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To make a reed diffuser, mix 1/4 cup of fractionated coconut oil, 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol or vodka and 20 drops of essential oil in a narrow-neck glass bottle. Add the reeds, let them soak for an hour, then flip them so the soaked ends are on top. Jump to the 10 reed diffuser recipes.
Reed diffusers with essential oils give a gentle, steady scent to any room: a bathroom, bedroom, living room or office. Store-bought reed diffusers are usually made with synthetic fragrance oils. When you make your own, you choose exactly what goes in, and it costs less too.
Reed diffusers are one type of aromatherapy diffuser. Find out more about what essential oil diffusers are.
Reed Diffuser vs Ultrasonic Diffuser
A reed diffuser is not as strong as an ultrasonic diffuser. It works by passive diffusion: the oil travels up the reeds and slowly evaporates, giving off a soft, continuous scent with no power needed.
If you want a stronger aroma, an ultrasonic diffuser mists the oils into your space. It needs power (plug or USB) to work. Learn more about how to use ultrasonic diffusers.
I use an ultrasonic diffuser daily in my home, but I keep a reed diffuser in my bathroom for a gentle scent all day long.
Essential Oil Ideas
- A single essential oil (like spearmint or sweet orange)
- An essential oil blend from your favorite oil company
- One of the reed diffuser recipes below
- Your own custom blend
Best Essential Oils for Reed Diffusers
Good news: you can use just about any essential oil in a homemade reed diffuser. Just pick a scent you enjoy. Here are some favorites to try:
- Lavender
- Peppermint
- Lemon
- Rosemary
- Spearmint
- Eucalyptus
- Geranium
- Ylang Ylang
- Sweet Orange
- Bergamot
Because a reed diffuser uses a lot of oil, skip costly oils like sandalwood or rose. Citrus oils are budget-friendly and smell lovely. A reed diffuser is also a great way to use up older essential oils that you no longer want to put on your skin, as long as they still smell good.
How to Make a Reed Diffuser
It's simple to make a DIY reed diffuser. You only need a few supplies:
- A narrow-neck glass bottle
- Rattan reeds (or bamboo skewers)
- Essential oils
- Fractionated coconut oil
- Rubbing alcohol or vodka
You can reuse an old reed diffuser bottle or start from scratch. You can also swap the fractionated coconut oil for another light carrier oil like safflower or sweet almond oil.
Tip: If you use bamboo skewers, cut off the sharp tips with pruning shears (affiliate link). Skewers are too thick for regular scissors, and pruning shears are made for cutting sticks and twigs.
Essential Oil Reed Diffuser Tutorial
Step 1: Use 20 drops of essential oil for every 1/4 cup of fractionated coconut oil (affiliate link). Use a funnel to add the fractionated coconut oil, 1 tablespoon of alcohol and the essential oils to the bottle. The alcohol thins the oil so it travels up the reeds more easily.
Step 2: Gently swirl to mix, then add the reeds. Let them soak up the oil for one hour, then flip them so the oil-soaked ends are sticking up.
Step 3: Enjoy the aroma. Flip the reeds about once a week to refresh the scent. Most homemade reed diffusers last about 1 to 2 months before you need to top up or replace the oil.
10 Reed Diffuser Recipe Blends
Each recipe makes enough for one 1/4 cup reed diffuser (about 20 drops total). Mix the oils into your carrier oil and alcohol as described in the tutorial above.
1. Bedtime Blend
A soft, soothing floral blend for the bedroom. Find more ideas in my lavender diffuser blends.
- 12 drops Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
- 8 drops Roman Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis)
2. Citrus Fresh
Bright, happy and budget-friendly. A great way to use up citrus oils before they get old. See my lemon diffuser blends for more.
- 10 drops Lemon (Citrus limon)
- 10 drops Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)
3. Spark Creativity
A sunny, lightly spiced blend for a home office or craft room.
- 7 drops Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
- 7 drops Lemon (Citrus limon)
- 7 drops Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum)
4. Calming Blend
A relaxing blend for the living room or any space where you unwind.
- 7 drops Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
- 7 drops Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
- 7 drops Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)
5. Cleansing Blend
A fresh, herbal citrus scent that is perfect for the kitchen or bathroom. For more ideas, see my essential oils for the bathroom.
- 10 drops Lemon (Citrus limon)
- 10 drops Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
6. Citrus Forest
Bright citrus meets fresh, woodsy fir. It smells like a walk through the woods on a sunny day.
- 6 drops Lemon (Citrus limon)
- 6 drops Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)
- 8 drops White Fir (Abies alba)
7. Invigorating Blend
A cool, minty citrus blend to wake you up. Love peppermint? Try my peppermint diffuser blends.
- 10 drops Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
- 10 drops Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)
8. Room Refresher
Zesty and clean, this blend keeps an entryway or bathroom smelling fresh.
- 7 drops Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)
- 7 drops Lime (Citrus aurantifolia)
- 7 drops Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
9. Pumpkin Spice
A warm, cozy blend for fall. Clove and cinnamon are strong and can irritate skin, so place this one well out of reach of kids and pets, and wash your hands if you get oil on them. Find more cozy recipes in my pumpkin spice blends.
- 7 drops Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)
- 7 drops Clove (Eugenia caryophyllata)
- 6 drops Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
10. Herbal Bouquet
A classic herbal pairing that is relaxing yet refreshing. See my rosemary diffuser blends for more.
- 12 drops Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
- 8 drops Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Want more blends?
My Essential Oil Diffusers Master Guide has 200+ diffuser blends for every room, mood and season. Most of them work in a reed diffuser too.
More Reed Diffuser Essential Oil Combinations
Once you get the hang of it, try mixing your own blends. Here are a few combinations to get you started:
- Fresh and bright: grapefruit, tangerine and a little eucalyptus
- Calm and cozy: cedarwood, jasmine and patchouli
- Winter fresh: spearmint and black spruce
- Holiday woods: copaiba and Eucalyptus radiata
- Bright and green: lemongrass and juniper berry
Bergamot and frankincense are also very versatile and pair well with almost anything. For more ideas, see my 20 simple essential oil combinations for your diffuser.
Reed Diffuser Safety Tips
- Kids: Place reed diffusers on a high shelf where children can't knock them over or play with the reeds. Swallowing essential oils can be dangerous.
- Pets: Cats are especially sensitive to essential oils. Keep reed diffusers with peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, cinnamon or clove in rooms your cat can't get to, and make sure pets can't brush against the reeds or lick spilled oil.
- Surfaces: Essential oils can damage wood finishes and some plastics. Set your bottle on a coaster or small tray.
- Spills: Wipe up spills right away with a cloth, then wash the area with warm, soapy water.
Read more of my essential oil safety tips.
Final Thoughts on Essential Oil Reed Diffusers
A homemade reed diffuser is one of the easiest ways to enjoy essential oils: no electricity, no timers, just a gentle scent all day. Start with one of the 10 blends above, then experiment until you find your signature scent.
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