I’ve been known to go a little over board with the smelly good things. I realized it was a problem when a friend politely mentioned that my cat smelled like perfume. I took it as a compliment. Needless to say, I haven’t relented on the smelly good products, especially when they’re this easy (and cost under $10).
Vase (mine was a gift)
Baby Oil
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Essential Oil, (I used Peppermint)
Bamboo Skewers (or rattan diffusing sticks for better scent)
Ribbon & Washi Tape (optional)
2 | Fill your vase with essential oil (I used the whole bottle, hence my issues)
3 | Fill the remainder of the vase with baby oil
4 | Place washi tape at the end of the skewer and fold over
5 | Cut some at an angle to create mini flags
6 | Place skewers in the vase and tie a ribbon around to finish
I’d just like to take a moment to bask in the awesomeness of washi tape… okay I’m done.
intomind
12.21.11
this is so pretty! i love your photos!
Sugar & Cloth said:
thanks so much!
DenAe said:
This is fanastic! i have been looking for a practical way to cut back on cost of air freshers. I am on this inner quest to have every room in my apartment smell nice. I have been using airwick plugs for about a year now and am tired of paying so much for so little time(about 3 weeks on low settings) the cost air adding up! i even began looking at waxs melts.. While their are different scents, again if your spending $4 every 3 weeks the cost add up. Not the mention the warmer itself. I am excited to try this at home. Question: Do i ha ve to have vase that has a small opening or can i have a standard bigger opening and it still work the same. 2) do you have to change the ratten stick? Thank you for the links, Ps i JUST discovered Waspi tape!:)
stephanielynndunn
12.21.11
oooh. this is fun.
Juliann
12.21.11
Ive been paying $39.00 for a nice diffuser(the ones that use bamboo sticks because they hold the scent unlike the cheap sticks) and now I can make my own for only $10.00???
I had no idea how easy and inexpensive it is to make my house smell wonderful without the harsh chemicals from air freshners and plug-ins.
LOVE THIS DIY POST!!!
Jamie
12.23.11
This is really cool! I’ve always liked reed diffusers but never bought them cause I didn’t know what kind of chemicals were in them. This way I can just make my own! Thanks!
Sugar & Cloth said:
I know! I thought the same thing once I read an article about the wall outlet diffusers having harmful chemicals.
Tashina
12.24.11
This is such a simple and great tutorial. I need to give this a try!
Sugar & Cloth said:
You totally should! You can use the ingredients for more than one batch, so it’s super economical
crystal
12.28.11
Approximately how much essential oil and baby oil do you put it? Thanks for the great idea!
Sugar & Cloth said:
The amount of baby oil just depends on how large or small the case your using is. The oil needs to come just past halfway on the reeds. As far as the essential oils, you can use however much you want to get the strength you’re looking for. I used a whole bottle of essential oil. Hope this helps!
silvia
01.05.12
thank you for the idea!but, a little question:if you fill the vase with oil, how will you clean it when the oil is over?usually this vases(and mine)has a small hole
Sugar & Cloth said:
That’s a great question! I actually haven’t cleaned mine yet because the oil seriously lasts forever, but I do have some experiences with the concept of cleaning them from my DIY Oil & Vinegar Pourer post. Both of the pourers have small openings, but I just use a degreasing spray (Greased Lightning is what I chose). Just spray a generous amount into the bottle with a tiny bit of water and dawn dish soap and let it soak for a few hours. From my experience it should rinse clean and let it air dry.
Theresa McCooey said:
Hi there! I use a quick trick to clean vases and other things with small openings…I keep bird gravel or coarse sand on hand, and just put a teaspoon of it in the container with a couple of drops of dish soap, then fill half full with hot water and shake. Rinse and it’s usually sparkling clean!
Michele Clarke
01.13.12
You want to use Rattan not bamboo:
Rattan has an inner core with many hollow tubes that cover the length of the reed. This is what allows the oil to soak up the reeds. Bamboo is also hollow, but it contains nodes or knots in the middle that will block the flow of oil. Bamboo and other types of wood are not porous enough to absorb and diffuse oil.
Read more: About Reed Diffusers | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5101688_reed-diffusers.html#ixzz1jNifgvZX
Sugar & Cloth said:
Pinterest seriously impedes on my work ethic at this point, haha
Sugar & Cloth said:
Thanks for the tip, Michele! Rattan (or regular reed diffusing sticks) are better for allowing the scent of the diffuser to travel farther, but I’ve been using the bamboo sticks and still get the sweet smelling benefits. This DIY is mostly to show how easy it can be to recreate them with easily accessible ingredients that are very inexpensive, and can stick look just as pretty, or better, than store bought diffusers (without the bad chemicals). I’ll add a note to make sure people are more aware of the rattan as a premium option. Thanks for reading!
Natalie @ In Natalie's Shoes
09.05.12
This is so neat! With the holidays around the corner, I’m excited to try this out for gifts. Thanks for posting!
Angela
02.20.13
Super late, but quick question – what if you dont have baby oil? Any other carrier oil that you would recommend?
Ashley said:
To be honest, I’m not really sure. Mineral oil might work just as well, but I’ve personally only tried the baby oil. Good luck!
Maya said:
I have read that you could use safflower oil, grape seed oil or sweet almond oil.
melissa
02.22.14
Using baby oil, do you get that smell also? Or is there a non-scented kind of baby oil??
Ashley said:
as long as you use enough of the scent, you don’t smell it at all :)
HermioneGinny
01.22.15
Just made mine with Pine oil, thanks for the tutorial!
Melissa @ Wellness Appliances
05.19.15
I did not know skewers can be used in this home made diffuser, as I have been using bamboo reeds for this purpose for a long period. Using baby oil as base oil is another new idea, earlier I used sweet almond oil for this purpose.
Lacy
07.03.15
Be careful using essential oils around cats. Many of them have chemicals that cats can’t process, and they accumulate in the kitties and can lead to serious health issues.
Millionaire Blueprint System
11.13.15
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Jeff M. Gibson
11.26.15
Wow it’s so adorable!!! This diffuser is not only really easy to make but also too cheap!! I’ve bought many diffuser because I love using essential oils to relax and refresh my room,but it did cost me a lot of money! I can’t believe that it can be made at home and it’s so so cute!! Thank you so much!! Better try it right away!!
Chiro
12.29.15
I purchased the diffuser oils, but I enjoyed the homemade products so I’ve followed your instructions !!! great it is easy to do and cute
Emily R. Smith
01.01.16
Thanks for the tips. I am by no means an expert on using reed diffusers, but since I couldn’t afford the fancier ones, I did some research before buying my reeds. Everything I read said that bamboo reeds or skewers do NOT work well for diffusing because they are solid.
Julia
01.10.16
This diffuser is very nice and not too expensive. I love homemade products. Thank you. I must make it myself.
nora
02.21.16
Thanks for this quick and creative diy project. i like to do things fast and i think this reed diffuser is worth a shot. Thanks for the share.
Sugar & Cloth said:
Agreed, I love a quick and easy DIY! Glad you enjoyed it! :)
Michaela
07.16.17
How long did it take your diffuser to start making your room smell good? I read one tutorial that said it took several days for theirs to start spreading the smell of the oils, & I was wondering if this one took the same amount of time.
Either way this is so cute, & I’m headed to the store now!
Sugar & Cloth said:
So happy to hear, Michaela! It definitely took a couple of hours, but the more potent the oil, the more it will smell! Would love to hear what you think of it when you try it out! xo