I will be honest, when I first started researching essential oils I was just as worried about the dangers of essential oil diffusers as I was the benefits. It took me three years of researching essential oils and asking lots of questions before I jumped in to this whole essential oil thing.
One thing I have learned is that there is more to diffusing essential oils into the air than just providing a pleasant aroma.
When essential oils are diffused, they offer several benefits, including relaxing your mind, supporting sleep, and cleansing the atmosphere. Essential oil diffusers are steadily gaining popularity due to their immense benefits. But if you are new to essential oils, the glut of information available can leave you completely overwhelmed.
Read on as we tell you that you need to know about oil diffuser benefits, how to diffuse essential oils properly, and the dangers of essential oil diffusers.
*This post contains affiliate links to the essential oils and other products I talk about in the post. Purchasing them here from my blog is no extra cost to you but I do earn a commission that helps in the cost of running this blog. Thanks for your support!
What is an essential oil diffuser?
An essential oil diffuser is a device that breaks essential oils into smaller molecules and disperses them into the air to provide pleasant and therapeutic effects. There are four main kinds of diffusers available these days. These include –
- Nebulizing diffusers
- Ultrasonic diffusers
- Evaporative diffusers
- Heat or electric diffusers
You can choose whichever diffuser suits your need and lifestyle the best. If you’re still confused about which one to buy, this up to date guide to the best essential oil diffuser may help.
What kind of essential oil is the best for your diffuser?
Use only good quality essential oil in your diffuser. Lower quality essential oils may contain carrier oils, which are thicker and may ruin your diffuser. If the label of your essential oil mentions that it can be used for aromatic purposes, you can safely use that oil in diffuser.
To make sure you are buying the best quality essential oil, make sure it has 100% pure or something similar mentioned on the label. Good quality oil will have the plant’s botanical name and the country of origin indicated on the bottle.
Any oil that is labeled as perfume oil, scented oil, or fragrance oil will most likely contain artificial ingredients. A good quality essential oil will never be in a plastic bottle.
Also, if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is synthetic oil.
This is why I only trust Young Living essential oils. Their Seed to Seal Guarantee helps me know I'm getting a great quality oil.
What are the therapeutic benefits of using an oil diffuser?
Essential oils have several medicinal and therapeutic properties. Diffusing these essential oils in the air is one of the best and safest methods of benefiting from their properties. Here are some of the oil diffuser benefits. We have also listed out some of the oils for oil diffuser specific benefits.
1. Supports sleep
One of the best oil diffuser benefits is its ability to promote healthy sleep. Lavender, ylang-ylang, chamomile, and marjoram are some of the essential oils that you can use in your diffuser and enjoy a restful sleep.
2. Reduces stress
People who are stressed and find it challenging to concentrate can benefit from essential oil diffuser. Rose, vetiver, and cinnamon have a calming effect on your brain.
3. Supports immunity
Diffusing certain oils like tea tree oil, frankincense oil, eucalyptus, rosemary, scots pine, and helichrysum oil can help support immunity, and keep you healthy and happy.
4. Incrediable scents for your space
I believe the most popular benefits of using and oil diffuser is how it can change the scent of an area. Depending on the type of essential oil and how many drops of essential oil you place in the diffuser you can transform a stinky musty dreary room into a place that is comfortable and fresh. Cleansing the air of bad smells.
5. Boosts energy
If having another cup of coffee is just not doing the trick, it is time to boost your energy levels with essential oils. You can diffuse orange, lime, grapefruit, eucalyptus, thyme, and rosemary to give you an energy boost.
What is the right way to use the oil diffuser?
After you have bought the oil diffuser and the essential oil of your choice, you may be wondering about the correct way to use them. Here are some tips for using your oil diffuser properly.
1. Find the correct location
Place your oil diffuser on a flat surface and away from any objects like books and electronics that may get damaged by the spray of the oil.
If you are planning to use the oil diffuser in your bedroom, make sure that it is placed at least three feet away from the bed. Ideally, your diffuser should be at least two feet above the floor. Place a tray underneath the diffuser to prevent damage to your flooring or your carpet.
2. Fill the tank with water
Now fill the diffuser tank with room temperature distilled or filtered water up till the maximum fill line. You should avoid using tap water as it may contain minerals, which may leave sediments and clog your diffuser.
3. Add a few drops of essential oils
You can now add the essential oils to your diffuser. You can use single essential oil or a blend. I’m sure the next question in your mind is – How many essential oil drops in diffuser is appropriate? The answer depends on the size of your diffuser’s reservoir and the size of the room.
