Car air fresheners

It is interesting (funny or irritating depending on your mood!) to see how closely related women and cars are in men's imaginations. They love to shower them both with presents: alloy wheels, sunroof... So why not perfume?
By Virginie Grolleau . 08/06/01

"Here, we know all about problems with car odors," affirms with consternation Jean-Jacques, an employee at a limousine rental agency in Paris. "We clean the car after each client, often, we do it several times a day. Each brand has its own smell and I can recognize some of them with my eyes closed!" But you don't need to do that. Very effective car air fresheners can be found at autobody repair shops, dealers and supermarkets. Jean-Jacques recommends fresh scents such as lime, grapefruit or green apple. "I know some drivers who use their own colognes", adds Jean-Jacques.

Tips

Those who don't care for synthetic scents (which can be nauseating), can resort to "grandma's recipes" such as little lavender sachets to be placed under the seat or an orange spiked with cloves (not to worry, it won't rot). Fabric seat covers can be rubbed with a cloth soaked in vinegar, lemon juice or baking soda diluted in water.

Car colognes, a sign of refinement

For drivers with sensitive noses and refined tastes, l'Artisan Parfumeur has created two car scents: the first - Parfum de Feuilles, a blend of crushed tomato leaves and basil - is sunnier, thus ideal for the summer. The second - Ambre - comes in small felt sachets. "When you spend a lot of time in your car, it becomes like a second home. For that reason we went with amber, which goes very well with leather and creates a comfortable atmosphere," said Marie Dumont, General Manager at l'Artisan Parfumeur. "Perfuming the car is in keeping with the general trend of integrating perfumes and fragrances into our daily lives. Many women buy car scents for men, but younger men are spontaneously attracted to scents."
So there is nothing to worry about when men insist on perfume for their beloved cars: they're just trying to recreate the cozy ambiance of Home Sweet Home.