How I Use Diffusers in My Home

I don’t like to spend money (big surprise, right?), but I recently purchased three essential oil diffusers, and I consider them to be a great investment. Here’s a look at how I’m using them in my home.

But first. What is a essential oil diffuser anyway?

It’s basically just a mini humidifier that you can add essential oils to. The water and oils in the tank get broken down into micro-particles, and then distributed throughout the room in a fine mist. Once in the air, those oil particles hang there for hours, cleaning the air and providing a bunch of other benefits. And it’s those other benefits that got me excited about diffusers.

We’ve used humidifiers in our home for years to combat the effects of the dry winter air (and still do), but being able to diffuse essential oils into the air, that’s a game changer.

For the past five years or so, I’ve been a sinus headache sufferer, and for at least the last three years, I’ve vowed that one of these days I was going to sit down and put in the research necessary to find a natural solution to my problem. I try not to rely heavily on medication, so I only take something for a sinus headache, if it’s really bad. But medication or not, I’ve still been dealing with one to two sinus headaches a week for far too long, and that’s something I needed to address.

So a couple months ago, I finally got serious about looking for a solution, and buying diffusers for our home was part of that solution.

If you have any familiarity with essential oils, you already know there’s a lot more to them then their pleasant scent. There are oils that kill germs, oils that help with congestion, oils that relieve headaches … and the list goes on. I was already using essential oils to solve other problems, so it was silly, really, that I hadn’t tried using them to treat my sinus headaches.

I spent a lot of time looking at all of the essential oils that were recommended for sinus problems, and these are the ones I settled on:

Peppermint
Eucalyptus
Orange
Lavender
Tea Tree

Some of those oils are anti-bacterial/viral/fungal. Other’s are decongestants. Still others are headache relievers. And some of those oils do more than one of those things. I figured if I was going to fix my sinus woes, I needed to attack the problem in two ways: by addressing my sinus symptoms (the headache and congestion) and by addressing the underlying problem (what was probably an ongoing/recurring sinus infection).

Now, essential oils may be natural, but they are also extremely potent. In most cases, you need to dilute them to make them safe to use. That meant I needed to decide upon a safe way to deliver the oils, and diffusing them is one of the methods that I chose (I’ll be sharing the other ways soon).

I ordered three diffusers, along with the couple oils that I didn’t already own, and waited anxiously for them to get here.

Their arrival couldn’t have been more perfectly timed. They came during a particularly nasty cold snap – the kind of weather that would normally guarantee me a sinus headache.

I pulled the diffusers out of their boxes, and had them up and running in minutes. Really, they couldn’t be any easier to use. You fill the tank with warm water; add 10-15 drops of essential oil; then, put the tank back on the diffuser; and hit the power button. The particular model I bought runs for eight hours before you need to refill them, and you can smell the oils almost as soon as you turn them on.

We put one of the diffusers in the living room, and the other two in our bedrooms. We mostly just run them when we’re in the room, so for us, that basically means we’re breathing in the oils when we’re watching TV or sleeping.

Has it helped? I think so. I didn’t have any sinus headaches during that cold spell that I mentioned, and I haven’t had a single sinus headache in the last two weeks. That’s definitely notable for me. This week I’ve had a pretty nasty cold with lots of congestion. Several times I’ve stood over the diffuser to breathe in the mist, and it’s immediately opened my sinuses up, so I could breathe easier. Ahhh!

But that’s just one way that I’m using diffusers in our home, and I told you I was going to talk about several ways, so let’s move on to some of those.

De-germing the House

I have two daughters, and at 11 and 13, I still have to remind them not to touch their noses and mouths – especially during cold and flu season. I’ll probably still be reminding them when they’re 20. I’m not big on anti-bacterial soaps and sanitizers, and I’m not one to run around my house sanitizing everything with wipes. But, I do try to keep the germs to a minimum, and a diffuser is perfect for that. I just run an oil that’s known to be anti-bacterial and anti-viral, and enjoy knowing that it’s putting a sanitizing mist over the surfaces in our home, and killing airborne germs before we have a chance to breathe them in. We took our daughters for their yearly check-ups today, so you better believe we’ll be running some tea tree in our diffusers tonight.

Pest Control

Okay, this isn’t one you’re likely to hear most people talk about, but diffusers are ideal for pest control. Most indoor pests – mice, spiders, ants, etc. – find peppermint oil repellent, and will steer clear of it.

When we bought our cabin, it had sat unfinished, and largely open to the elements, for the past 11 years, so mice were just part of the package. I placed cotton balls throughout the cabin doused in peppermint oil, and it’s proven to be really effective for us. I’m probably jinxing myself here, but we haven’t seen any mice or signs of mice in quite a while, and to be able to say that in the winter is huge.

