DIY Home Fragrance Diffuser: Archive Safety Notes
This is an archive idea for a liquid home fragrance. Essential oils and oil mixtures are not for drinking and can irritate skin, eyes, and airways; some are hazardous to children and pets. They do not prevent or treat infections.
The author used 150 ml of neutral plant oil, 20–25 drops of an essential oil or blend, a narrow-neck bottle of about 200 ml, a cork stopper, decorative cord, and an awl. Choose the amount and fragrance only according to the instructions for the specific oil, and do not use the diffuser if its scent causes discomfort.
An adult should mix the liquid and pierce the cork with an awl. Use a stable, intact bottle, do not overfill it, and wipe up spills immediately. Fit the cork, thread the cord so part is in the liquid, and keep the bottle upright and out of reach of children and pets.
Do not place the diffuser on a lamp, radiator, heater, or near a flame; do not add alcohol or heat the mixture. Do not use it near food, on skin, in the eyes, or in the mouth. Seek urgent medical or poison-control advice after eye exposure or swallowing.
During winter illness outbreaks, fragrance products can seem especially useful. At work we once put eucalyptus oil on a cotton pad on an incandescent lamp shade so it warmed and evaporated, and your diffuser idea is interesting too. [Editor’s safety note: Do not heat essential oils on a lamp or other hot surface, and fragrance does not prevent or treat infections.]