There are several excellent choices for keeping your car smelling fresh, even if you have to transport nasty passengers in it all day.
In this article, I’ll show you how to remove unwanted scents from your vehicle, introduce amazing new ones, and keep your passengers from giving negative reviews because they didn’t enjoy the fragrance of your vehicle.
I scoured the internet, ridesharing platforms and Reddit to find the best suggestions and approaches to eliminating unwanted odors in your Lyft car.
Continue reading if you want to safeguard your driver rating as well as your nose while earning larger and more consistent tips.
Our top Picks for the best air fresheners for Lyft Drivers
- Best for Stinky Pax: Ozium Original Air Sanitizer
- Best Hanging Air Freshener: Little Trees Air Freshener
- Best for Seats and Floor Mat: Febreze Gain Scented
- Most Sustainable Air Freshener: Purggo Car Air Freshener
- Most Versatile: Blunt Effects Air Freshener
5 Best Air Fresheners For Lyft Drivers?
Ozium original air sanitizer
If you happen to carry stinky passengers, you need to have a neutral and clean smell before any other passenger boards your Lyft or Uber car. One great air freshener that masks strong odors is Ozium original air sanitizer. It eliminates malodors and smoke smell while also killing airborne bacteria.
All you need to do is spray one or two short bursts after the passenger exits your vehicle. The smell may be strong at first but it will subside within a short period.
Pros
- Can be used in other areas apart from your car
- Kills airborne bacteria
- Works on stubborn odors
Cons
- Spraying too much can cause respiratory issues with passengers.
- Doesn’t last long in the atmosphere
little trees air freshener
Little trees is one of the most popular car air fresheners manufacturers. This is because its products serve the purpose, to mask unwanted odors. Some of the most popular among Lyft and Uber drivers include;
- Black ice little air freshener
- Leather little trees air freshener (has neutral odor)
- Strawberry little trees
Whether you hang it on the turn signal headlight arm, on the rear mirror, or keep it under your seat, it will freshen your car interior.
Little trees air freshener lasts for 4-5 days and for less than $10 a month, you can have your car smelling great. However, every now and then, you need to open your windows to let your car air out as the smell might be overpowering to some passengers.
Pros
- From reputable brand
- Cheap
- Doesn’t give too much of a perfume like smell
Cons
- Doesn’t last long
Febreze gain scented
If you are struggling with smelly car seats and floor mats, then you should try Febreze gain scented. This odor eliminator removes stink while leaving your seats with a light fresh scent.
To get the best, hold up your Febreze spray and spritz lights upon all seating surfaces and the headliner after every shift. After that, crack the windows and park the car in the cross breeze.
You’ll be amazed at how your car smells when you get compliments from customers loving the smell of fresh clean laundry due to the Febreze gain scented air freshener.
You can also use it in other areas such as bathrooms, kitchens and so on. Its 100% natural propellant and perfect for whole car freshness.
Pros
- Eliminates stubborn odor on seats
- Cheap
- 100% natural propellant
Cons
- Doesn’t last long
Purggo car air freshener
If you’re looking for an eco-friendly and non toxic air freshener for your ride, then Purggo car air freshener may just be the right one for you. You can either choose to hang it over the headrest, as it is designed for that, or place it under the car seats.
If a passenger smokes in your car, it will absorb the smoke odors and leave your car smelling fresh again because it works on the toughest odors. It’s also neutral, your passengers will smell nothing and hence can’t report you and hence affect your car ratings.
Pros
- All-natural activated charcoal
- Scent-free, with no added perfumes
- Sustainable product
- Lasts one year or more
Cons
- Provides a neutral smell, but no extra “scent”
Blunt effects air freshener
Another great air freshener for Lyft drivers who ferry all types of passengers. Whether you passenger vomits in your car, smokes cigarettes or weed and gets into your car right after, blunt effects air freshener will do the work. It will eliminate all odors.
However, you should use it with caution as it can be overpowering. Rides can get headaches or feel nauseous if the smell is too strong. A simple way to avoid this is to spray an hour before you start your day, or a quick spray when needed throughout the night. Also, you’ll need to open windows to air it out for a few minutes.
Pros
- Eliminates all odors
- Lasts longer than other air fresheners
- Great for a quick fix
Cons
- Has a strong scent hence avoid spraying too much.
