Reed diffusers have become increasingly popular over the past few years. No wonder, as they are amazing alternatives to scented candles as well as great decorations for your home. Those of you, who have already walked in a home scented with reed diffusers, I don’t have to explain how unique and cosy this atmosphere is.

However, reed diffusers can be more expensive than one would expect, not to mention that in many stores the variety is not as great as you would like. So what can you do? Well, the great news is that you can make your own reed diffuser at home with only a few ingredients. In this post, I will give you the list of equipment and ingredients needed as well as the step-by-step process so you can start right away!

Why are reed diffusers so great?

Most likely, the number one reason for the reed diffuser’s popularity is the fact that it comes without any fire hazard - unlike scented candles. Let’s admit, even with all the safety measurements, accidents can happen. So for those of you who don’t use candles because of exactly this reason, reed diffusers might be the answer.

A reed diffuser is basically a jar filled with scented oils, with reeds in it dispersing the scent. They offer natural and long-lasting solutions for keeping your home fresh and scented. Furthermore, its decorative feature is also worth mentioning. By choosing a pretty jar, it can be a centrepiece on your dinner table or the main decoration on your coffee table.

What will you need?

So, if you would like to try this great option in your own home, making one is luckily not a difficult process. Let’s see what you’ll need.

The most important is choosing the right base oil for your diffuser. The secret is to use one which is thin enough to travel up the reed but also able to mix very well with the added essential oils. Below, you can find a list of the most popular options.

Sunflower oil

This is not a really commonly used base, but you can find reed diffusers in the stores with sunflower oil base. So yes, you can use that at home as well. It is easily accessible, cheap and natural.

Sweet almond oil

This is one of the most commonly used base oil, as it is thin and natural. So, it is a great option for those who are concerned with environmental and ethical issues while also being effective. The only disadvantage is that it is a more expensive option.

Alcohol base

You can also purchase alcohol-based products made for such purposes. Perfumer’s Alcohol is the most common one which will provide a really good result with a strong and long-lasting scent.

Augeo

For those of you, who haven’t heard of augeo yet, it is a sustainable and high-quality solvent which is widely used for making scented candles, room sprays and yes, reed diffusers as well. This option is eco-friendly, has a low evaporation rate and provides really good results. You can purchase it online or in stores, so it is easily accessible as well. I would say that this is the other most popular choice.

After choosing the base for your reed diffuser, the rest is really easy. You will need essential or fragrance oils based on your own preferences. This is the easy and the creative part as you can simply experiment with the different scents. Feel free to choose different oils in the different rooms but don’t overdo it either. Mixing too many oils can be too strong and will have an opposite effect.

Also, always keep in mind that if you plan on selling your homemade diffusers, it is worth getting an overall picture about the most common essential oil and their use. For example, it is known that lavender is used to help sleeping as it has a relaxing effect. These small details will make your product more convenient and satisfactory for your customers.

The next choice will be the material of the sticks. The most common ones are reel, bamboo or rattan. However, most people advise to use rattan as the fragrance can easily travel up to the top.

Lastly, you will need a small jar or vase which you can choose to be really decorative as well. One small detail to keep in mind is that the neck of the bottle should be narrow. This way the scent of your mixture won’t evaporate too quickly.

Step-by-step process

If you have already managed to purchase all the ingredients and necessary equipment, you should simply follow the guide below and you’ll be done in no time.

1. Measure your ingredients and pay attention to the ratios. It’s a general rule to have a 30-70 or 20-80 ratio for the essential oil and the base. Obviously, it depends on the chosen base and the strength of the essential oils as well. So that is the time for the experiments.

2. Pour your chosen base into the jar or vase.

3. Add the essential oils as well. Stir and mix the oils.

4. Put in 4-8 reed sticks based on the size of your room.

As you can see, it’s really easy and quick. Once you are done, you can simply put it in the chosen room and wait for the amazing scent.

Practical tips

Finally, let’s see some practical tips to make your reed diffuser really long-lasting.

Firstly, before making it, decide which room you will keep it. This way you can prepare the right amount and won’t result in a too strong or too weak fragrance.

Secondly, it’s worth knowing that your diffuser will last up to a month. But before that, you should swap the reeds after one or two weeks so the other end can evaporate as well.

All things considered, reed diffusers are truly great alternatives to room sprays or scented candles. They can offer a long-lasting scent without fire hazard and the making process is also really quick and easy.