Essential oils can be an incredibly therapeutic addition to your home and life, but must you get the best of both worlds by exploring the use of diffusers and humidifiers together? Many people prefer to add essential oils to humidifiers for a variety of reasons – from adding a calming scent to providing relief from sinus congestion. If using these two devices together is something that interests you, read on. In this blog post we will discuss what every homeowner should know about can you put essential oils in a humidifier or diffuser, how each device works separately as well as how they work in tandem with one another. Additionally, we will provide some tips on safety considerations when utilizing protective measures such as water guards in your housing environment.
Contents
- 1 What Is A Humidifier?
- 2 What Are Essential Oils?
- 3 How Does A Humidifier Work?
- 4 Can You Put Essential Oils In A Humidifier?
- 5 What Essential Oils Can You Use In A Humidifier?
- 6 How To Use Essential Oils With A Humidifier?
- 7 Benefits Of Using Essential Oils With A Humidifier
- 8 Tips For Using Essential Oils In Your Humidifier
- 9 Other Ways To Transform Your Home With Essential Oils
What Is A Humidifier?
A humidifier is a device that adds moisture to the air in a room or building, typically through the use of water and a fan. Humidifiers are commonly used to combat dryness in the air, which can lead to uncomfortable symptoms such as dry skin, chapped lips, and respiratory issues. Humidifiers come in various types, including cool mist, warm mist, and ultrasonic. Cool mist humidifiers use a fan to disperse cool moisture into the air, while warm mist humidifiers heat water to create steam. Ultrasonic humidifiers use high-frequency vibrations to turn water into a fine mist.
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts that have been used for their therapeutic properties for centuries. They are extracted from various parts of plants, such as flowers, leaves, and roots. Essential oils can be used for aromatherapy, topical application, and even ingestion in some cases. Each essential oil has its own unique properties and benefits. Some popular examples include lavender for relaxation, eucalyptus for respiratory relief, and peppermint for headache relief.
How Does A Humidifier Work?
A humidifier operates by facilitating the acceleration of natural evaporation processes. It utilizes a fan to propel air through a moist filter, resulting in the evaporation of water into vapor. Subsequently, this water vapor is emitted into the room to elevate the humidity level.
Can You Put Essential Oils In A Humidifier?
It is not recommended to put essential oils in a traditional humidifier as it may damage the machine. This is because humidifiers release a cool mist by passing water through a wicking filter. Essential oils are highly concentrated and if added to a humidifier, they could potentially corrode the plastic tank.
What Essential Oils Can You Use In A Humidifier?
The following essential oils can be used in a humidifier:
- Lavender essential oil: Lavender oil has been used for ages to address various health and skin concerns. Its properties are commonly found in cosmetics for skincare, and it provides aromatherapy benefits.
- Sandalwood essential oil: Widely used in cosmetic products, sandalwood oil is associated with spirituality. Many people use it with a humidifier to enhance spiritual health and promote mental well-being.
- Lemongrass essential oil: Known for its exotic fragrance, lemongrass oil is a popular choice for use with humidifiers. Its bright, citrusy, and earthy scent can instantly improve your mood.
- Tea tree essential oil: Derived from Australian tea tree plants, tea tree oil offers health benefits. Using it with humidifiers can provide relief from cough, cold, and flu symptoms. The oil’s relaxing properties can soothe the mind and body.
- Peppermint essential oil: Known for its energizing properties, peppermint oil can instantly uplift your energy levels. Its rich menthol compound provides a fresh, minty scent and refreshes your surroundings.
- Vanilla essential oil: With its sweet and rich scent, vanilla oil can elevate your mood and create a relaxing atmosphere. It is often used to unwind after a long day at work or school, offering various health benefits.
- Chamomile essential oil: Widely recognized for its skin and health benefits, chamomile oil is commonly used. It improves skin conditions and promotes better rest. The oil also has relaxing and calming properties, which can enhance physical and mental well-being when used with humidifiers.
- Citronella essential oil: It has positive properties that help in improving skin and hair conditions and can be used with humidifiers.
- Eucalyptus essential oil: It is rich in health-based properties and aids in restful periods when used with a humidifier.
- Marjoram essential oil: It has a spicy scent that refreshes mood and can be used with a humidifier to relax mind and body.
- Patchouli essential oil: It has a woodsy scent that lifts mood and promotes relaxation when used with a humidifier.
- Oregano essential oil: It helps improve many health conditions and promotes effective breathing when used with a humidifier.
