How To Use Essential Oils To Scent A Room

How To Use Essential Oils To Scent A Room - 5 Tips No One Tells You

Essential oils are a fabulous alternative to scent your room if you are sensitive to the fragrance that is often used in wax melts.

Essential oils are often different from those used in wax melts, with wax melts using fragrance oils. Essential oils are different in that they are a natural product of extraction, usually from a plant or herb, such as lavender or eucalyptus.

Essential oils have been known to have a range of therapeutic benefits.Some of the most popular essential oils currently include peppermint, lemongrass, lavender, chamomile and eucalyptus. 

One of the most popular ways of using essential oils to scent a room is via a diffuser. The simple traditional method is often the most preferred; this uses a traditional oil or wax burner (like those available on our site) and a tea light candle. Water is placed into the dish, and a few drops of your chosen essential oil are added to the water. Once the tealight is lit, the water will start to gently heat. This process releases the aromas from the oil into the room to create a soothing and relaxing atmosphere.

There are, however, other alternative methods to using essential oils to scent a room! Let's take a look!

1. Using a bowl of hot water.

Simple, yet absolutely effective! Simply bring a pan or kettle of water to the boil, and once boiled, carefully drop some essential oils in! The steam from the water will help release the fragrance and the essential oils into the air so you can enjoy the scent and benefits. This is a cheap and effective way!

2. Creating a home-made room spritz.

Creating a home made room spray to enjoy your essential oils is easier than it sounds. If you have access to a clean spray bottle (either new or an old one that has been thoroughly cleaned out), simply fill the bottle with water, and add 10-20 drops of essential oils. Shake the bottle before use, and then spray into the air to enjoy the scent of the essential oils. A word of caution - please make sure you do not spray on areas that may become slippy such as wooden or bare flooring, and ensure that the spray does not get onto delicate fabrics.

Another tip to increase the effectiveness of the spray is to add a small amount of vodka into the bottle (yes, we know it sounds odd!). This is because oil and water do not mix well together, and this can help to blend the essential oils with the water to create a beautiful room spray. 

Some further great essential oils include Rose, Geranium, Jasmine, Lime and Sweet Orange.

3. Creating a home-made reed diffuser.

Creating a home made reed diffuser can allow you to use essential oils to create a lovely scent in your room.

You can either buy an empty one from stores or online, or make sure you fully clean out an old one (you are likely to need new reeds however, and these can be made from Bamboo sticks). You will also need an oil for the base, such as sweet almond oil or jojoba oil. A small bit of rubbing alcohol (a tablespoon) is also required.

To make your own reed diffuser

1. Mix together the sweet almond oil or jojoba oil with approximately 50 drops of your favorite essential oil, such as Lavender, Rose or Eucalyptus. Pour into the reed diffuser bottle, and add the rubbing alcohol. Ensure everything has been mixed together for the best results.

2. Label the reed diffuser, and then place the reed sticks into the top of the bottle or reed diffuser glass. 

3. Enjoy the scent! For best results, it is advised to switch the reed sticks around (so take them out and pop them in the opposite way) every week or so.

Enjoy!

4. Create a scented drawer sachet

This is a fantastic and cost effective way of using essential oils to scent your home and can leave your laundry smelling fantastic!

For this you will need a small bag, ideally made out of cotton, organza or jute, and some rice, dried flowers or seeds, and of course the essential oil.

This essential oil scented drawer sachet can take as little as a few minutes to create - here's how!

Simply fill the bag with the rice, dried flowers or seeds, and then place 15-20 drops of essential oils onto the contents of the bag.

Seal the bag, pop it in your linen cupboard or wardrobe, and enjoy the scent which is released into the surroundings!

5. Using Dried Flowers or Dried Sticks/Wood

Another hidden tip that is great for using essential oils to make your home smell great is simply putting some drops onto either dried flowers or dried sticks.

Choose your favorite essential oil, and place a few drops onto a small bunch of dried sticks or dried flowers. The wood absorbs the oil, and releases the fragrance.

If you have any potpourri which no longer gives off any scent, simply adding drops of essential oils onto it can give it a new lease of live, be environmentally friendly by reducing waste, and giving your home a beautiful smell using essential oils.

