TikTok's Toilet Paper Air Freshener Has Gone Viral, But Is It Really Worth Trying?

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It's no secret that TikTok is home to savvy home improvement tricks and brilliant cleaning hacks. From organizational tips to TikTok's DIY air freshener spray, the social media platform hosts thousands of videos that promise to improve your life and save you money. One viral home hack trend making waves and sparking debate in comment sections is a DIY air freshener made from toilet paper. Not all viral trends live up to their promises, and this is one you're probably better off skipping.

The trend involves boiling a roll of toilet paper in water in a saucepan on the stove before removing the tube, wringing it dry, and tearing the soggy toilet paper into tiny pieces. You then cover the scraps in various fabric softeners and scented salts before sealing it with aluminum foil and poking ventilation holes with a toothpick. According to one content creator (via TikTok), who amassed over 5 million views replicating the trend, "this allows the scent to slowly release into the room over time."  

This isn't the first time TikTok users have shared air freshener hacks with toilet paper as the star of the show. Similar videos have been met with a good deal of skepticism and floods of comments questioning the efficiency and effectiveness of this method. Here's why some viewers think that toilet paper air freshener is one popular TikTok cleaning trend to avoid.

A common gripe among commenters on the viral toilet paper air freshener is that despite claiming to be affordable, the hack is not very cost effective. With the price of goods steadily on the rise, home staples like toilet paper, laundry detergent, and fabric softener can add up quickly. One commenter wrote (via TikTok), "Buying an air freshener is cheaper and not messy." Other commenters shared the same sentiment and brought up the point that toilet paper can be expensive. You can find brand name air fresheners for less than $10 on Amazon, like this Glade room spray or Febreze wall plug-ins.

Another downside to the toilet paper DIY is that this method is time consuming and tedious. From waiting for the water to boil to painstakingly ripping apart a whole roll of soggy toilet paper, it is a lot faster to just spray a room with air freshener. "You spent lots of time and material while you can get the same result or [better] from deodorant spray," one commenter wrote (via TikTok).

With sustainability trends on the rise and underconsumption core taking over TikTok, it's no surprise that viewers left comments that this method was wasteful since it utilizes single-use plastic and an entire roll of toilet paper. Even though the viral hack claims to be an all-natural alternative, some people also noted that the ingredients used can contain a variety of chemicals. While the toilet paper air freshener hack is certainly creative, TikTok users agree it may not be the most effective route to a wonderful-smelling home.