Essential oil diffusers are fast replacing candles and incense for bringing fragrance and ambience into one’s home. An extra benefit to diffusing essential oils: health and therapeutic benefits!
But once you’ve unboxed that newly bought diffuser, you may wonder: how many drops of essential oil in a diffuser is best? How do I use this thing correctly? Explore this guide to get the right practical tips and more.
Why use essential oils in a diffuser?
Essential oils are well known for their use as topical treatments, natural skincare, or other home therapy. But did you know that essential oils can provide benefits when simply smelled or inhaled as fragrance, too?
This is why many companies—including most major essential oil brands—have come up with diffuser products or methods so these benefits can be experienced conveniently at home. To use them in this way, place diluted essential oils (a few oil drops in water) into the diffuser water chamber. After you power the diffuser on, it releases water vapors into the air to be inhaled and experienced.
Many types of essential oils and their benefits are best experienced in diffuser form: like aromatherapeutic oils for anxiety or stress, such as lavender or jasmine. If you’re adventurous, you can try any kind of essential oil in a diffuser to experience its aromatic benefits if you so choose.
How many drops of essential oil in a diffuser are necessary?
Trustworthy sources on essential oils say there isn’t a universal precise number of drops necessary for your diffuser. There isn’t an “agreed upon” amount between different sources. That said, some recommend a standard amount to start with, and to go from there.
This amount is typically anywhere between 5 and 10 drops per diffuser “session.” If you’re using a blend of different oils together, you may want to try 2 to 3 drops of each oil you choose for the blend, and combine those together for use in your diffuser.1
What factors influence how many drops go in a diffuser?
What if the standard drops of essential oil in a diffuser aren’t strong enough? Are you not experiencing enough benefits, aroma, or ambience after use?
Here are some factors that could impact how many drops of essential oils you should put in a diffuser, and how to compensate.
Diffuser size
Be sure to double check the size of your diffuser product or its water chamber. If it’s a larger product or chamber, you may have to compensate by adding more drops of essential oils than what is standard—perhaps 10-15 per session (and 4-5 drops of each oil in a blend) instead of the standard amounts outlined above.
For more specific recommendations, refer to these general guidelines for amount of drops per 100 mL of water.
- 100 mL – 3 to 5 drops
- 200 mL – 6 to 10 drops
- 300 mL – 9 to 15 drops
- 400 mL – 12 to 20 drops
- 500 mL – 15 to 25 drops2
Desired intensity
Everyone is different. If you are going with the standard number of drops in your diffuser but experiencing little effect or fragrance, feel free to increase the number of drops you’re using—perhaps to 10-15 per session (4-5 drops of each oil in a blend).
If this is your first time using essential oils in a diffuser, however, be sure to exercise caution when increasing amounts. Each person’s sensitivities to diffused oils in the air will be different. Avoid increasing amounts quickly, dramatically, or all at once to prevent potential eye or breathing irritation.
Essential oil type
Different types of essential oils vary by strength, ingredients, brand, or even purpose of use. For example: essential oil types designed specifically for diffuser use may be stronger than standard essential oil types. In this case, you may want to lean towards using less drops of these compared to standard types (use 5-10 to start).
Plant ingredients in one essential oil may also be generally stronger than another type. This means you might want to use less than the standard recommended amounts, both for safety and for balance—such as when using it together with another type in a blend.
For example: cinnamon is a much stronger aromatic than rose. You may want to lower the amount of cinnamon drops you use to avoid irritation, or risking its fragrance overwhelming less strong botanicals.
Room size
The larger the space, the more essential oils you might need per session to fully diffuse a room. Inversely, a smaller room may need less. For very large rooms, sources say to use up to 20 drops in your diffuser per session. For very small rooms, 5-10 will suffice.1
Keep in mind: There is no hard science to how many drops of essential oil in a diffuser are necessary. It more so comes down to practicality, optimal experience, personal comfort, and safety.
What about waterless diffusers?
Some diffusers, such as nebulizing diffusers, don’t require you to dilute the essential oil with water. These are generally considered safe, as they use a pressurized air stream to atomize the oils. However, oils diffused with a nebulizer are typically stronger than those that use water. So you may only want to run the nebulizer for a few minutes if the aroma is too overwhelming, or just go with a diffuser that uses water.
Best tips for using essential oils in a diffuser
All diffusers are different, and so are all essential oils. Before using a diffuser and oils, be sure to read any labels, instructions, or manufacturer information before use to ensure that you have the optimal and safest experience.
Diffuser products vary widely. Each may be different from another you can buy or that you already own. Read instructions closely—while this article provides basic tips and use for how many drops of essential oils in a diffuser, always refer to the product’s instructions, and be mindful especially of a diffuser’s water chamber and size.
Can I put too many essential oils in a diffuser?
Generally speaking, you can’t overdo the number of drops of oils you put in a diffuser—as long as the oils you put in your diffuser are always well diluted with water. But there are also some considerations to make when determining the number of essential oil drops you use when it comes to your (and your loved ones’) safety.
First of all: never fill a diffuser with only essential oils. Always dilute with water. It is possible that “oil only” use will break your device. Further, this would involve use of an excessively high concentration of essential oils that could potentially harm your health, and even irritate eyes, nose, and other mucus membranes.
