An average-sized reed diffuser will last around 3 to 4 months. It will fill your space with subtle and delicate scent notes, and might even provide some aromatherapy to you and your family.
So, what happens once those few months are up? Do you have to throw the whole reed diffuser away and buy a new one? That sounds like a lot of wasted money.
Reed diffusers can most definitely be reused. Refreshing and refilling your reed diffuser is super easy, and you can probably start turning an empty diffuser into a brand new aromatherapy vessel right now!
Keep reading to learn the ins and outs of reusing reed diffusers, and even a few DIYs to keep things budget-friendly and exciting.
Contents
Can Diffuser Sticks be Reused?
One of the only things you can’t reuse is diffuser sticks. Scent reeds soak up the diffuser liquid at the bottom of the container, then move it to the tops of the sticks which eventually spreads the scent around the room.
If you look at some well-used reed diffuser sticks, you’ll find that they are completely saturated in whatever liquid the diffuser is diffusing. Putting used diffuser sticks in a new bottle won’t do anything since they’ve already absorbed a different scent.
While it may technically continue to spread scent, it won’t be as pure as it could be with new diffuser sticks. The good news is that they are super affordable, and can be bought in bulk.
You should change your diffuser sticks once every six months, and we recommend flipping them to keep the scent refreshed every week or so. Some people like to flip the reeds more, but it’s really up to you.
You can buy this set of 100 Reed Diffuser Sticks that will last you years. Or, if you’re feeling fancy, you could also get this set of 50 Black Reed Diffuser Sticks to jazz up your diffuser.
Just remember that about 5 or 6 reeds need to go into a bottle so that scent spreads effectively. You can always add more if you want.
How to Clean Diffuser Bottles
While you may not be able to reuse the diffuser sticks, the bottles are completely reusable. However, you have to make sure they’re well cleaned before you refill them!
There are two parts of cleaning a reed diffuser that you need to think about. The label and then the bottle itself.
You don’t need to take the label off an old reed diffuser, especially if you are refilling it with the exact same scent that was in it before. However, it sometimes looks nicer for the bottle to be completely clean and not have an incorrect or old-looking label on it.
There are a couple of natural ways to smoothly remove the label off of your reed diffuser bottle.
Oil and Baking Soda
We love this method! It’s affordable, natural, and works surprisingly well.
All you need is any kind of oil (like olive oil or vegetable oil) and baking soda. A tiny bit of each will do.
To start, tear off as much of the label by hand as you can to kick-start the removal process.
Mix a small spoonful of the two ingredients together to make a paste. It’s easy to make too much, so remember that you can always add more if you need it.
The paste should have the consistency of toothpaste. That was it’s thick enough to spread and stick to the bottle, but wet enough to work its magic on the adhesive.
Spread your concoction over the label and let it sit for any from a few minutes to overnight. The longer you let it sit, the less elbow grease you’ll have to put into scrubbing afterward.
Wash the bottle with water and soap and you’re good to go!
Hot Sudsy Water
If you’re looking for an oil-fashion way to take the label off, or just don’t have an oil or baking soda lying around, giving your reed bottle a hot bath will do the trick!
Fill a big bowl with hot water and plenty of dish soap. The bowl should be more tall than wide because you want your bottle to be completely submerged in water.
All if you have to do after that is pop your bottle in and let it soak. You could even also throw in a few empty pasta jars that you want to reuse as well.
Like with the baking soda and oil trick, the longer you let them sit the better. You could even change the cold water out for more hot water if the label is being particularly stubborn.
Cleaning the Actual Bottles
The main thing to keep in mind when cleaning reed diffuser bottles is that you want all traces of previous scents to be completely washed away. Being thorough is key, but it’s not complicated.
Once again, hot sudsy water is your saving grace. Let your bottles soak in the soapy water for a while then give them a really good scrub. If you’re feeling particularly meticulous, you could even use a bottle cleaning brush.
Let the bottles dry completely before filling them up with your new reed diffuser liquid.
If you’re planning on using the same scent as before, we wouldn’t worry about going all out since reed diffuser liquid isn’t unclean. We also wouldn’t worry too much about giving the bottles a deep cleaning if you’re just changing out a DIY liquid, which some people like to refresh, especially if they are water-based.
DIY Reed Diffuser Refills
You can reuse your reed diffuser by refilling it with a super easy DIY diffuser liquid! This is a great way to give your reed diffuser a new life.
Water Reed Diffuser Liquid
All you will need to make your own water-based reed diffuser liquid is water, alcohol, and essential oils. We like to use filtered or bottled water for our diffusers to ensure that no unwanted bacteria infected the diffuser, but the choice is yours.
For alcohol, anything with at least a 90 percent will work great. Isopropyl Alcohol and Denatured Ethyl Alcohol are two great options, but vodka works as well. This recipe is super flexible, so use what you have!
Mix one part alcohol with 20 to 30 drops of your favorite essential oil or essential oil blend. After that is well blending, you can add one part of water, slightly warmed to help things combine.
Once that’s done you can pour the mixture into your clean reed diffuser bottle, pop a few sticks in, and you’re good to go!
Oil Reed Diffuser Liquid
This liquid is equally as easy to put together. All you need is a carrier oil, alcohol, and essential oils.
Most of this recipe is made up of carrier oil, and anything from olive oil to baby oil will work. Just make sure it won’t solidify if it’s cool. So if you want to use coconut oil, be sure it’s fractionated coconut oil.
Add the appropriate amount of oil to your reed diffuser bottle and pour in a tablespoon of alcohol and 20 to 30 drops of your essential oils, and there you have it!
We love making oil-based diffuser liquids because we always have the ingredients lying around and it’s easy to tweak the recipe to work with what you have.
Recommended Refill Products
Let’s say you’re not a DIY person though. Or maybe you just don’t have the time to mix reed diffuser liquid potions. We know that browning the internet for great aromatherapy products but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with some of the best out there.
Here are some of our favorite convenient reed diffuser refills to buy.
Aromatika Orange Reed Diffuser Refill 17oz
This orange scent reed diffuser refill will last you ages. It’s delicate but still zesty and would work well in practically any room in your house or office.
The product also has several repeat customers, which is always a good sign!
Urban Naturals Eucalyptus & Sage Oil Reed Diffuser Refill
Not only does this reed diffuser liquid smell amazing, but it also comes with extra diffuser sticks! We love the combination of eucalyptus and sage, and its customers do, too!
The product is also alcohol-free and vegan!
Greenleaf Gifts Reed Diffuser Oil Refill
Looking for something more floral? This rose diffuser oil is just what the doctor ordered, and it’s even made in the USA.
The company estimated this refill will last about three months, and they have several other scents to choose from as well! Customers have described this rose diffuser oil as smelling like real roses — doesn’t that sound lovely?
Reuse, Reduce, Recycle!
Giving aromatherapy products a new life is a fantastic way to give back to the environment. Show the world you appreciate all of the lovely plants and scents it provides for us by giving a new life to your old reed diffusers today!
We would love to hear how this works out for you, or what your favorite way to refill your reed diffuser is. Do you not bother taking the label, or are you all about that baking soda and oil technique?
Let us know!
Have fun, get creative, and happy oiling!
I currently work as a medical receptionist, but my ultimate goal is to work as an occupational therapy assistant. Helping others achieve a better quality of life is something I’m after. That’s one of the main reasons I started this blog. Learn more about me.