A reed diffuser is the easiest way to keep a room gently scented all day: no flame, no electricity, nothing to switch off. Making your own takes about five minutes, lets you choose exactly the scent you love, and gives an empty diffuser bottle a second life.
1. What you need
Everything above is in our DIY diffuser collection. Prefer it ready-mixed? A 180 ml refill comes already scented in 29 scents.
2. The mixing ratio
Use 20 to 30% essential oil and 70 to 80% base. 25% is a good place to start: one 10 ml bottle of oil with 30 ml of base.
| Bottle size | Essential oil (25%) | Reed diffuser base | 10 ml oil bottles needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 ml | 10 ml | 30 ml | 1 |
| 50 ml | 12 ml | 38 ml | about 1 1/4 |
| 100 ml | 25 ml | 75 ml | 2 1/2 |
| 180 ml | 45 ml | 135 ml | 4 1/2 |
1 ml is about 20 drops. For a softer scent in a bedroom or small bathroom, use 20%; for a living room, go up to 30%.
3. How to make it, step by step
- Measure. Pour the base into your bottle first, then add your essential oil, using the ratio above. A small funnel helps with narrow necks.
- Shake. Close the bottle and shake well for 30 to 45 seconds until the mix looks clear.
- Add the reeds. Insert 4 to 5 reeds. Use more for a stronger scent, fewer for a softer one.
- Flip once. After about an hour, turn the reeds over so the soaked ends are in the air. The scent will build over the next 12 to 24 hours.
- Refresh weekly. Flip the reeds about once a week, and replace them every 2 to 3 months or whenever you change scents, as used reeds get clogged with dust and old oil.
4. Choosing your oils
Lighter, thinner oils travel up the reeds easily and give the best scent throw. Thick, heavy oils move slowly, so use them as a small part of a blend rather than on their own.
5. Six blends to try
Each blend makes 10 ml of oil: add it to 30 ml of base for a 40 ml diffuser, or double everything for a larger bottle.
- Sweet Orange: 5 ml
- Grapefruit: 3 ml
- Lemon: 2 ml
- Lavender: 6 ml
- Bergamot: 3 ml
- Frankincense: 1 ml
- Lavender: 5 ml
- Lemon: 3 ml
- Peppermint: 2 ml
- Eucalyptus: 4 ml
- Rosemary: 3 ml
- Lavender: 3 ml
- Cypress: 4 ml
- Juniper Berry: 3 ml
- Cedarwood: 3 ml
- Geranium: 5 ml
- Sweet Orange: 3 ml
- Ylang Ylang: 2 ml
Prefer one of our signature scents? Try a single hotel-inspired oil such as Shangri-La, or one of our ready-made blends, in place of the recipe.
6. Tips for a stronger, longer scent
- Narrow necks last longer. Less surface area means slower evaporation.
- Place it where air moves gently, such as a hallway or near a doorway, but away from direct sun, air-con vents and fans, which use it up faster.
- Make a batch. Once you find a blend you love, mix a larger amount and keep it in a sealed amber bottle for easy top-ups.
- Label it. Write the blend and date on the bottle so you can recreate it.
7. Not smelling it? Quick fixes
The scent is too weak
Add more reeds, flip them, or add a little more essential oil, up to 30%. Rooms with strong air-conditioning may need a stronger mix.
The oil isn't travelling up the reeds
Your blend may be too heavy. Use more of the lighter oils, and make sure you used a reed diffuser base rather than a thick cooking or carrier oil.
I added water and it stopped working
Oil and water do not mix, so water blocks the reeds. Start again with base and essential oil only.
It smelled great at first, then faded
Your nose gets used to a constant scent. Flip the reeds, and if they are old or dusty, replace them with fresh ones.
8. Safety
- For home fragrance only. Not for skin or ingestion.
- Place diffusers where children and pets cannot knock them over or chew the reeds. Cats and birds are especially sensitive to essential oils; see our dog-friendly guide and kid-friendly guide before choosing oils.
- Stand the bottle on a coaster or tray: oils can mark wood, stone and painted surfaces. Wipe spills straight away.
- Keep essential oils and base tightly closed, below 30°C and out of direct sunlight. Use the base within 12 months of opening.