It is always a good idea to start with less than the recommended amount. Once you know that strength of your blend, you can add more drops.
4. Turn it on
Now place the cap of your diffuser back on and enjoy the oil diffuser benefits.
5. Cleaning and maintenance
Regular cleaning is an essential part of our diffuser maintenance as it prevents the growth of mold and mildew. To clean your diffuser –
- Unplug it and remove any leftover water.
- Clean it from the inside with a small brush and warm water.
- Rinse and dry with a soft cloth.
- Take a cotton swab or Q-tip, dip it in rubbing alcohol, and clean the ultrasonic chip in the water reservoir.
- Allow the diffuser to air dry.
Can I leave my diffuser on all night?
Once you know about the numerous oil diffuser benefits, you may be tempted to leave your diffuser switched on all night. Diffusing oils overnight means you will leave it on for five to eight hours, which is never a good idea. Too much exposure to essential oils can irritate your throat and skin and can cause headaches.
How long should you run your diffuser?
Don’t ever leave your diffuser on for hours. Ideally, you should turn on your diffuser one to three times a day for a maximum of 30 minutes at a time. You can reduce it to twenty minutes also if you are diffusing in a smaller room.
Continuous diffusion does not increase benefits. In fact, overexposure to essential oils can lead to headaches.
How many drops of essential oil in diffuser are sufficient?
Just buying a diffuser is not enough; you must know how to use essential oils to scent a room correctly. Essential oils are concentrated liquids, and a little can go a long way. You definitely don’t want to overwhelm the whole room with the fragrance. Ideally, you should add three to five drops of essential oils to 100 ml of water in a diffuser.
What happens if you put too much oil in a diffuser?
Less is more when it comes to using essential oil in diffusers. Adding too much essential oil can lead to headaches, dizziness, and vomiting. Start with a few drops, and you can add more later if you feel your room needs more.
And if you are curious, Yes I screwed up my first time I diffused essential oils. You can read all about that adventure here- How to diffuse essential oils and not screw up
Which are the best oils to scent a room?
There’s nothing more welcoming than a home that smells great. Essential oils give your home a pleasant aroma and keep it clean and safe. Here’s a list of some of the best and easy essential oils to scent a room –
- Lemon
- Tea tree
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Wild orange
- Eucalyptus
- Cinnamon
- Pine
- Thyme
- Peppermint
You may now be wondering how to use these essential oils to scent a room? The easiest and the simplest way to scent a room is to use a few drops of your favorite essential oil in a diffuser. You can also create an essential oil room spray for your home.
What can I put in my diffuser besides essential oil?
You can use your essential oil diffuser without essential oil. If you just add water to your diffuser, it will create a fine mist of water. This way, your diffuser can be used as a humidifier.
Don’t be tempted to vanilla extract or anything similar in your diffuser. Vanilla extract is formulated for taste and not for long-lasting aroma. If you put the extract in your diffuser, you may end up with gooey gunk in the end, and it may clog and ruin your diffuser.
Young Living now sells a vanilla essential oil made to be used in a diffuser.
What are the dangers of essential oil diffusers?
Essential oil diffusers are generally safe when used and maintained correctly. Your diffuser can malfunction if misused. Not cleaning the oil diffuser can lead to the growth of microbes, which can cause health issues.
People who have existing lung conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases need to be more careful about using oil diffusers. The particles emitted by the diffusers can trigger asthma symptoms. The particles emitted by essential oils contain volatile organic compounds that can irritate the lungs.
Specific essential oils like eucalyptus and lavender release terpene, toluene, and benzene, when diffused. These compounds can have respiratory side effects like shortness of breath, chest tightness, and wheezing.
People who are prone to allergic reactions should also be more careful about using essential oil diffusers.
Final thoughts about essential oils in diffusers
Essential oil diffusers are aromatherapy devices that can also help to reduce stress by helping you relax, support sleep, cleanse the air of unwanted smells, and boost immunity and energy. Incorrect usage and maintenance can lead to problems. Always use the correct amount of oil in your diffuser and do not use it for longer than 30 minutes at one time. People with pre-existing lung conditions should not use essential oil diffusers.
Want to buy the best essential oils so you can enjoy Oil diffuser benefits? I'd love to help get you started!
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I even have an FREE Essential oils reference app just for those that enroll with me! I want you loving your oils and getting the most out of them you can.
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Written by Manveen Grewal , Edited by Ruth Rackley