My candle collection is no more…
Well, I still have a few candles hanging around. (Like the DIY Tallow Candles I made last week…), but the massive collection of artificially-scented candles in every imaginable size and shape?
They’re gone.
They’ve actually been gone for a while now. Ever since I started my love affair with essential oils, I’ve gradually lost my tolerance for artificial fragrances. And I’ve replaced it with something else instead:
An obsession love for diffusers.
Like I’ve mentioned before, I have multiple essential oil diffusers all over my house, and I run them a LOT. Diffusing essential oils can help to deodorize your home, lift your mood, purify the air, and just make things smell pretty darn awesome.
(If you want the full story on which diffusers I have and like best, check out my essential oil diffuser review post)
However, if you aren’t quite ready to invest in a diffuser, OR you need an off-grid option, I’m excited to share this simple tutorial for DIY essential oil reed diffusers with you today.
DIY Essential Oil Reed Diffusers
You will need:
- A glass container with a narrow opening (check thrift stores)
- 4-5 reed diffuser sticks (these are the ones I bought) OR bamboo skewers
- 1/4 cup carrier oil (I recommend lighter oils such as fractionated coconut oil, sweet almond oil, or safflower oil.)
- 20-25 drops of essential oil(s) (these are the essential oils I LOVE)
Instructions:
Mix the essential oils and carrier oil together in the glass container.
Place the diffuser sticks in the container. It will take a while for the oil to travel up the sticks, so speed up the process by flipping the sticks after several hours.
Continue to flip the sticks every few days to refresh the scent.
My favorite scent combos:
The sky is the limit when it comes to all the essential oil combinations you can create for your reed diffuser! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Peppermint + Wild Orange
- Lavender + Lemon + Rosemary
- Cinnamon + Wild Orange
- Grapefruit + Lemon + Lime
- Lavender + Eucalyptus
- White Fir + Cypress
- Juniper Berry + Lavender
- Bergamot + Patchouli
Notes
- A container with a narrow-opening is preferred for this project since it will slow down evaporation. Another option would be to find a glass container with a cork, and drill holes in it for the reeds.
- Heavier oils, such as olive oil or jojoba oil, will take longer to travel up the reeds, so for quicker results, stick with lighter oils, like sweet almond.
- Some folks add a bit of alcohol (either rubbing alcohol or vodka) to their mixture to help speed up the process of the oil moving through the reeds. I haven’t done that personally, but I suppose it’d be worth a try.
- Once the reeds become completely saturated, you’ll need to replace them with new ones. And you’ll also need to replenish your oil supply eventually too–although that will depend on what type of essential oils, container, and carrier oil you are using.
- The scent coming from my reed diffuser is noticeable, but not overwhelmingly strong. For instances where I need a strong blast of scent or a purifying effect, I’ll be sticking with my regular cold-air diffusers. But this is a nice little “accent” diffuser–and it’d make a great gift!
I think it goes without saying… but keep these out of the reach of kids and animals.
I just wanted to give a warning about these diffusers. A friend posted a picture of a dog that had spilled a commercially bought reed diffuser on themself. The owners had washed the dog and thought there was no issue. However, within a week, the dog had massive chemical burns from the oil. Not sure if there was something else in the oil or what, just wanted to give a heads up.
Hmmm… That sounds like it might have been caused by whatever was in the commercially-available “reed oils.” They are different than essential oils and do sometimes contain nasty chemicals.
No, actually it could have been a reaction to the essential oil itself. You must be very, very careful with essential oils around pets as most of them are toxic to our animals and the “safe” ones are toxic in any quantity. In addition, some oils that are save for dogs can kill cats. Please, be positive any oil you use on an animal is safe for that animal. In this case, what works for us might kill your pet.
safe, not save – sorry.
Generally, commercially prepared concoctions made for reed diffusers contain various scent substances that are not essential oils. That is what I meant.
If they are used incorrectly, EOs can be harmful to animals. I don’t ever use any oils on cats as a rule. However, I’ve had success using very diluted concentrations on my dogs, horses, and cattle.
Agreed Jill – I just wanted to clarify in case someone thought to go dump some drops of some oil on their cat especially. I’ve used diluted melaluca oil on the dogs for hot spots, etc. I definitely want to learn more uses for myself and for the dogs/birds.
Every reed diffuser I’ve purchased has always had the warning “avoid contact with skin and eyes.” That right there should tell you. I just bought one from Khols with that exact warning. I threw away the oil and will be mixing my own.
I have tried making a reed diffuser using grapeseed oil ..1/4 cup and more than the recommended amount of essential oils ..disappointed can’t smell it…and it’s in a small space.
