I find myself using essential oils more and more in my daily life. If you read my blog, you know I like to make DIY household cleaners with essential oils and also add them to my homemade beauty recipes. The latest way I’m enjoying my essential oils is with a reed diffuser I made in about 60 seconds!
This is a great way to upcycle glass jars. A reed diffuser slowly disperses essential oils into the air. They are really low maintenance. You can enjoy the benefits of the diffuser for weeks at a time until you need to refill them. Use your favorite essential oil or essential oil blends to scent your home naturally.
Homemade Essential Oil Reed Diffuser (This blog post may contain affiliate links.)
You’ll need:
- A glass jar
- 1/4 cup carrier oil (I used Sweet Almond Oil)
- 15 drops of your favorite Essential Oil
- 1 tsp. alcohol
- 5-6 reed diffuser sticks or bamboo skewers
Directions:
Pour 1/4 cup carrier oil into the jar. Add 15 drops of essential oil(s) and alcohol. Stir with one of the sticks. Add 5-6 sticks to the jar. The sticks will begin to diffuse immediately, but it may take a few hours for you to be able to start smelling the results. Essential oil reed diffusers work best in smaller spaces.
The bamboo skewers I used are ones I found at the grocery store – they are working just fine. But if you want to try reed diffuser sticks, you can buy them online at Amazon.
I decorated my glass jar with jute twine. It was really simple. I dipped a length of twine into white craft glue and wrapped the twine around and around the jar.
I used an essential oil recipe of 8 drops of Lemon with 7 drops of Lavender essential oils in my diffuser. These combine to create a clean, pleasant scent. Other essential oils you may want to try in your diffuser:
- Peppermint – for a pick-me-up scent
- Bergamot – refreshing, citrusy scent
One of my favorite DIY essential oil all-purpose cleaners can also be used as a spray air freshener. Check out my Homemade Rosemary Essential Oil cleaner recipe. I can also tell you how to use Ylang Ylang essential oil to make a love potion!
Do you use essential oils to scent your home? What are your favorite essential oil scents? What are your favorite ones to mix together?
Juli says
Hello!
I used a dark glass bottle with a small opening because this way it makes the solution last longer.
I tried the following way using the same ingredients you used but I don’t smell it much in my apartment. I have a one bedroom apartment and can’t really smell the scent.
30 drops of peppermint and lemon grass essential oils (15 drops each)
a bit less than half cup of Almond oil
1 teaspoon of 91% alcohol
8 reeds
jan says
I have many different essential oils and am looking forward to trying this. Do not like the commercial ‘air fresheners’ at all. Thanks.
Linda Manns Linneman says
This is a great idea. I would love to do some in lavender. Thank you for sharing
Rosie says
I have some lavender essential oil, I haven’t used it yet. This sounds wonder, and mixing lavender with lemon – wow! Very nice idea, I want to try it!
Nicole says
Hi Rosie! I love mixing lavender and lemon – I just made a diy cleaner with both scents mixed and love it. -Nicole
Nicole Dz says
I would make this in lavender scent for the bathroom. Love how you wrapped the burlap around the bottom. Very easy DIY! Great idea to scent the home.
Cinda says
Thanks for a great tutorial. Can you tell me what the alcohol is suppose to do? I added it to mine and now it smells like rubbing alcohol. It smelled of vanilla before I added the alcohol. Will that smell dissipate? Thanks.
Nicole says
The alcohol smell should go away after a few minutes. It is there to help bind the essential oils to the other liquids so they can travel up the reeds more easily. Some people leave the alcohol out and say their reed diffusers work fine without it. I haven’t tested mine that way, but if the alcohol smell bothers you, you may want to try it without. But I really think the alcohol smell should evaporate and disappear quickly. Hope that helps! -Nicole
Diane Cooper says
I fell in love with essential oils about a year ago. I am trying to learn how to cure all my health and beauty problems using essential oils, along with cleaners for my home. I am definitely going to make my own diffuser. My overall favorite scents to mix together are lemon and eucalyptus – it smells so clean and fresh! Clears out your sinuses, too!
Nicole says
I love Lemon and Eucalyptus too. I don’t think I have used them in a mix, but I think you have just inspired my next DIY homemade cleaner scent! Thank you for the idea. I also use Eucalyptus in the shower/bath to help me breathe. 🙂 My sinuses are driving me nuts these days.
Jo-Ann Brightman says
I have never made any scents for the home. This essential oil reed diffuse seems to be relatively easy to make. Thanks for the directions.
Maryann D. says
I love using essential oils and I am learning a lot about it. I would like to make one of these reed diffusers. Peppermint oil is wonderful.
Sandy VanHoey says
Great idea. Will have to try this