Anyone made a reed diffuser?

maman

I bought one of these a while ago and was pleased with the light fragrance it gave to the room. Similar to a perfumed candle but safer and longer lasting.


Some I've seen quite cheaply don't smell too good and others are IMO wildly expensive.


It got me thinking that maybe I could make my own with perfume of my choice.


What I've seen on line looks a bit American and I don't recognise some of the ingredients (at least by name).


Anyone tried it?

sillyme673

I did, used little vase from asda and bamboo sticks and lavender oil. B&M sell cheap oil . Good luck.

AnnieO1234

Aldi do them, even if it's just to get the reeds and vase and add your own oil. I expect you will need a fragrance oil in either a carrier oil or alcohol or mix of both.

If you want heavenly fragrances and money doesn't matter buy Yankee candle reed diffusers.

X

LV_Sue

I made a couple using a tiny flower vase and bamboo skewers cut in half. One of them is still OK (made about a month ago using orange & lemon fragrance oil), but the other one using lavender oil went cloudy and yukky. I read that you should add a couple of drops of vodka to the oil, but my son wouldn't let me have any of his!

I found some lovely smelling ones in £land so I'm using them at the moment, but I will try again to make them and pinch some of son's vodka whilst he is at work.:rotfl:

maman

AnnieO1234 wrote: »

Aldi do them, even if it's just to get the reeds and vase and add your own oil. I expect you will need a fragrance oil in either a carrier oil or alcohol or mix of both.

If you want heavenly fragrances and money doesn't matter buy Yankee candle reed diffusers.

X

It was an Aldi one I bought, I think grapefruit and something so I have the little pot and I read somewhere that the wooden stirrers you get in cafes should work as reeds.


What sort of oil would you use as a carrier? Would gin work as well as vodka do you think? any idea of proportions?


Sorry for all the questions.:o


Sue, I haven't tried poundland will call in and sniff!

Chris25

knew I'd read it somewhere - http://naturesnurtureblog.com/2013/05/17/homemade-air-fresheners-reed-diffusers/

kboss2010

maman wrote: »

It was an Aldi one I bought, I think grapefruit and something so I have the little pot and I read somewhere that the wooden stirrers you get in cafes should work as reeds.


What sort of oil would you use as a carrier? Would gin work as well as vodka do you think? any idea of proportions?


Sorry for all the questions.:o


Sue, I haven't tried poundland will call in and sniff!

Gin is essentially vodka flavoured with juniper berries so, yes, it should work! (The essential thing here is the alcohol content to stop mould/bacterial growth so anything with roughly the same %vol alcohol e.g. any spirit will do)

Gigervamp

You shouldn't get mould or bacteria growth if you're just using essential/fragrance oil.

The reed diffusers you buy are most likely made with propylene glycol as the carrier.

The Soap Kitchen has a page with supplies for making reed diffusers here.

PlymouthMaid

I used mineral oil, vodka and lavender oil in the ones I made last year. They don't seem as strong as bought ones so maybe I need to up the amount of oil. I thought I read somewhere that the alcohol was to help with evaporation.

maman

Thanks so much for all your help. Where's the best place to get 'carrier' oil (preferably on the high street)?

Fruball

I think I will have a go at making these. I won't buy the chemical scent ones as I think breathing in chemicals all day is a bad idea (this from a smoker, go figure!!!) but I do like my essential oils and like the idea of natural fragrances in my home