How to Use a Reed Diffuser: Placement, Flipping Reeds and Making It Last

Reed diffusers are the quiet achievers of home fragrance. They work while you are out, there is no flame to watch, and once they are set up they ask almost nothing of you. Which is exactly why so many of them are set up badly, in the wrong spot, with the reeds never touched again, and then written off as "not very strong".

A few small adjustments make a real difference. Here is what we tell people when they buy their first one.

How a reed diffuser works

The reeds are made of porous material, usually rattan, which draws the fragrance oil up from the bottle by capillary action. As the oil reaches the top of each reed, it evaporates into the air. That is all there is to it. Which means the strength of the scent depends on three things: how many reeds are in the bottle, how much air moves past them, and how warm the room is.

Where to put it

Place a diffuser somewhere you pass, not just somewhere you sit. A hallway, the entry, the top of the stairs or beside a doorway all work well, because the gentle air movement as people walk by carries the scent through the house. We wrote more about choosing the right scent for each room in The Power of Scent.

A few places to avoid:

• Direct sunlight or right beside a heater. Heat speeds up evaporation, so the bottle empties much faster and the scent can change.
• Directly under a heat pump or in a strong draught. A little air movement helps. A constant blast uses up the oil quickly.
• Anywhere it could be knocked. Fragrance oil can mark timber, stone and painted surfaces, so keep it off the edge of a busy bench, and out of reach of children and pets.

To protect a surface, stand the diffuser on a tray or plate. The Therapy Candle & Diffuser Plate is made for exactly this.

Flipping the reeds

When you first set up a diffuser, put the reeds in, wait a minute, then flip them so the oil-soaked ends are at the top. This gives the scent a head start.

After that, flip the reeds whenever the fragrance starts to feel faint, which for most diffusers is about once a week. Do it over a sink or with a paper towel underneath, because the reeds will drip. Try not to flip them every day: each flip releases a burst of fragrance, and doing it too often uses up the oil much faster.

If the scent is too strong for a small room, simply take a few reeds out. If you want more presence in a large space, add them all back in.

Choosing the right size

Match the size of the diffuser to the size of the room. A 50 to 100ml diffuser suits a bathroom, a laundry or a small bedroom. For a living area, an open-plan kitchen or a long hallway, go for 200ml or more. Ecoya rates its Fragranced Reed Diffuser at up to two months for the 50ml and up to six months for the 200ml.

Smaller formats are also a lovely way to try a scent. The FLWR Fleur D'Oranger Reed Diffuser and the Naturals Coconut & Passion Berry Diffuser are both good starting points for a bathroom or a bedside.

Refilling, and when to replace the reeds

When a diffuser runs low, you do not need to replace the whole thing. Many ranges offer refills, so you can keep the bottle you like and top it up. Replace the reeds when you refill, though. Over time, reeds clog with dust and oil and stop drawing fragrance up properly, which is often why an old diffuser seems to have lost its strength.

Kitchen diffusers work especially hard. The Therapy Kitchen Lemongrass, Lime & Bergamot Reed Diffuser is made for the kitchen, with a fresh citrus scent that suits the bench.

If you would rather skip the oil

For a spot where a bottle of oil is not practical, such as a narrow shelf or a busy bench, the Aroma Sticks by The Aromatherapy Co are a liquid-free alternative. And if you want to take the same idea on the road, our guide to the Ecoya Car Diffuser covers it.

Browse our full range of diffusers and room sprays.

What it comes down to

To get the most from a reed diffuser, place it where people walk past, away from direct sun, heaters and strong draughts, and out of reach of children and pets, standing it on a tray or plate to protect the surface. Flip the reeds when the scent fades, usually about once a week, but not daily, as each flip uses more oil. Remove reeds to soften the scent and add them to strengthen it. Choose 50 to 100ml for small rooms and 200ml or more for living areas, and replace the reeds each time you refill, because old reeds clog and stop drawing fragrance.