Yes, reed diffusers aren’t very strong. For that reason, if you’re wanting long-lasting scent, I’d recommend a cold-air diffuser with essential oils.
I place my defuses in fron if our heating vents. It circulated the scent every time the fan comes on.
You can use one of those Velcro stops in the bottom of jar and the floor. It’s the ones that has the strip that doesn’t take paint off of walls. It really works well and does tip over.
Several essential oils (and other oils) react to radiant light (the sun etc.) exposure when applied to the skin and can cause a mild to severe burn. A burn can happen within minutes, hours, or days after exposure. This primarily true of the citrus oils but does include others.
I had a painter place a drop sheet over a wall unit that had a reed diffuser on it and of course it was knocked over and spilled however we were unaware of this until the painter had finished a day later and it completely stripped not only the lacquer but the stain right off the timber. Fantastic paint stripper!!!
Ha! I have an abundance of essential oils that I use for my handcrafted, vegan soaps. Thank you so much for this great idea! Can’t wait to try it. And I know I have the bamboo skewers too. Thank you for the combination ideas! What fun!
I’ve been wanting to make these for years. When they first became popular I would buy the ones at Yankee Candle but it was $20 per diffuser! Wish I had kept the bottles though because they were nice. Of the oils you suggested, is there one that typically runs the least expensive?
I think it would depend on where you are purchasing them. Sweet almond is probably one of the least expensive options though.
Love this idea – can i use grapeseed oil?
I haven’t tried grapeseed, but it’s worth a try!
Just used Grapeseed oil for my vanilla/Sandelwood difusser! It works great because it has almost no scent and it blended very well with the alcohol.
Hi Lorraine, how do you get your sandalwood/vanilla mix right? I’ve been able to get sandalwood oil but not vanilla. Wondered if I could put vanilla essence or extract in the water. Do you think that would work? Desparate times calls for desparate measures. LOL
Jill, this is a great idea! I just can’t handle candles with all the little hands and running feet, it scares me! And I can hardly remember to turn off lights not to mention blow out a candle as we rush out of the house. I’ve tried other scent tricks like plug ins and melting wax but they all smell too strongly. I love this idea and I am putting it on my Pinterest board for my readers and I!
Yeah, I can hardly stomach the smell of plug-ins anymore! 😉
Thanks for the tips. I am by no means an expert on using reed diffusers, but since I couldn’t afford the fancier ones, I did some research before buying my reeds. Everything I read said that bamboo reeds or skewers do NOT work well for diffusing because they are solid. Diffusing reeds should be made of rattan, which contains tiny passages (like a bunch of itty bitty straws) that allow the oil to work its way up. When my rattan reeds arrived, I looked at the top of them, and sure enough I could see lots of tiny holes. I looked at the bamboo skewers I use for shish kabobs, and sure enough they were solid throughout. So I definitely stick with rattan for this method of diffusing oils.
Yes— I agree. The rattan reeds seem to be much better suited for this project. Mine have tiny holes in them as well. However, I’ve seen several other folks say they had success with the skewers, so I thought I’d include it. But rattan is still my first choice!
Although I like oil diffusers, I’m with Jennifer on this. A veterinarian recently posted photos of their office cat who, unbeknownst to anyone, had knocked over their reed diffuser and then laid in the spilled oil. It was cinnamon essential oil. Once the staff realized the cat had made a mess, they thoroughly cleaned the oil from her side and belly. By the end of the week, even with attention and daily care, the residual eo had completely burned through the cat’s fur and skin. I don’t know if the danger is with just the cinnamon essential oil or any eo, but I strongly recommend not using any type of reed diffusers around animals.
Yes, cinnamon EO is rather “hot” to begin with, and cats and EOs don’t mix well anyway, so I imagine that was a bad combo. 🙁
Some of the issue could be how the essential oil was cleaned off the cat. Water pushes essential oils deeper so it’s a bad choice to clean essential oils off of anything fleshy.
Love this Jill! Thank you so much.
You’re welcome!
Loved it! I’ve done the same thing and couldn’t have written it better. I also repurpose Glade Plug-Ins and Scentsy warmers with a few drops of essential oils. Breathe clean my friends!
Love the idea of purposing the plug-ins!
Is the recipe the same for a plug-in as for a diffuser?
Can macadamians nut oil be used for the diffusers/
Hmmm… I don’t have any experience with macadamia oil–but if it’s a thicker oil, it’ll take longer for it to travel up the reeds.
I followed the directions but found it did not really work~disappointed in Oregon
Thank you so much for sharing this tutorial. I knew I wanted to do this until I can fit the cool air diffuser into my budget. My first oils will arrive this week and I’m excited to begin diffusing them in our bedrooms.
