How to make a natural aromatherapy reed diffuser at home
Homemade reed diffusers are easy to make, cost very little and make a lovely aesthetic alternative to the more standard oil burners or electric diffusers. Placed in a kitchen or bathroom, for example, they will emit an ongoing gentle fragrance and provide a healthy, hygienic alternative to the many commercial versions which generally contain a mix of synthetic fragrances and chemical additives. Making your own natural reed diffuser using 100% pure essential oils which have been ethically sourced, also ensures that the diffusion blend is eco-friendly and has a genuine therapeutic effect. Having a reed diffuser in your home can also help to eliminate airborne germs and prevent the spread of the all-too-familiar winter bugs that circulate in the colder seasons, as it offers a passive form of vaporisation that emits a steady and consistent scent lasting several weeks.
To make a reed diffuser, you will need: a narrow-necked, decorative glass bottle, a few rattan reeds or bamboo sticks (depending on the width or the bottle neck), some light coconut oil, a little vodka and your chosen essential oils. The essential oils which make up your blend can be selected for their required effect: for example, a reed diffuser placed in a bedroom might contain a blend of lavender, mandarin, bergamot and vetiver oil for their soothing effects while a bathroom blend might contain potent anti-septic and bactericidal oils such as eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary and niaouli (or tea tree) oil.
Many of the citrus oils, such as lemon, orange, grapefruit and lime, provide a pleasing and refreshing scent alongside their powerful anti-infectious properties, being valuable as a preventative against airborne bugs and bacteria. For example, for a purifying and uplifting blend, you could simply combine,
- 10 drops Lemon
- 10 drops Grapefruit
- 10 drops Lime
Of course, it is also possible to just use a single essential oil, such as fragonia – one of my personal favourites – when making a reed diffuser or to use one of my unique, ready-made diffusion blends such as ‘Clear Head’, ‘Brighten’, ‘Serenity’ or ‘Defence’.
Directions to Make a Reed Diffuser:
Step 1: Place all the items and ingredients needed on a clean, dry surface.
Step 2: Using a glass funnel and measuring beaker, add 20 ml of vodka to the glass bottle followed by 30 drops of essential oils – either a single oil or an oil blend. Then mix well.
Step 3: Now measure out and add 80ml of light coconut oil to the bottle and mix well with the essential oils and vodka.
Step 4: Finally place the reeds or bamboo sticks into the bottle. If you are using bamboo sticks it is best to clip off the pointed ends beforehand. Then allow the reeds to soak up the scented oil for about one hour, then turn them over so the whole reed becomes gradually saturated with oil.
Step 5: Every week it is best to turn the reeds around, so they are newly coated with the scented oil so as to refresh the room with fragrance. You will also need to replace the reed diffuser oil every couple of months as the scent fades.
For a more traditional type of room diffuser, I recommend our range of sleek and modern, highly effective electronic vaporisers, available in either black or white which suit different room sizes and situations: Mia, Jasmine and Julia. The most sophisticated of these, Julia, includes a swing mode action to optimally diffuse essential oils around the room. It also includes an illuminated LED mist outlet which can be dimmed or switched off, providing gentle plumes of extra fine air hydration.
There are also many more recipe blends for making natural room fragrances made from 100% pure essential oils, for use either in reed diffusers or in electronic vaporisers, featured in my forthcoming book ‘Mud, Salt & Medicine’ (pub. Welbeck) released in March 2023