We Tried All 4 Mrs. Meyer’s Holiday Scents and Ranked Them

The holidays are here, and you know what they say: It’s the most olfactory time of the year! There are kitchen-inspired aromas (gingerbread, cranberry, etc.), scents of the great outdoors (evergreens, chestnuts) completely made-up fragrances (like “Snowflake Kisses” and “Winter Wishes”) — and, of course, there are Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day winter fragrances.

Makers of plant-derived, good-smelling cleaning products, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day has been rolling out limited-edition scents for years. Autumn’s collection, which includes the fan favorite “Mum,” has come and gone, but the company’s four winter seasonal fragrances are hitting shelves now. They are as follows: Peppermint (launched in 2008), Iowa Pine (2009), Orange Clove (2010), and Snowdrop (2019). All four are available as hand soap, dish soap, multi-surface everyday cleaner, room sprays, and tin and glass jar candles. 

Naturally, we decided to try them all, and rank them. Note that these are just our thoughts and personal preferences — and honestly you can’t really go wrong with any of them.

The “peppermint” packaging features candy canes and other sweets and the scent is arguably the most “Christmas-y” of the bunch. Despite it being one of the more straightforward fragrances, I found it also the most artificial-smelling, although not in an offensive way. (More like a pleasant scratch-and-sniff experience.) If you’re looking for a way to turn the Christmas spirit in your home up to 11 while also maintaining a shred of dignity, I’d say this is a good choice. It’s also probably the most “kid-friendly,” in that it’s festive and not unfamiliar or nuanced.

This versatile scent leans in heavily to the warm-and-cozy pumpkin spice vibe, in a good way. I tried it as a tin candle, and repeatedly found myself thinking I was cooking/baking something — and then realizing it was the candle working its subtle magic on me. Aromatherapy at its finest. Recommend.

Allow us to introduce the most popular Mrs. Meyer’s limited-edition holiday scent: Snowdrop. I mistakenly thought this was one of those made-up fragrances (a la “Jack Frost”), but then I realized it is in fact based on the diminutive, early-blooming bulb of the same name. (This would make sense, as Mrs. Meyer’s products are botanical.)

I tried the room freshener, and I think this is the perfect application of the scent: It’s lightly floral and fresh, lingers just the right amount, and doesn’t have that cloying, “mask it with perfume” aspect. Actual snowdrops are said to have a “honey-like” fragrance, which I don’t really detect here, but I don’t think that matters aside from managing expectations. And for the record, snowdrops bloom between January and March, so while technically it’s a winter scent, snowdrop is flirting pretty hard with spring. Regardless: It’s on shelves now, so go grab this crowd-pleaser while you still can. 

This was my favorite and it’s also the second-most popular scent in the holiday collection. I happen to be a fan of the “evergreen” family of fragrances — Balsam Fir, Douglas Fir, etc. — and I don’t quite trust people who have artificial Christmas trees. So it’s not a surprise that this one would come out on top for me. It’s a very natural and evocative fragrance that is detectable but not overpowering.

Aside from my personal bias, I’d say this is probably the most versatile of the scents; I used it as dishwashing soap, but think it would work well in any of the limited-edition product forms, from candles and cleaner to hand soap. (Also, it’s a pretty good dupe for the wildly popular Fraser Fir from Thymes, which, while amazing, is pricey.)

Your turn: Which Mrs. Meyer’s scent is your favorite?