Now, we don’t have electricity in our cabin yet, but as soon as we do, I plan to put a diffuser to work there, too. It’s brilliant, really. We can turn it on when we get there to drive out any mice, spiders, etc. that may have taken up residence while we were away.

And peppermint oil is just one oil you can diffuse to rid your home of pests. Try cedar, if you’re dealing with moths. Use citronella or lemongrass, if you’re trying to drive flies and mosquitoes out. Heck, for that matter, take your diffuser with you the next time you go on a picnic, and use it in place of citronella candles. Since diffusers don’t heat the oils, they’ll be more potent than the oils coming out of a burning candle, and they’ll cover a wider area, too. The typical diffuser covers a 200-300 square foot space.

Which Diffuser Do I Use?

Now, that we’ve talked about some of the ways that I’m using diffusers, let’s talk about which diffuser I use. As I mentioned, I don’t like to spend money, so I did a lot of research before I made my selection. I wanted something that had good reviews and that was from a brand that I trusted.

It was also important to me that the diffusers look nice. We’re already running humidifiers and air purifiers, so we just didn’t need any more machinery killing our aesthetic (a pretty house is important to me). And it was also critical that it be ultrasonic (I hate machine noise, and ultrasonics are whisper quiet). Since that’s already a long list of criteria, why not add several more? I also didn’t want the diffusers to heat the oils (that degrades them); I wanted them to be capable of running a long time between fill ups; I didn’t want them to take up much space; I wanted them to automatically shut off when they ran out of water (I’m a busy girl); and if they had one of those built-in light shows (like so many diffusers do), I wanted to be able to turn it off. Phew! That’s a lot of stuff for such a tiny machine to do.

So what did I end up buying? The Now Foods Ultrasonic Wood Grain Oil Diffuser. Now is an essential oil brand, which gave me hope that their diffusers would run really well with the oils (and hopefully be less prone to clogs). It also happens to be a brand that I already know and trust. And it met all of my other critera, too. It looks nice (more like a decorative vase, than a machine); it’s quiet; it doesn’t take up much space; and it runs for about eight hours between fill ups, before turning itself off.

I’m completely happy with my purchase, and so, far I haven’t had to do anything other than fill them.

Which Oil Brand Do I Use?

If you want your essential oils to work well, you definitely need to buy high-quality oils, but that doesn’t mean you have to buy the most expensive oils. Lots of people swear by the Young Living and DoTERRA brands, and that’s fine. They definitely get good ratings, when they’re rated by the people who count. I just find them to be on the pricey side, so I’ve never used them. Now is my company of choice. Their oils are listed as being 100% pure, so there’s no question about what you’re getting. Lots of companies list their essential oils as pure, but cut them with a carrier oil because the term “pure” isn’t regulated by the government. Frustrating!

Oil Blends to Try in Your Diffuser

New to essential oils, and not sure which oils to try first? Here’s a video where I discuss some of the essential oil blends that I like to use in my diffusers.

Shop Now Essential Oil on Amazon

When I started doing research about diffusers and sinus headache solutions, I came across a blogger that mentioned she bought her essential oils at Walmart. I was intrigued. Had I been missing out on an opportunity to save on essential oils? I made a special trip to investigate, and what I found was that they do indeed sell essential oils on the candle aisle. But the oils I looked at (while cheap), were listed as ” contains=”” essential=”” oils.”=”” my=”” interpretation=”” of=”” that=”” is=”” they=”” contain=”” a=”” bit=”” oils=”” along=”” with=”” another=”” cheaper=”” oil.=”” bottom=”” line=”” when=”” shopping=”” for=”” oils:=”” assume=”” aren’t=”” pure=”” unless=”” they’re=”” listed=”” as=”” being=”” 100%=”” pure.=”” i=”” mean=”” if=”” you=”” were=”” an=”” oil=”” company,=”” wouldn’t=”” brag=”” your=”” pure,=”” were?<=”” p=””>

Shop Now Essential Oil on Amazon

When I started doing research about diffusers and sinus headache solutions, I came across a blogger that mentioned she bought her essential oils at Walmart. I was intrigued. Had I been missing out on an opportunity to save on essential oils? I made a special trip to investigate, and what I found was that they do indeed sell essential oils on the candle aisle. But the oils I looked at (while cheap), were listed as ” contains=”” essential=”” oils.”=”” my=”” interpretation=”” of=”” that=”” is=”” they=”” contain=”” a=”” bit=”” oils=”” along=”” with=”” another=”” cheaper=”” oil.=”” bottom=”” line=”” when=”” shopping=”” for=”” oils:=”” assume=”” aren’t=”” pure=”” unless=”” they’re=”” listed=”” as=”” being=”” 100%=”” pure.=”” i=”” mean=”” if=”” you=”” were=”” an=”” oil=”” company,=”” wouldn’t=”” brag=”” your=”” pure,=”” were?<=”” p=””>Now, I’m not going to lie. Essential oils aren’t cheap, but they do go a long way. There are 600 drops in a 1-ounce bottle, and that’s enough to fill my Now diffuser 40 times (60 times, if I go with 10 drops per use). And I think it’s also important to realize that you don’t have to buy all of your oils at once. Start with a few key ones. Then, build your collection out over time.