- Lemon essential oil: It has a great scent and is beneficial for various skin conditions. It is one of the best essential oils for humidifier use.
- Bergamot essential oil: It has a sweet and citrusy aroma and is suitable for those who prefer such scents in their surroundings when using a humidifier.
- Rose essential oil: It is a beloved fragrance and helps calm and relax the mind. It is a great choice for humidifier use.
- Geranium oil: Geranium oil is commonly used for relaxation and serenity in aromatherapy.
- Ylang-Ylang oil: Ylang-Ylang oil offers various health benefits and promotes both physical and mental well-being. It can help uplift your mood.
- Cardamom oil: Cardamom oil has a long-lasting and sweet fragrance, making it a popular choice. It has been used for many purposes throughout history and can act as a mood lifter when used in a humidifier.
How To Use Essential Oils With A Humidifier?
To use essential oils with a humidifier, follow these steps:
- Always check the manufacturer’s instructions first to ensure that your model is compatible with essential oils.
- Add a few drops of your chosen oils to the humidifier’s water tank. We recommend using 5 to 8 drops for a 100ml tank.
- Turn on your humidifier as you normally would. The scents should start to vaporize and disperse throughout the room.
- For optimal results, use a cool mist humidifier and ensure that you clean your humidifier regularly.
- If your humidifier comes with a specialized essential oil tray, add your essential oils there instead.
Following these steps will help you effectively use essential oils with your humidifier.
Benefits Of Using Essential Oils With A Humidifier
Benefits of Using Essential Oils with a Humidifier:
- Cleanses and purifies the air
- Boosts mood and energy levels
- Enhances relaxation and sleep quality
- Relieves stress, anxiety, and tension headaches
- Eases cold and flu symptoms
- Soothes sore throats
- Reduces congestion
Combining the benefits of using a humidifier in your home with the powerful therapeutic properties of essential oils is a popular choice for many.
Tips For Using Essential Oils In Your Humidifier
- Use high-quality, pure essential oils to ensure the best results and avoid any potential damage to your humidifier.
- Always use a cool mist humidifier as it is safer for diffusing essential oils into the air.
- Clean your humidifier regularly to prevent build-up of oil residue and maintain its effectiveness.
- Do not mix different types of essential oils in your humidifier, as some scents may not mix well and could create an unpleasant smell.
- Start with a low number of drops and gradually increase if desired for a stronger scent.
By following these tips, you can safely and effectively use essential oils with your humidifier to enjoy their benefits. Remember to always do your research before trying out new oils or blends to ensure they are safe for your personal use. Overall, essential oils can enhance the atmosphere and provide many health benefits when used with a humidifier. So, enjoy experimenting with different oils and find what works best for you.
See also: does chick fil a use peanut oil
Other Ways To Transform Your Home With Essential Oils
- Electric Heated Diffusers
- Reed Diffusers
- Candle Diffusers
- Ultrasonic Diffusers
- Mists and Sprays
- Unfinished Wood
- Portable Essential Oil Diffuser Pen
- Baking Soda
- Cardboard
- Terracotta
- Cotton Balls
- Stove
Daniel Mauney is the Chef/Owner of tapp room Restaurants. He has been in the industry for over 20 years, and his restaurants have been featured in magazines and newspapers all over the country. Daniel’s food is heavily influenced by his travels, and he enjoys incorporating unique flavors and spices into his dishes.
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There is a high probability the humidifier will gunk up after a while if you put oils in it. Thats all. You could try alcohol-based fragrances.
The issue is more of clogging and long term plastic damage. Some humidifiers have reservoirs near the steam outlet to avoid this. You’ll definitely shorten the lifespan if you add oils to the water and you’ll get junk build up but it still work.
The issue is that essential oils break down plastics. I was stupid and ruined 2 humidifiers by adding a few drops into the water tank. This ate away at the plastic and it looks really pitted and wouldn’t get clean looking after awhile. This dissolved the plastic and put it into the air. I knew this but did it any way thinking it was a hard enough plastic. I would say if yours has a dedicated oil spot it should be ok but do not add it directly to the water in the tank. However, using a diffuser made for essential oils is best.
I put EO in mine last year and it made a mess inside the water tank. It’s really hard to clean the oils out
Thank you for sharing this useful information.
I didn’t realize that they were that corrosive. That’s good to know, thank you. Yeah, it’s got a small port on the side with a little piece of cotton that you put a few drops of oil on, and it works it into the mist. I’ve got some lavender and other scents, but I’m wary about breathing this stuff in.