How to Use Essential Oils to Scent a Room

One of the most popular uses of essential oils is the wonderful fragrance it can lend to your immediate space. Widely praised for their aromatherapy benefits, everything from freshening up a room to providing a sense of peace and calming is associated with certain scents and scent blends. Whether you are new to essential oil use are an old pro one of the first things you learn is just how many ways you can take advantage of their many properties.

Most commonly used to help diffuse the scent and benefits of oils are various types of diffusers, both electronic and otherwise, but there are many other options you can take advantage of. If you have wondered how to use essential oils to scent a room in a new way, then this is the article for you. I’ve provided ideas you can take advantage of throughout your home and other personal spaces below for you to explore.

Why Diffuse Essential Oils?

The diffusion of oils is not specific to the use of a machine to do so. Technically, the term diffuse means to allow something to spread out over large area- such as releasing a scent into the space of your choice. So why do people like to diffuse oils in their personal spaces? The reasons are incredibly varied as you’ll see below:

• Aromatherapy is a technique that uses certain scents to influence moods. Most oils can help promote various emotions, but your use of them when you are feeling certain ways can help your mind recognize them to further enhance these properties.

• Remove Odors and Purify the Air by using certain oils. Many have antibacterial properties and have done much more than mask unpleasant oils since it works to break down the causes of the smell in the first place.

• Influence Sleep with calming options that have natural properties to influence and quiet the parts of your brain that are creating anxiety and stress.

• Promote Energy and Focus using uplifting scents. These will help promote blood flow and allow you to work towards goals or get through those times of the day that may drag you down.

• Reduce Cravings when you use certain oil blends to help overcome certain physical and mental wants and help redirect you towards a more productive solution. This is a great way to reduce stress eating or turn you towards a healthier option.

• Support the Immune System with antibacterial and antifungal options. This is incredibly helpful during cold and flu season to reduce risk of exposure, help keep the air around you clear of lingering germs, and even help promote healthier surfaces diffused oil settles upon.

• Memory Recall can be influenced by using aromatherapeutic techniques. If you diffuse certain scents during your studies and then keep that scent with you when recall is required, your mind will make that connection.

• Support the Respiratory System when sinuses and other nasal or bronchial issues arise. Antibacterial properties are helpful as are other oils that have cooling, sharp scents that help constrict blood vessels and promote blood flow for easier breathing.

• Air Freshener properties are pretty much encompassed by all popularly diffused oils and simply provide a fresher, cleaner smelling atmosphere. This is especially helpful in closed spaces or during certain times of the year.

• Calm Pets the same way you promote your own calm mind through stressful events, such as travel or when company is over. This also can be helpful for pets who suffer from separation anxiety.

Diffusers

As mentioned, traditional diffuser use is the most popular application of essential oil diffusion, but what many people are unaware of is the different types of diffusers available for use. The explanation of various types and their uses are explained below to help you decide if any are a good fit for you. Keep in mind that you can use different techniques to diffuse oils depending on the size of the space you have and the reasons why you are diffusing them.

• Nebulizer or Atomizer Diffusers

Nebulizers are simple diffusers that do not require anything but the use of oil and pressurized air. These work by blowing a stream of air across a tube to create a vacuum that pulls the oil to the surface of the tube. It then diffuses the oil as a fine mist. It puts a large amount of concentrated oil into the air at one time, and many works on a timer so it does not run constantly, but in short burst intervals.

• Ultrasonic or Humidifying Diffusers

Ultrasonic and humidifying diffusers also create a fine mist, but they do so through the dilution of oils and water. Electronic frequencies are used to create ultrasonic vibrations to mix the oil and water before releasing it into the air. These often put out a steady stream of diluted oils that cover decent size areas over a period of 20 to 30 minute intervals.

• Evaporative Diffusers

There are a few different designs of evaporative diffusers that all work using the same principles of diffusion. As oil evaporates it releases into the air, creating a scent. Some of these designs are simple, such as a reed diffuser which wicks oil up the reed to release the scent as it evaporates. Others use small fans to help evaporate and release the oil. These are a steady release that often last a few days or even longer, but unfortunately lighter components in the oil will evaporate before heavier components- which means you aren’t getting all the benefits at once.