Shop Now Essential Oil on Amazon

When I started doing research about diffusers and sinus headache solutions, I came across a blogger that mentioned she bought her essential oils at Walmart. I was intrigued. Had I been missing out on an opportunity to save on essential oils? I made a special trip to investigate, and what I found was that they do indeed sell essential oils on the candle aisle. But the oils I looked at (while cheap), were listed as ” contains=”” essential=”” oils.”=”” my=”” interpretation=”” of=”” that=”” is=”” they=”” contain=”” a=”” bit=”” oils=”” along=”” with=”” another=”” cheaper=”” oil.=”” bottom=”” line=”” when=”” shopping=”” for=”” oils:=”” assume=”” aren’t=”” pure=”” unless=”” they’re=”” listed=”” as=”” being=”” 100%=”” pure.=”” i=”” mean=”” if=”” you=”” were=”” an=”” oil=”” company,=”” wouldn’t=”” brag=”” your=”” pure,=”” were?<=”” p=””>I’ll do a post sometime about how I save on essential oils, but definitely shop around. I buy most of my oils from Amazon, but occasionally GNC runs a sale on oils, and when they do, they have great deals. I’ve found the essential oils at my local health food store to be really overpriced (we’re talking double what I can get them for online), so I don’t buy from them. Beyond that, I also buy bigger bottles, when I know it’s something I’ll get a lot of use out of. Usually (but not always) the 4-oz bottles are a heck of a lot cheaper than the 1 and 2-oz bottles.

Is There Anything Else You Need to Get Started?

Shop Now Essential Oil on Amazon

When I started doing research about diffusers and sinus headache solutions, I came across a blogger that mentioned she bought her essential oils at Walmart. I was intrigued. Had I been missing out on an opportunity to save on essential oils? I made a special trip to investigate, and what I found was that they do indeed sell essential oils on the candle aisle. But the oils I looked at (while cheap), were listed as ” contains=”” essential=”” oils.”=”” my=”” interpretation=”” of=”” that=”” is=”” they=”” contain=”” a=”” bit=”” oils=”” along=”” with=”” another=”” cheaper=”” oil.=”” bottom=”” line=”” when=”” shopping=”” for=”” oils:=”” assume=”” aren’t=”” pure=”” unless=”” they’re=”” listed=”” as=”” being=”” 100%=”” pure.=”” i=”” mean=”” if=”” you=”” were=”” an=”” oil=”” company,=”” wouldn’t=”” brag=”” your=”” pure,=”” were?<=”” p=””>I’d recommend picking up a pack of pipettes. Some essential bottles come with built-in droppers, others don’t. Maybe this is just me being jaded, but it seems like the more expensive essential oils (i.e. the ones you least want to spill) are the ones that come without a dropper. I don’t know, but you’ll definitely want a dropper for those bottles that don’t have them, and pipettes do the job beautifully. I reuse the pipettes over and over (one for each oil, so I don’t have any cross-contamination), and I use a Sharpie to label the bulb of each one, so I know which pipette goes with each oil. I found pipettes at my local health food store (the one with the pricey oils) for $.20 a piece, but you can also order a pack of them online.

Pinterest is full of diffuser recipes (since you can use multiple oils in your diffuser at the same time). There are recipes to make your house smell seasonably appropriate, and there are recipes to help with different ailments. I tend to use a blend of oils in my diffuser, just because I’m trying to take advantage of the benefits of several different oils. Right now, I’ve been opening each bottle each time I need to fill my diffusers, and that gets old in a hurry – especially when you’re using five different oils, as I often am.

When I get a minute, I plan to make a bulk batch of my sinus blend, so I only have one bottle to pull out each time. That means I’m going to need an extra bottle to store it in. I happen to have an empty peppermint oil bottle on hand, but if you don’t have an extra bottle, you may want to purchase one. Amazon is one source for them.

Essential Oil Safety

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, essential oils are natural, but they’re also potent. So, you need to take the time to educate yourself about their proper use. Take care not to get them on your hands when you’re filling your diffuser(s), and wash your hands promptly, if you accidentally get some on yourself.

I strongly recommend that you invest in an essential oil book, so you can read up on safe dilution rates, which oils are considered safe for use around kids and which oils carry warnings. I’m not trying to scare you (or dissuade you from using essential oils, quite the opposite), but I do think it’s important to know what you’re getting into. I’ve seen a lot of bad information on the Internet about essential oils, and as their popularity grows, that bad information also grows.

This is the essential oil book that I own. I really like it because I can look up oils by ailment or by name. It’s a book that I find myself pulling off the shelf again and again.