For guidance on proper dilution and use for safety, please read the safety section (below) and standard use of drops (above).
What type of water should I use with essential oils in a diffuser?
Every diffuser device is different. To determine which type of water to use in your product, check the manufacturer instructions first.
The safest kind of water to use in your diffuser, and without damaging the device, is likely going to be distilled water, or water otherwise filtered to have heavy metals and minerals removed. These can eventually lead to buildup that can make your diffuser stop working.
Some diffusers are designed to tolerate tap water without breaking. Still, it’s safer to use distilled or filtered water, especially if you know your home has “hard” water with lots of minerals (such as well water).3
Is diffusing essential oils safe?
When done in moderation, diffusing essential oils is generally safe. There are many benefits—though some studies suggest these benefits are reversed with overuse.4
How long can I diffuse essential oils? It is not recommended to diffuse essential oils in an average-sized indoor area for longer than periods of one half to a full hour without breaks. If you are close to the diffuser, or using it for “steam inhalation” therapy, it’s recommended to decrease this intensive exposure even more (down to 15 to 20 minutes maximum).
How often can I diffuse essential oils? While there is no exact guidance from expert sources on how often you can diffuse, per the above guidance one can diffuse a room as often as one would like—as long as breaks are established between sessions of equal length (half an hour on, half an hour off; one hour on, one hour off).
Very small children and infants should be kept a good distance away from diffusers while they are running. Certain oils should not be used around children at all, with some recommendations here. If you are pregnant, you should check with your doctor before diffusing essential oils as well.
It is also recommended that pets (especially cats) be kept far from diffusers in the same way, and given access to a room exit if they become uncomfortable. In all cases, the indoor space should be well-ventilated.2
What should I look for in an essential oil for diffusers?
Any essential oil can be diffused for aromatherapy. But the main thing to look in an essential oil is quality and trustworthiness: Is the company reputable? What are the reviews like for the product you are buying?
If you are looking for health and therapeutic benefits with your diffuser specifically, be sure to distinguish essential oils from “aromatic oils” or “fragrance oils.” The latter may contain natural or synthetic fragrances only; if synthetic, these will not bring you any health benefits and could in fact be hazardous to health.4
Many different models and types of essential oil diffusers exist. Each of these can work great for your needs, while your final and best choice may come down to personal preference and user experience.
Here are the most popular types of essential oil diffusers:
- Ultrasonic. The most high-tech diffuser, using electricity and vibration to diffuse essential oils into the air and around your space.
- Nebulizing. Another high-tech option that uses pressurized air to atomize essential oils without the need to dilute them in water.
- Candle type. This “passive” type uses a candle or tea light burning under a small reservoir where diluted essential oils are placed.
- Electric. Can be made of ceramic or other material, using a heating device within product to heat and emit vapors with essential oils into your space.
- Lamp ring. Extremely simple design: a ceramic ring basin holds essential oils and water dilution, then placed atop a light bulb in your lamp to diffuse passively.
- Reed diffuser. The most passive low-tech diffuser: a simple small jar or bottle, left open, with diluted essential oils placed inside and reed sticks to absorb oils and diffuse scent into air.
If you are not satisfied with your diffuser experience, upgrade to a device that is higher quality and more sophisticated—like from a candle or lamp ring diffuser to ultrasonic or electric. You can also tweak and increase the concentration of drops of essential oils in your diffuser as outlined in previous sections.
Best essential oil blends for diffusers
The world is your oyster when it comes to diffusing essential oils. Still, users have found certain selections and blends to be better and more enjoyable than others. Here are some of the most popular selections and blends.
- Calming blend – Combine chamomile, lavender, and jasmine essential oils.
- Citrus blend – Combine orange, lemon, and grapefruit essential oils.
- “Clean feeling” blend – Combine eucalyptus, tea tree, and pine essential oils.
- Energetic blend – Combine rosemary, peppermint, and sage essential oils.5
Follow guidelines when using essential oil diffusers
Following the general guidelines listed here and the instructions that come with your essential oil diffuser will ensure that you don’t overdo it on the amount or length of time you diffuse your oils. This is especially important for those who are pregnant or sensitive to essential oils, or if you have young children or pets in the house.
About Adrian White
Adrian White is a certified herbalist, organic farmer, and health, food, and agriculture freelance writer—and upcoming author. She is a past contributor to Healthline with bylines in The Guardian, Civil Eats, and Good Housekeeping. Adrian is also the co-owner and operator of Jupiter Ridge LLC, an organic farm growing diverse vegetables, mushrooms and herbs.
Sources:
1. “How To Use An Essential Oil Diffuser.” Young Living Essential Oils. YoungLiving.com.
2. Brandenberger, Holly. “Are Essential Oil Diffusers Safe? Commonly Asked Questions on Diffusing Answered.” Science of Essentials. ScienceOfEssentails.com.
3. “Essential Oil Diffuser Guide.” Young Living Essential Oils. YoungLiving.com
4. “Aroma Oil vs. Essential Oil – What’s the Difference?” Scent Australia. ScentAustraliaHome.com.au.
5. “Diffuser Blends for Every Room.” doTERRA.com.
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