I am very grateful you shared the reeds you use. I had the wrong type of reeds in my amazon cart. & would have been so disappointed.
Love your blog and all your recipes!!
I was at the Dollar Store the other day and noticed they had Diffusers for sale. I picked up a package containing the reeds, bottle and ‘scent’. I came home, tossed the ‘scent’ and used the rest with my essential oils and voila! One stop, one buck!
Thank you for the info! I am all about saving money.
I did the same – found reed diffusers on clearance at Home Goods – got 2 bottles with reed for $3 – (threw away the scent)
Jill, What mixtures and types of oils would I use to make a chamomile diffuser?
And, do you think the diffuser mixtures you find in Garden Ridge or Pier One are worth even trying?
Hi David,
Could you clarify a bit on what you mean about the chamomile diffuser? And I would guess that the diffuser mixtures you can purchase in most stores are synthetic-grade scents. They might make your home smell nice, but they won’t offer any other benefits.
🙂
I’m curious if using a reed diffuser would have therapeutic benefits. I am not ready to invest in an expensive diffuser, but would using reeds with a mix like OnGuard in a bedroom be helpful in getting over a cold?
I think a cold-air diffuser is best for that sort of application. The reed ones are nice for a little bit of scent here and there, but it’s definitely not as powerful as a regular diffuser. You can get them off Amazon for pretty decent prices though.
Are cold EO diffusers safe to use with dogs- only certain oils?
When making my own reed diffuser can I used extra virgin coconut oil instead of fractionated coconut oil? Thanks.
Extra virgin coconut oil is solid at room temp. You need to use an oil that stays liquid. 🙂
About two years ago, I purchased an oil fragrance (used with reeds) called, SUMMER. The store that I purchased it from closed. I would love to find this fragrance again. It was my favorite of all time. Got any ideAs on how I might find it again? The.store was an upscale type Bed, Bath and Pantry Store. Thanks. I enjoy your site!
pier 1 imports
Please help! I really really want to make and enjoy some scent diffusers using essential oils! However, I am not getting enough scent!!
I used about 1/2 c. of Grapeseed oil, a couple teaspoons of rubbing alcohol and about 20 drops of essential oil (Bergamot and Lavender and also Eucalyptus and Lemongrass). I first used some reeds that had been used before and decided they were saturated. I then used some bamboo skewers….but felt they were not porous enough. I then bought some reeds at Yankee Candle and also some at Pier One.
However…..still not a strong enough scent to make it worthwhile. One small bottle is in my walkin closet with the door closed. Surely THAT room should have a scent!!
I do keep turning the reeds, but am not happy with the results.
Can you offer a suggestion for me?
Thank you….love your website!
What am I doing wrong?
Carol, what oils are you using? I use Young Living and have run to the store to grab another brand if I happened to run out before ordering. There’s a huge difference in brands – the store brand takes 2-3 times the drops in my diffuser to get the same results as the YL oils.
I just made one with Ylang Ylang and Citrus Bliss.. It’s super yummy!
I bet that is heavenly!
I would still like to know (as I asked in an above Comment), what is the best liquid to use in the reed diffusers?
I’ve used grapeseed oil, almond oil and water…..each separately.
It doesn’t seem that the liquid travels up the reeds very well.
Any advice? PLEASE?!!!
I used sweet almond for mine. flipping them does help too.
The reeds do not draw the oil up so you must flip them to get the oil on it. As you flip the reeds the oil flows back down into the jar from the top leaving some oil in the reed.
The reed does have the wood surface a wood dowel has to soak in the oils.
A solid wood dowel with rough texture would work better and hold more scent and put out the scent longer then the reeds that way you would not have to flip them as often.
I have not tries the rough small wood dowels yet but I am going to try those and oil lamps wicks, the wicks you would not have to flip to see which of those two will be better then the reeds.
When I get done testing I will let you know how it was.
Thanks for posting this! I’d been wondering how to do it and had been having trouble finding reeds. Looking forward to trying it!
Pier One has refill packs of bamboo diffuser reeds.
Thank you for this helpful information! Just got a reed diffuser as a gift and needed to know how to use essential oils with it instead of the “fragrance” oil. Has anyone ever tried boiling (or just maybe heating in hot water with a drop of Shaklee Basic H) the saturated reeds in order to clean them?
I also prepare my own diffuser, and scents. In early Spring, and Fall there are many different stems, weeds available along the roads edge. I’ve found many that serve well for reeds. Grapeseed.oIL I’ve learned is best. It has the highest burn point too.
So enjoy reading your blog.
I am just now getting into using essential oils…lots of information out there to digest. I have a cool mist diffuser, but I’d like to use the reeds in other rooms. Thank you so much for this post – just discovered your blog. Information is a GIFT!
