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This is a simple and easy DIY craft to help diffuse the smell of essential oils in your home. This DIY Reed Diffuser is the perfect fix for those rooms that don’t have a home diffuser machine and can help you replace commercial sprays or toxic candles.
You will need:
- Rattan Reeds– I bought the ones in this picture at IKEA. Because they are painted they tend to tint liquid they sit in. Ones like these from Amazon will not tint the water.
- Fractionated Coconut Oil– 1/4 cup
- Unflavored Vodka– 1 tsp. You can totally use the cheap stuff. It helps the mixture travel up the reeds.
- Jar with a narrow opening– I bought this one at IKEA as well.
- Essential Oils-as always I only use Young Living. You can get a discount on Young Living Oils here. You will need 20 drops and you can do a combination of two or just a single fragrance like Lavender for the bedroom. I have some combination ideas below.
Mix the fractionated coconut oil, vodka and essential oils in the jar. Arrange your reeds. Flip the reeds after a few hours to help the fragrance travel up the reeds. Then flip them every few days to renew the scent.
DIY Reed Diffuser Essential Oil Combinations to try:
- Peppermint and Ylang Ylang
- Spearmint and Rosemary
- Lavender and Cinnamon
- Peppermint and Orange
- Lavender and Lemon and Rosemary
- Cinnamon and Orange
- Grapefruit andLime
- Lavender and Eucalyptus Radiata
- White Fir and Cypress
- Bergamot and Patchouli
- Clove and Cinnnamon and Nutmeg
- Stress Away and Orange
You need to replace the reeds once they get completely saturated because they can’t diffuse at that point. How quickly that happens depends on how big the opening of the jar is. I add more oils at that point when I add new reeds. I throw away the whole thing and start over every 1-2 months. The alcohol helps keep it “fresher”. How long will this last? A lot of it depends where it is, the size of the reeds, size of the jar and your personal preference.
Update: I am currently running the best deal on Essential Oils I have all year. Click the picture to find out more.
Sandy says
I made the reed diffuser using Young Living essential oils. I purchased the reeds you noted. I can’t get any smell out of them. Yes, I bought a small necked bottle from Michaels. I used 20 drops of oil. What am I doing wrong?
barb says
Couple of questions? Are your reeds completely soaked? They won’t work if they are. Do you have vodka in it to help it travel up reeds?
Tess says
Will bamboo skewers work?
barb says
I honestly don’t know. Try it and let us know. I am guessing they would.