25 years shopping thrift stores, estate, garage, rummage, flea markets and tag sales. 10 years in interior design. Current DIY projects have been renovating two turn-of-the century brownstones and commercial/residential property development. 
(4.33 out of 5)Refill, Recycle Air Fresheners and $ave
July 13th, 2006 by markdownmom 
Air Freshners now have fans that circulate the scent into a room; however, MDM found that the refills only last for a couple of weeks, a month at the most. Comparing the refill ingredients to that of liquid potpourri which is used in a simmer pot or simmer vase, and the refill is used in a warmer unit, MDM found the ingredients to be similar and decided to try an experiment. MDM found that the cost of each replacement refill was around $1.50 and a bottle of the potpourri was a little under $3.00. The refill was under an ounce and the bottle of liquid potpourri contained 32 ounces!
Now, please note that both products can be harmful if swallowed, or an irritant if it comes in direct contact with the eyes, and should be kept out of the reach of kids and pets, and avoid direct contact on furniture. So one must be careful! 
Step 2. MDM Removed the stopper and wick from the empty refill. A very small screwdriver used to repair glasses was inserted under the rim and slowly pried up the plastic ring without damaging it. You could use a tweezer if you don’t have this tool available.
Step 3. Insert a funnel into the empty refill.
Step 4. Fill the empty refill with the liquid potpourri. Another safety tip would be to wear latex or rubber gloves when filling the bottle and have some paper toweling to absorb any liquid that might spill.
Step 5. Reassemble the unit. VIOLA!
This method is good for one refill right now as the wick will have to be replaced after that. But not to worry, MDM is going to experiment with different wicks including a water wick which acts osmotically to see what will work best and get back to you on a later posting.
Remember this unit is only used on a device that requires dispersal by a fan that is only turned on by the user and does not run continuously. MDM is not a chemist, so be sure to take the necessary precautions.
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February 1st, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Yes, you are correct about refilling Air Freshners, however, the wicks expand and fall apart and have to be pulled out. What kind of wick would work with liquid potpourri and where would you find it?
February 1st, 2007 at 8:17 pm
You are right, the wick that comes with the bottle is only good for one refill. I am testing a wick that is used for watering plants by providing an osmotic action. I will get back to you as soon as I get the product from the merchant and can test it out. Thanks for your participation. MarkdownMom
P.S. On the new air fresheners with light system, there is no wick and you can just refill it easy. Plus, yesterday, I noticed that Target had marked down a few of these.