The Air Wick Freshmatic is a battery-powered automatic spray that produces a regular and consistent burst of fragrance throughout the day, ensuring your home is always smelling great. But if your Air Wick automatic spray is not working properly, there are several reasons behind it.
Usually, an Air Wick automatic spray will stop working when the batteries are low on charge or require a refill. In addition, other reasons such as the nozzle facing backward, red arm mechanism, and incorrect refill insertion will prevent the automatic spray from working.
Below we will explain all the possible reasons that could cause your Air Wick automatic spray to stop working and how to fix them. We will also provide you with tips to help you prolong your refills and battery power.
Why is my Air Wick automatic spray not spraying?
Unlike air purifiers which simply filter out bad particles in the air, air fresheners mask odors and leave a fragrance smell in the room. There are several causes why your Air Wick automatic spray is not emitting any fragrance. These are the possible problems and solutions based on the Air Wick Freshmatic complaints.
Empty canister
The Air Wick automatic spray has a refill canister that holds the fragrance. If the automatic spray is not working, the first thing you should check is if the refill canister has run out. To confirm you’re out of a fragrance, with the nozzle directed away from your face, find the square pad button at the top of the nozzle and press it down twice. If the spray doesn’t release any mist, you must replace the canister with a new one.
- Switch off the automatic spray.
- Press the button at the top and pull the front cover out simultaneously.
- Remove the lid, depress the square button on top of the nozzle twice, and remove the empty canister.
- Install the new Air Wick refill, ensuring the nozzle is directed towards the front cover.
- Turn the red lever clockwise and list it to ensure the refill sits correctly. When the refill sits properly in place, you will hear a click.
- Close the lid and replace the front cover.
- Adjust the Air Wick settings and turn it on.
Dead batteries
The Air Wick automatic spray runs on batteries; each battery lasts about three refills. So if your Air Wick doesn’t start spraying 15 seconds after turning it on, then the battery is depleted.
Fortunately, to avoid getting caught unawares, the Air Wick automatic spray has an LED indicator light that blinks red when the battery is depleting. To be sure, restart the device and if the red light is blinking, replace the old battery using the steps below.
- Turn the automatic spray off by pushing the left switch to the off position.
- Press the top button down and take off the cap.
- Find the batteries inside, remove them and dispose of them correctly
- Insert the two new AA alkaline batteries from a reputable brand. Ensure the positive(+) and negative(-) align with the terminals.
- Finally, reassemble the automatic spray and turn it on.
Do not use zinc-carbon or rechargeable batteries in your Air Wick automatic spray.
Red arm mechanism
Air Wick automatic sprays have a red arm mechanism that supports their structure. If the Air Wick Freshmatic red arm lever is not working or is not fully raised, there won’t be enough room to insert the refill canister properly or close the device’s front cover. Therefore, the automatic spray won’t work.
The Air Wick automatic spray displays a green light every 5 seconds, indicating the battery and refill are in good condition. So if there is a green light and it’s still not spraying, you should check if the red arm mechanism is in the elevated position. To fix the Air Wick automatic spray, you must raise the red arm completely.
- Locate the red arm in the opening where the nozzle of the can should rest.
- If the arm is blocking the opening, raise it to its fullest extent by rotating the arm clockwise.
- Then push the refill completely inside the device,
- Close the front cover and turn on the device.
Nozzle facing backward
The nozzle is the small opening on the refill through which it sprays fragrance. When the automatic spray is closed, the tip of the nozzle is visible on the front side. If you don’t see the nozzle, the refill is likely seated incorrectly, and the nozzle is facing the wrong direction. To fix this, remove the refill and reposition the nozzle facing the front of the device, then insert it.
Blocked nozzle
Sometimes dust, debris, and resin accumulate in the nozzle and clog the opening. Therefore, the Air Wick automatic spray could be on, but there is no passage of the fragrance out of the refill.
- Look for dirt at the nozzle opening.
- Use a pin to clean out the nozzle and dislodge any particles.
- Remove the refill and use a q-tip to clean out dust from the opening.
- If the blockage has hardened, especially after storage, run the nozzle under warm water, making sure not to get any near the battery. Then dry it using a dry cloth.
- Try spraying the Air Wick manually to force out all the dirt.
Settings
One of the benefits of the Air Wick automatic spray is it has three-time interval settings allowing you to control the fragrance level. For instance, the three flower settings give your room the most intense fragrance level that spreads quickly.
Check your interval settings if your Air Wick automatic spray is not emitting any fragrance. Also, the device is off if there is a small dot on display. You must readjust your settings every time you change the batteries. Otherwise, the device will stay off.
If you fix this issue, observe the display on the spray and adjust the flower settings accordingly. The Air Wick automatic spray timer has the following intervals:
- Large flower: intense fragrance emitted every 9 minutes
- Middle flower: a medium intensity emitted every 18 minutes
- Small flower: very subtle intensity emitted every 36 minutes
- Dot: device is not emitting any fragrance.
Location
One common thing about home appliances such as, subwoofers, air purifiers, dehumidifiers is location is imperative. If everything about the Air Wick automatic spray is fine, the device should be releasing fragrance perfectly. But if it’s not, then its mounting location likely not an ideal position. On the other hand, even the least intensity setting should be recognizable if the spray is in a perfect position.
To smell the fragrance in the room, you must place it at least six feet above ground level. Mount it on the wall or an open shelf or stand. Then adjust the setting according to the size of the room. The least setting may not aromatize a significantly large room properly.
How do you fix an air freshener that won’t spray?
If there is sufficient product is in your air freshener can, and it won’t spray, then the nozzle is likely clogged with dirt and resin. Fortunately, you can easily remove the clog without replacing the nozzle using the steps below.
- Pull out the spray nozzle from the air freshener canister. Make sure to face the nozzle away from you, and you could accidentally spray it into your eyes and face and cause a reaction.
- Run the nozzle under hot water for several minutes to remove the loose dirt and oils in the nozzle.
- Then wipe it clean with a warm, clean cloth. Ensure you clean all the corners and crevices inside the spray nozzle.
- Pour some rubbing alcohol into a bowl and soak the nozzle in the rubbing alcohol for about 10 minutes. The rubbing alcohol will break down any resin residue in the nozzle.
- Rinse the nozzle in warm running water. Check for any remaining dirt; if there is, insert a sewing needle to dislodge dirt particles.
- Rinse the nozzle and replace it on the air freshener canister.
- Shake the product in the can and spray to test it.
How to know if Air Wick automatic spray is working
If the batteries and the refill in the Air Wick automatic spray are in good condition, turn on the device, adjust the control settings, and it should start spraying after a 15-second delay. If it doesn’t spray after 15 seconds, the device has a problem.
How long does Air Wick automatic spray last?
A single refill in the Air Wick automatic spray lasts about 70 days with the minimum setting and 60 days with the highest settings. To ensure the refill and battery last longer, we recommend taking out the batteries and refill canister when you don’t use the device for a long time.
Conclusion
Our article explains why your Air Wick automatic spray refuses to work. And there are several ways you can get your air Wick working. It’s best to use the elimination method to ensure you have the right diagnosis and solution. Start by checking if the refill canister is empty, then replace the batteries. Next, check the position of the red arm and nozzle. If the nozzle is clogged, clean it with warm water.