• Heat Diffusers

Heat diffusers also use evaporation but use a heat source such as a candle to heat and release the oil components. Some oils lose their potency when heated so if this is a technique you want to use be sure to first check on the types of oils you want to ensure they work as they should.

Sprays

Creating your own DIY spray for application to the space around you, or to use upon your furniture or drapery, is incredibly easy to do. All you need is a small spray bottle, some water (distilled is preferred), and a few drops of your favorite essential oil or oil blends. Adding a little rubbing alcohol will help mix it up a little better as well and evaporates quickly after spraying. To apply simply shake the bottle well and spray the areas you want to scent!

DIY Air Fresheners

Looking for a way to create a quick, easy, homemade air freshener? You are going to be surprised at the following ideas and wonder why you never thought of about half of them. For the most part, these techniques take advantage of oil’s evaporative processes to diffuse both scent and oil properties into the surrounding air.

• Furnace Filter

Add a few drops of oil to your furnace filter or hang/clip one of the below-mentioned freshener ideas to the inside of the filter to allow the scent to be blown through your house each time the furnace or air conditioner kicks on.

• Cardboard Absorbency

Cardboard is very absorbent and is found in many places throughout your home. Add a few drops to the inside of toilet paper rolls, inside your tissue boxes, or even create your own scent disk with a piece of cardboard to hang in a closet, mudroom, or furnace.

• Oil Candles

A jar, olive oil, a wick, and your favorite oils are all you need to create an oil candle that releases the scent as the wick burns down and evaporates the oil.

• Felt Crafts

Felt is also highly absorbent and you can use felted balls in your dryer with a few drops of oil to freshen the laundry room AND clothing or create hanging crafts to hang in your home, vehicle, or office to help diffuse your favorite scents. These are easily reusable- all you have to do is add a few more drops of oil when you can’t smell them anymore!

• Carpet Powder

In a plastic bag mix a few cups of baking soda and oil and shake. Then sprinkle it over your carpet prior to vacuuming. If you leave it on for a few hours the baking soda will help pull odors from the surface while the oil will help combat bacteria, mold, and leave behind a wonderful scent.

• Terra Cotta Crafts

Terra Cotta is also highly absorbent and you can take small disks, pots, etc and craft with them. Then add a few drops of oil to their surface and allow to soak in before placing your creations through your house. These also can make wonderful holiday ornaments and be used to bring the smell of fresh cut evergreen even if you have a fake tree.

• Unfinished Wooden Shapes and Clothespins

Wood absorbs incredibly well and is often used for homemade reed diffusers. You can take wooden clothespins, or really any unfinished wood, and clip or place it wherever you need scent diffuser. Round wooden balls are often very popularly used in table centerpieces and other folksy decors to easily incorporate the scent.

• Rice Bags

Shake up some rice and oil together in a plastic bag and then place in small cloth bags you can either buy or make to hang in closets, care, offices, or even place in your clothing drawers. Larger rice bags are often used for healing purposes after placing in the freezer or warming in the microwave.

• Water Bead Display

Water beads are popularly used in faux floral arrangements and other decorative purposes due to their colorful options. Use them as directed with a few drops of oil to help freshen up a room.

• Potpourri

Potpourri rarely smells as strong as it does because of natural fragrance from the dried materials it contains. It is usually mixed with a fragrance of some sort, which you can easily do on your own by shaking your favorite oils with your favorite dried and unscented potpourri mix- and then placing in your decor as you prefer.

• Cotton Ball Use

Cotton balls will easily absorb oil and they are perfect solutions to help freshen up those stinky small spaces. Drop a few in your garbage pails in the kitchen and bathroom, place in a corner by the cat’s litter box, drop one down the register opening (if you have easy access), or even place in stinky shoes overnight!

Conclusion

Essential oils are the perfect natural solution to freshening up a room through diffusion techniques. Along with their amazing aromatherapeutic benefits, they also can create a healthier atmosphere altogether for your mental and physical state of being. Whether you choose to use a more traditional method of diffusion to help cover a larger space or prefer simple homemade options, scenting a room has never been easier with the many ideas presented here.

If you have a  favorite way to scent your room with essential oils, favorite blends, or any questions, please let us know below. And, as always, please share.

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