I’ve a smelly spaniel and a husband who smokes get them both in the car at the same time, and you need an air freshener.

I’m quite happy to splash out on one but there are so many it’s hard to choose.

All I want is one that works. I picked up one in France recently and ended up throwing it away only a day after unwrapping it. It was jasmine scented but far too strong.

I’ve had others that friends have demanded I get rid of because of the smell. So it seems I’m only ever destined to smell wet dog and tobacco in my car.

I’ve tried ones you stick on the air vent (they fall off); ones that stick on the dashboard (they also fall off); dangly ones from the rear view mirror (they distract you); even cat food tin style ones that fit in the cup holder but they have all been too sickly and too strong smelling.

The scientists at P&G may have got it right though with their relaunch of the Febreze in-car range. This relaunch includes ’intensity controls’ so you can make sure the scent is not too over-powering.

Despite the plethora of brands, shapes, sizes and fragrances in the air freshener market, P&G reckons there is still room for growth. It says penetration is low of the 31.6 million cars on UK roads, only 17% have a car freshener, compared to 74% penetration of air care products among the UK’s 26 million households.

One air freshener I haven’t tried yet is a Wall’s ice cream inspired one. There’s a Funny Feet and a Rocket one.

They’re meant to be the first of many as ice cream fans can vote for their favourite Wall’s product to be turned into the next air freshener at walls.airpure.com.

Meanwhile, Airpure’s main website includes descriptions of its other air freshener scents such as true romance described as ’sensual and calm’ and showroom shine ’energetic, clean, fresh and refreshing’.

If you want to see even more air fresheners, you should take a look at the Convenience Distribution Group’s website.

You name it, and it’s available as an air freshener from jelly beans to dolphins, to trainers and fruit in all sorts of weird and wonderful flavours but surprisingly there is no ’eau de wet dog’ or even a ’fag ash’ scent.

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