Important information when using essential oils to scent a room

• Don’t allow essential oils to come into contact with pets. If pets are exposed to essential oil directly either by ingestion or on a pet’s coat or skin can be toxic.  If your pet ingests essential oils, it may cause vomiting and diarrhea.In all circumstances, you must immediately call a vet.
• If your pet has a history of sensitivity to smells, keep pets out of rooms where you’re using a diffuser. This is especially important if your pet has a history of respiratory or breathing issues. Birds are particularly sensitive to respiratory issues, so if you have them as a pet, avoid using diffusers around them.
• Keep your diffuser out of sight and in a place where pets can’t get to it. If a diffuser is knocked over by accident, the spilled contents could be lapped up or absorbed through tender paw pads which can be extremely harmful. Always keep them out of sight and reach of both pets and children.

To help you choose an essential oil that may suit you, here is an overview of some of the properties of the most popular essential oils.

Rose Essential Oil

The scent of rose is said to have relaxing properties, reducing levels of anxiety and stress. It is a great essential oil to use if you love floral, outdoor scents. It is a perfect accompaniment to a long and relaxing bath if you have a diffuser that is suitable for use in the bathroom, such as those using a tea-light (not electrically powered). Rose is a great essential oil to scent a room.

Geranium Essential Oil

Geranium essential oil is derived by steam distillation using the leaves of Pelargonium graveolens, a species of a plant which is native to South Africa. According to folklore, it was used to treat a wide range of health conditions.

We absolutely love using geranium essential oil to scent a room, and this is because it is a soothing scent. It is often used today in many cosmetic products. It is a great starter oil to try if your experimenting using essential oils to scent a room for the first time, or if your a seasoned pro!

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender is one of the most distinctive essential oils. We think this is an absolute no-brainer to have as part of your essential oil collection, and is a great relaxing scent. Whether you are using it to scent your bathroom, bedroom or living area, Lavender is well known for instilling a sense of calm. It remains one of those most widely used essential oils in aromatherapy due to its purported health benefits, strong scent profile and versatility. 

Lavender oil originally hailed from the Mediterranean, but it now grows anywhere in the world where this is an abundance of good soil, rain and sunshine. If you are going to chose to use it as an essential oil to scent a room, it is definitely one you should try as it is a staple oil. It is very strong in its undiluted form, so do be careful with it coming into contact with skin.

The strength of it, however, makes it a fabulous choice for scenting a room! 

Sweet Orange Essential Oil

Sweet orange essential oil is a fabulously uplifting essential oil to scent a room!

Sweet orange essential oil is derived from the rind of the sweet orange, Citrus sinensis. This process is known as cold pressing, which uses pressure to squeeze all of the oils from the rind. Sometimes, the leaves and flowers from the orange plant are used as well.

This naturally sweet essential oil is great for creating an uplifting and energizing ambience in your home, and is achieved all through a small bottle of essential oil! We love to scent our room using this essential oil, and tend to use the traditional tea light burner method. Recently, electric burners which are often designed for wax melts can be used, however, they do not heat up as much as the traditional tea light method. For some, this is a drawback as the scent is not as strong, but for others who prefer a lighter 'background' scent, using an electric wax burner is a great way of using essential oils to scent a room.

Chamomile Essential Oil

Chamomile is a fantastic essential oil for creating a relaxing environment, and the scent is so natural and soft, this is a great essential oil to scent a room for those who do not like strong scents.

Chamomile oil is derived from the leaves of the chamomile plant. 

There are two different species of chamomile plant you may come across, and as such, the oils are slightly different:

• Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile or Anthemis nobilis)
• German chamomile (Matricaria recutita or Chamomilla recutita)

The active ingredient in both strains has been studied carefully, and there is a higher amount in German Chamomile, so if you are after  the therapeutic benefits of this essential oil, then German Chamomile is a great choice.

One of those most popular benefits of Chamomile oil is the idea of helping induce sleep and relaxation. Whilst we can't say for certain, we absolutely love it! It is a great essential oil to scent a room in the evening, and goes well with putting your feet up and relaxing.

We recommend also using this essential oil in a reed diffuser to scent a room, as it provides a 'round the clock' feeling of calm!