows down all the way while it’s parked, airing it out for a few hours can also help improve the air quality within. 

Maintain Car Cleanliness

Reduce unpleasant smells in your vehicle by maintaining a clean interior. Remnants of food and beverages are typically the source of foul odors, but pets can also cause your car’s interior to smell. Investing in washable car covers can help limit spills and stains, while all-weather floor mats keep your carpets clean. 

Swap Out Cabin Air Filter

Routine maintenance involves replacing your cabin air filter periodically to remove contaminants trapped within the folds. Decreasing the time between filter changes can help improve your car’s air quality, especially if you live in an area subject to lots of pollen, whether that’s during spring months or throughout the year. Although swapping out your cabin air filter is a bit more involved than replacing the engine air filter, it’s something you can typically have your local dealership do during a standard oil change. 

Introduce a Signature Scent

Several factors influence your car’s air quality, including what scents you introduce into the space. Many drivers are switching to a Drift signature car freshener to benefit from the essential and fragrance oil blends that are free from phthalates, parabens, mineral oils, DEA, formaldehyde, petroleum, propylene, dichlorobenzene, and other harsh chemicals. Drift’s lineup of Stone, Wood, and Metal car fresheners also features sustainably sourced organic stone, alder wood, and alloy metal, respectively, and is available in the following scents: 

• Amber: Eucalyptus, golden amber, vanilla, French lavender

• Cabana: Bergamot, coconut, cedarwood, sea salt

• Grove: Juicy citrus, vanilla sugar, mountain greens, blond wood

• Open Air: Fresh air, crisp linen, morning dew, white wood 

• Pine: Mountain pine, moss, cedarwood, musk

• Teak: Cedar atlas, amber, teakwood, oakmoss

Vegan, cruelty-free, and safe for use around pets and children, Drift premium car fresheners last for up to 30 days or more. These deluxe car fresheners easily clip onto your visors or air vents, providing you and your passengers with sophisticated scents that are as natural as they are complex. 

Heavy-Duty Solutions to Poor Car Air Quality

If you have to resort to professional-grade products to do the heavy lifting in improving your car’s air quality, an ozone generator or bomb presents the most viable solution. Designed to replace foul odors with more neutral aromas, these products may require a significant investment. However, they may be less costly than a professional HVAC system cleaning, depending on how long the ozone generator needs to operate and how many ozone bombs are required to achieve a pleasant smell. 

A Breath of Fresh Air—Every Time You Drive—Courtesy of Drift

Improving your car’s air quality helps support better health, but Drift car fresheners reward you for your diligence with premium fragrances designed to immerse you in a scent-sational ambiance. Explore what a luxury car freshener can offer and discover how Drift makes its car fresheners differently by purchasing your own today. Better yet, join the Scent of the Month Club to receive an exclusive new scent in your mailbox every month.