Update 4:47pm CT, June 2: A spokesperson for Febreze told the Daily Dot the following in a statement:
“With our translucent bottles, our consumers are able to see the liquid contents of our product. Nothing to hide here! What you’re seeing is typically how aerosol containers are designed.
The propellant that dispenses the product is a gas. We use 100% natural nitrogen as the propellant, and the space above the liquid is occupied by the nitrogen. The container is 60% liquid and 40% nitrogen to allow the nitrogen to adequately dispense the volume of liquid. The weight listed on the package reflects the fill level of the liquid in the container.”
A woman happened to take a can of Febreze outside, and what she discovered has customers swearing off the product.
Korah McGraw (@pretty_chea) was upset after she brought a brand new can of Febreze out onto her porch. With the natural light of the sun behind the canister, she was able to see just how much liquid it had in it. Suffice to say, she wasn’t happy.
The TikToker addressed Febreze in the caption of her post, saying she was extremely “disappointed.” She also added, “I feel scammed.”
In the video she explains her grievance. She claims that she was looking at one of the new air fresheners she had just purchased when she noticed the level of the liquid inside seemed depleted.
Thinking that canister had probably been sprayed in the store, McGraw checked the others. But she found they had the same amount of liquid in them.
“This is where they fill the Febreze up to. It’s empty y’all,” she exclaims, holding the bottles up to the light.
Customers are equally enraged
Several other Febreze users were disappointed by the amount of liquid inside the Febreze canisters.
“That bottom part covered by color is solid plastic. It doesn’t even go all the way down. I stopped buying once I found that out,” one person claimed.
“They do this [with] everything & they say you’re paying for the amount of product not the container,” another said.
A third person said they had yelled at their kids for wasting the room spray before they finally checked an unopened canister.
Why are Febreze cans only halfway full?
A few commenters attempted to explain that the company was not trying to pull a fast one on its customers. The reason the Febreze canisters appear partially full is because of the science behind aerosol sprays.
Aerosol cans appear to be half empty, but the space is actually filled with compressed gas. This gas, like nitrogen, acts as a propellant and pushes out the fragrance spray in a safe and even manner.
One commenter named Andrew suggested an alternative to spray scents: “Get the plug in, they last so many months.”
However, several commenters disputed the claim that the plug-ins last a long time. Plug-in fragrances also reportedly cause headaches among users, and they can also be a fire hazard.
@pretty_chea @Febreze I’m highly disappointed I feel scammed .. I always just grab and go because they always feel full.. when I’m home I pick up and spray! I never took time to look until today! And this was all of them when I went back to the store, all of them the same!!! I spend a lot of money on Febreze items!!!! Not anymore if this how yall gone do us !!!! I need a refund or something!!! #scammers #fyp #febreze #febreze ♬ original sound – Korah McGraw
What are alternatives to store-bought room scents?
While room sprays, candles, and scent diffusers are popular ways to add scents to a room, some of them can have adverse effects.
Many commercial room scents are made with synthetic fragrances that can irritate the lungs or even trigger allergies. Whenever possible, opt for scents that use natural, non-toxic ingredients, or make your own room fragrance by boiling ingredients like lemon and cloves over the stove.
The Daily Dot reached out to McGraw via TikTok direct message.
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