Creating an Alcohol-Free Water-Based Car Air Freshener

You're looking to create a water-based car air freshener without alcohol. Using Fractionated Coconut Oil directly to replace alcohol in a water-based formula is not suitable because Fractionated Coconut Oil is an oil, and oil and water do not mix without a proper emulsifier or solubilizer.

Why Fractionated Coconut Oil Isn't Ideal for Water-Based Sprays

Fractionated Coconut Oil is an excellent carrier oil for oil-based applications like rollerball perfumes or reed diffusers, where the fragrance is dispersed in oil. However, in a water-based spray, you need ingredients that can make the fragrance oil disperse evenly in the water phase.

Suitable Alternatives to Alcohol

For a water-based, alcohol-free air freshener, you should use a solubilizer. A solubilizer helps to disperse the fragrance oil into the water, creating a clear or stable solution. Good options for this purpose include:

• Polysorbate 20
• Polysorbate 80

These solubilizers allow the fragrance oil to mix with water. The ratio of solubilizer to fragrance oil is crucial and usually needs to be determined by testing, as it varies depending on the specific fragrance oil used. A common starting ratio might be 1:1 or 2:1 (solubilizer to fragrance oil), but it could be higher.

Scent Diffusion Without Alcohol

Alcohol (like Ethyl Alcohol) is a volatile solvent that evaporates quickly, helping to carry the fragrance molecules into the air and project the scent. Without alcohol, the scent diffusion in a water-based formula using a solubilizer might be different. It might evaporate more slowly compared to an alcohol-based spray, but a good solubilizer will still allow the fragrance to be released as the water evaporates.

Other Necessary Ingredients

In addition to fragrance oil and a solubilizer, you will need:

• Water: Use distilled or deionized water for best results and stability.
• Preservative: Since the formula contains water, a preservative is essential to prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, and yeast. Consider broad-spectrum, water-soluble preservatives suitable for your desired pH range, such as Mild Preserved™ COS or NaturePreserve™ LB2.

Summary

To make a water-based, alcohol-free car air freshener, do not use Fractionated Coconut Oil. Instead, use a solubilizer like Polysorbate 20 or Polysorbate 80 to mix your fragrance oil with water. Remember to also include distilled water and a suitable preservative. The scent diffusion will occur as the water evaporates, facilitated by the solubilizer.