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When I decided I wanted to make my own reed diffuser liquid to refill my cute little bottle, I did what most folks do – I consulted Google so I could hopefully learn how.

And that’s when I ended up bouncing all around the internet trying to figure out which homemade reed diffuser recipe was the best.  And maybe you’re reading this right now trying to figure out the same thing!

For sure, there’s lots of different recipes, but there’s also a consistent thread through all of them too.  So after searching and reading, and comparing and thinking, I ended up doing what I usually do.  I  just made my own mixture!

Choosing Ingredients For Homemade Reed Diffusers

Once I decided to make my own reed diffuser refill liquid, I soon learned that I had some decisions to make about the ingredients too. Here are the things that needed to be considered:

The Base Liquid – Oil or Water ?   The first thing I realized was that some  recipes were using oil as a base and some were using water.  Because reed diffusers work by the liquid being absorbed up into the reeds, it seemed to me like water would be more easily absorbed than oil.  It also seemed like oil was a messier choice if the bottle accidentally got knocked over.  I decided on water for my base liquid.

The Binder:  Vodka or Rubbing Alcohol?  Because a homemade reed diffuser liquid is scented with essential oils (and oil and water don’t mix) there needs to be a binding agent to help the oil bind with the water.  Alcohol is used for this purpose.  A homemade reed diffuser recipe will usually call for either vodka or rubbing alcohol for this ingredient.  I didn’t have any vodka, but I did have rubbing alcohol and it was also the 99% variety that’s recommended, so that’s what I used.  Does this mean my lovely mixture ended up smelling like rubbing alcohol?  Nope, the alcohol smell faded fast and didn’t come back.

The Sticks:  Reeds or Bamboo Skewers?   Once the refill liquid is made, the next thing to decide is what type of reeds to use with the liquid.  A common strategy is to get a package of bamboo skewers from the dollar store, although some folks insist they can’t do the job of absorbing that reeds sold specifically for a reed diffuser can do.  The bamboo skewers seemed pretty pourous to me so I opted for the cheapo bamboo skewer option.  (I’ve already used homemade diffuser reeds from my grass plants too!)

The Fragrance:  Essential Oils!  At least there was consistency on this last ingredient. Essential oils are the preferred way of scenting the reed diffuser liquid and that’s my choice too.

Once my choices were made for the ingredients I came up with my recipe. I combined 1/3 cup of distilled water with 2 teaspoons of the rubbing alcohol in a small bottle. I opted to use distilled water as I felt that could help against anything that could start breeding in a mixture like this that will just be setting out.   However the rubbing alcohol added to the water will probably help in this area too if you’re just using tap water.

Then I added 20 drops of essential oils. I chose to do an energizing citrus blend of 10 drops lemon and 10 drops of orange. But of course this is an area where you can definitely be creative and use any combo of oils that are your favorites. Lavender + Lemon, Peppermint + Orange, and Spearmint + Rosemary are some fun choices to try.

When choosing a bottle, remember to use a bottle with a small opening too as this keeps the liquid from evaporating away too quickly. You can recycle small vases or jars for this purpose, just remember to look for small openings at the top or you can purchase reed diffuser bottles made especially for this purpose. I was lucky to find just the bottles I wanted at a local dollar store that sells some unique items that can’t always be found at the larger dollar store chains. {Sometimes I use these for flower vases too – they’re perfect for just a couple small stems that children will pick for you 🙂 }

Finally, I’ve found that turning the reeds over from time to time so that the moist ends are outside of the bottle can help, especially if you are just using the thrifty bamboo skewer option.

This recipe is also easy to double or triple depending on the size of your bottle and how much liquid you wish to make. Another handy bonus of making your own!

Note: This post was originally published 3/30/14 and updated 11/29/20. You may have seen this original photo floating around Pinterest!

Homemade Reed Diffuser Liquid

Enjoy the fresh and energizing scents of essential oils with this simple homemade way to make refill liquid for a reed diffuser.

Author:

Beverly

Materials:

• 1/3

  Cup

  Water (I use distilled water)

• 2

  tsp

  Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol (99% preferred)

• 20

  Drops

  Essential Oils of your choice

To use the refill liquid you will need:

• Short bottle with a small opening

• Bamboo Skewers or diffuser reeds

Instructions:

• Combine the water and alcohol in a small bottle.

• Add in about 20 drops of essential oil of your choice. (I like to use 10 drops lemon and 10 drops orange).

• If you are using bamboo skewers (rather than store bought diffuser reeds), you will need to cut the skewers to a size about twice as long as your bottle, cutting off the pointy end of the skewer in the process.

• Put several of the trimmed skewers into your diffuser bottle with the liquid.

More Thrifty Homemade Ideas:

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