I just started using essential oils. At this point, mostly in a cold air diffuser.
Wondering what is safe around a cat. I understand one should not use EO on the cat directly, but is it ok if the cat breathes the air from the diffuser?
I have used it in the bedroom, and it was on a table right next to where the cat usually sleeps. Since reading in various sources that EO is unsafe for a cat, have not used it in the bedroom. She doesnt usually hang in the living room, but does come in occasionally.
Dont want to hurt my cat while helping myself.
I too would love to know if the essential oils are safe for cats and dogs to breathe? And I guess I won’t attempt to make a read diffuser invade the cat does know it over. I’m trying to figure out where to set a cold air diffuser that wouldn’t damage furniture..suggestions?
I found this article to be helpful. I don’t diffuse because I don’t want to take any chances with my kitty, he’s my baby!
http://meowlifestyle.com/6-essential-oil-safety-tips-for-cat-owners/
Eucalyptus can cause seizures in dogs, i know for a fact but i dont know about cats. Poison control told me when my lab had a seizure
As long as you allow animals the freedom to move in and out of any rooms where you have a diffuser going, they will be fine. Caged animals you have to be careful of because they can’t get away from the diffused oils and are more sensitive due to their size.
We have 4 cats and a dog….we diffuse in multiple rooms around our house (only use Young Living oils) and our animals have never had any issues. They will leave the room if they don’t like what is being diffused or if it is too strong. Though you need to be careful and watch your pets, there is plenty of information available by veterinarians who actually use essential oils in their practice with all kinds of pets safely and successfully. But the type of essential oils being used makes a HUGE difference. Store bought ones are not safe….per the labels on them!
In other words this is not an automatic diffuser as it require you to constantly flip the sticks and it is not just set it on the shelf and forget it.
There are better ways to make one that works without the need to constantly flip the sticks, like using wicks you use in small oil lamps instead of the reeds tho you have to have a way to keep your wick above the top of the bottle. The wicks actually do suck up the oils distributing them all the way to the top unlike the reeds that will not.
I will be trying the oil lamp wick to see how that works because I do not want a scent without constantly flipping sticks and let you know how it goes.
So, Todd, how is that working for you?
I use spearmint with eucalyptus or peppermint with rosemary & they’re wonderful! Also a great combo is full on citrus with lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, tangerine & ylang ylang. I use these in lotion bars as well as salt/sugar scrubs! Very popular!
Yesterday, I attempted to make a diffuser oil. I doubled your recipe for the diffuser oil using a half cup almond oil. I used NOW Essential Oil 100% pure Orange, but it didn’t have a dropper. I used slightly under 2 teaspoons of it, but I don’t know if that was enough. I also wonder if I should add vodka. What do you think?
i wanted to give my sister a homemade essential oil reed diffuser for Christmas.. I used almond oil as my carrier oil.. 30 drops of Siberian Fir essential oil( because that is her favorite Christmas scent) and 1 TBS of vodka.. I was never able to get it to work.. No smell and it never did go up the rattan reed.. Then I tried just water, EO, and vodka.. Even though the water mix had a better smell, it still didn’t work with the reed.. I was so disappointed.. I’m wondering what else I can do
Wondering if I could use mineral oil or light olive oil as I do not want to go out on the snowy roads?
Hi i am a first timer making reed infusions i used quarter cup baby oil +1 tablespoon ethonol +saltylicious 100% lavender oilthe guy said id only need 3 to 6 drops after about 30 drops still no perfume i keep turning the reeds but not a very strong smell unless you stand over the reeds you cant smell it .i paid $25 for the small bottle of essential oil.can you help me please thanks
Helena Sills
The baby oil is the problem. You need a light vegetable oil like fractionated coconut or almond seed oil
Thank you for these amazing DIY suggestions! How about just the combination of Rosemary and Lavender? And, for the combinations that you suggested, what ratios would you recommend between the various (2 or 3) essential oils?
I’ve tried 2x to make my own diffuser yet no scent comes from the sticks. I used sweet almond oil, 99% rubbing alcohol & essential oils. I added more alcohol & essentials when I didn’t smell anything yet that didn’t help. I’ve purchased 2 packages of rattan sticks
Anyone have any idea why this isn’t working? Many thanks for your feedback.
I did that exact thing and it didn’t work at all. My carrier oil was Safflower oil and I mixed some essential oil’s together and even put it in a jar with a cover give it a good shake and then put it in the jar with the reeds and absolutely nothing. I’ve got two of them, I made them several days ago and I can’t smell thing. I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong. If you have any ideas, please advise. Thank you ?
I did several diffusers, your recipe and other combinations, neither of them smells 🙁