Keep your home smelling beautiful with these tips and tricks for long-lasting reed diffusers

Reed diffusers are a great way to add scent to your home without having to light a candle or wax melt. They are safe little ‘always on’ fragrances if you have children running around your house and would rather not use plug-in air fresheners.

If you’ve found a fragrance that you adore, you may be wondering how to make a reed diffuser smell stronger and last longer. You’re in luck! Take a look at our tips…

What are reed diffusers and how do they work?

Relatively low-maintenance devices, reed diffusers are a mixture of base liquid and oil fragrance that readily evaporates when they come together. The liquid travels up through reeds – usually made from rattan – to steadily release an aroma into your room.

Poor quality reeds can get clogged and limit the amount of scent that is released, so it’s always best to choose wisely when it comes to reed diffusers.

7 tips to make your reed diffuser smell stronger

If you’ve already got a diffuser you love but you feel the scent power is a little lacklustre, there are a few ways you can give it a boost.

1. Make sure there are plenty of reeds

As the reeds are the vehicle for the fragrance, the more reeds you have, the more ‘transport links’ there are for the scent to travel into the surrounding room. If you find that your reed diffuser is lacking in potency, try adding more reeds to your diffuser.

If you find that the scent isn’t diffusing properly even after adding more reeds, it may be time to consider replacing it with a more high-quality diffuser.

2. Flip the reeds over regularly

Flipping the reeds of your diffuser will help disturb the base liquid and fragrance oil if they’ve been stagnant for a while. This will improve the distribution of scent throughout the room.

You should aim to flip the reeds of your diffuser weekly or once every couple of weeks to get the most out of the aroma.

If you don’t have the time to think about flipping your reed diffuser on a regular basis, a top tip is to simply flip the reeds before you entertain guests for a particularly pleasant-smelling welcome. In fact, reed diffusers make for excellent housewarming gifts. Why not add one to a new home hamper to help a loved one settle into their new place?

3. Place it by an entryway

If you place your reed diffuser in an area of high traffic, it will release more scent as people walk by. Placing a diffuser in a bedroom corner or high on a shelf will restrict how far a scent can reach around the room.

An entryway or hallway is the perfect place to put a reed diffuser as your guests will pick up the scent as soon as they enter your home. The breeze as they walk past will help the beautiful fragrance distribute even more.

4. Choose a diffuser that uses natural essential oils

Always choose a reed diffuser scented with essential oils rather than artificial ones. Not only do essential oils tend to smell more appealing, but many people appreciate them for their wellbeing qualities.

Essential oils in your reed diffuser may be able to help with:

• Relaxation
• Improving focus and clarity
• Boosting your mood
• Encouraging better sleep

With so many essential oils and fragrances out there, you’re guaranteed to find one that takes your fancy.

5. Replace your reeds every so often

The best reeds to use in your diffuser are rattan. Some diffusers use bamboo reeds, however, these tend to clog after a while because of their node-like shape.

As a general rule, it’s advisable to change your diffuser reeds every 6 months. If you find that your diffuser’s scent is lacking, it could be the reeds rather than the oil. Over time, the reeds simply lose their ability to be able to diffuse scents effectively. Sometimes this can be because they have become clogged with dust and oil.

When replacing your reeds, swirl the oil to stir up any stagnant fragrance. Be careful not to spill any of the base liquid as this can irritate skin and damage surfaces.

6. Don’t use the same reeds for different fragrances

Remember not to mix your reeds with different scents. Not only will this potentially clog reeds by mixing different essential oils, but it can also produce undesired scents.

Sometimes, it can be tempting to try and switch your scents, especially if you’ve run out of reeds or one particular fragrance. But it’s important to remember that the outcome of mixing scents can often be unpredictable. So try to stick with the original fragrance.

7. Don’t forget to top up your oil

We’ve mentioned that clogged reed can affect the potency of your diffuser, but topping up with a refill can also give a welcome boost. Keep an eye on the amount of liquid in your diffuser and add some more if it’s not reaching the reeds.

Fragrance gifts from Hotel Chocolat

At Hotel Chocolat, as well as being the UK’s finest chocolatiers, we are experts in luxury gift-giving. If you’re looking for the perfect summer housewarming gift, why not take a look at our selection of reed diffusers? Our Honey and Fig Diffuser is bound to be a crowd pleaser with its delicate notes of summer sweetness. Alternatively, there’s Cacao & Vanilla, featuring woody undertones of musk, cedar wood and amber.

If you’re looking for something a little bit more wearable, why not browse our selection of fragrance gifts from Rabot 1745. With eau de parfum, body mists, and even a refreshing face mist to choose from, you can enjoy vibrant botanical aromas wherever you go.