Tips on how to keep your rideshare car smelling fresh all day
While there are alot of car air fresheners to use to mask any unwanted smells, most of the time you can avoid using them. According to ridesharing forums and reddit posts, some passengers can rate your car poorly based on the smells. Here are some tips to keep your car smelling fresh.
Keep yourself smelling neutral
While you may be in love with your natural body odor or a special cologne, some passengers don’t like it. The easiest way to fix this is to smell neutral. Here are some tips to keep you smelling neutral all day
- Take a shower before you start driving. Use non scented soaps and shampoo
- Wear clean clothes
- Make sure your shoes don’t stink.
- Invest in a neutral smelling deodorant. You can use it frequently if it’s too hot and sweaty.
- Avoid cologne and scented body products
Avoid food and beverage spills
One of the most common causes of bad odors on ride sharing cars such as Lyft and Uber is food and beverage spills. Most of the time you’ll have to transport passengers having coffee in your car. If it spills, then your car will smell coffee for a long time unless you act on it.
Other times, passengers will experience nausea and vomit in your car unexpectedly. The only way to avoid all this is to take preventive measures. Here are some tips;
- Ensure your back seats have covers. This will help you keep stench out of your car seat fabric and in the cover. You’ll be able to clean any spills easily.
- Use rubber floor mats. In situations where the passenger spills anything on the floor, you can easily remove it, shale it or wash it off immediately.
- Invest in fabric cleaner spray. Use a strong odor killing fabric cleaner spray such as Odoban disinfectant and odor eliminator to clean your seats or floor.
- Have a car handheld vacuum cleaner. This will help you clear dirt or food on your back seat before picking the next passenger.
Deodorize your car between rides
While it may be easier to mask odors using scented sprays or other forms of fragrance, you don’t know how the next passenger will react to the air fresheners.
Some air fresheners have strong scents which may leave your passengers nauseating, having headaches or even being admitted to hospitals. I’m pretty sure you don’t want that. Here is how to avoid such cases
- Open your windows to air out your car. If you’ve parked, you can also open doors.
- Use a neutral smelling ozone spray to destroy lingering airborne odors. However, make sure to air it out before picking the next passenger.
- Have activated carbon in your car. This will grab odor particles that come into contact with it. You can try the Purggo car air freshener, which will suck odor particles out of air, leaving your car smelling clean.
Have a friendly scent
Since air fresheners can be toxic to allergic people, you don’t want to have your passengers sneezing all journey. You can source a natural and non toxic scent for your car. Here are some tips
- Fill an open bag or container with coffee beans and have them in your car. Chances of you carrying a coffee allergic passenger are minimal. In most cases, your passengers will be impressed by how good your car smells.
- Have a dryer sheet under your backseats to provide a clean laundry smell
- Use a customizable vent clip air freshener. A vent clip that contains odorless pads of felt fabric will be fine. The point is, you should be able to control the strength of the aroma.
Regularly deep clean your car
Deep cleaning your car goes a long way in eliminating bad smells. You should have your car fabric vacuumed and cleaned regularly. On top of that, you can use an air freshener bomb to remove the whole car odor or invest in an ozone generator.
Do air fresheners lower ratings?
Yes. using synthetic air fresheners that contain carcinogenic compounds can have an effect on your Lyft or Uber ratings. As a result, some riders may dislike the smell and give lower ratings. However, this depends on individual preferences, hence be careful when using air fresheners.
How can I make my rental car smell better?
If you don’t want to use air fresheners in your car, you can try the following.
- Leave an open box of baking soda in your car for at least 2 days to remove all odors
- Have dryer sheets under the seats of your car to give it a fresh laundry scent.
- Use activated carbon deodorizer or natural air freshener such as a sachet filled with herbs or pine cone con to eliminate all odors and leave the car smelling fresh.
What’s Next?
Using air fresheners to mask odors on ride sharing services such as Lyft and Uber may be a cool idea. However, you should never compromise the passengers comfort. Some passengers prefer not to be exposed to air fresheners during their rides because of the potential health effects.
Others are too sensitive to fragrances used to make the air fresheners. You should try to find a balance between the passengers comfort and your need to remove unwanted odors by using natural and neutral air fresheners in your Lyft or Uber car.