How To Clean A Diffuser So It Lasts

Easy tips to help your diffuser run better and last longer. Check out how to clean a diffuser. Simple tips that only take a few minutes.

I love using an essential oils diffuser. They make my house smell great during the day and get rid of any funky smells after dinner.

We use one with a sleepy time mix to help my son get to sleep at night. I also often use one to help with allergies or just to give me a little more energy during the day.

I have found a diffuser that is inexpensive and doesn't break. The first one we bought broke pretty quickly.

I think part of the reason that diffusers can break so quickly is that they need to be cleaned fairly regularly.

Part of the problem is that we have hard water at our house. Add in some sticky diffused oils and you have a mess all over the diffuser.

If you regularly use a sticky essential oil in your diffuser it can get dirty and gross really quick. I have noticed that our kitchen diffuser that uses lemon essential oil stays pretty clean, but my son's diffuser with Vetiver essential oil gets gummy really quick.

But, if you spend about 10-15 minutes cleaning your diffuser occasionally then you can keep it running for years. If you haven't cleaned your diffuser lately check out these tips on how to clean a diffuser so it lasts.

How To Clean A Diffuser

I have a NOW diffuser, but most diffusers tend to be fairly similar in the way they work. These tips will work for cleaning pretty much any diffusers.

Your diffuser will have a base system where you add your water and oils and then you have the top cone or lid part. You will want to start by cleaning the base part.

If you have hard water or use a sticky essential oil this will most likely be the dirtiest part of your diffuser.

Start by unplugging your diffuser if you haven't already and dump out any water that is currently in the base.

Next, add water to your base so it is about 3/4 the way full.

Then, add around 2 teaspoons of vinegar to the water. The vinegar will help break up any hard water that is in the diffuser.

Vinegar also helps to get rid of bad smells so if you have some essential oils that have set in your diffuser for a while it will help get rid of smells too!

Add the cone or lid topper to your diffuser and let it run for about 5-8 minutes. The vinegar and water will get to work to help loosen those hard water stains and oil residue.

After about 8 minutes turn off the diffuser and remove the cone top. Most of the hard water should be loosening up. If it isn't you can let it run for another 5-10 minutes.

Next, you can gently run a q-tip around the inside base where the water sits to break up more of the hard water.

Make sure you gently run the q-tip around the small plate in the middle of the diffuser too. I have found this is where the oils and hard water really seem to gather.

This is also the failure point of some of my other diffusers. By making sure to keep the plate clean a free from hard water and grime you will keep your diffuser running for years.

Once you have loosened some of the oils and hard water place the cone back on the diffuser and turn it back on for about 5 more minutes.

After 5 minutes you can turn the diffuser off. Let the vinegar mixture sit in the base while you clean the cone or the lid of the diffuser.

Remove the cone or top and run water through the cone. This part shouldn't have any electrical components so you can run plenty of water over it and really scrub it if you need to.

If your lid is really sticky or dirty you can use a little squirt of Dawn soap and a toothbrush to really get it clean. Once it is clean set it aside to dry.

Then, carefully dump out the water/vinegar mixture from the base. When you dump the vinegar mixture out make sure the water doesn't get into any of the areas where the wires are.

Then, use a clean q-tip to clean the inside of the base and small plate again. This should remove most of the hard water and oil residue.

If you have any remaining oil residue in the diffuser you can also use a small amount of dawn soap in the base to get rid of the residue.

Some people have also had success getting rid of oil residue with lemon essential oil. It is a natural degreaser.

Then take a damp paper towel and wipe down the inside and outside of the base. Set the base aside to dry.

Once both parts are completely dry you can refill your diffuser and start using it again.

If you use your diffuser regularly make sure you are cleaning it every couple of weeks.

Cleaning your diffuser will not only help it last longer, but it also helps clean all the smells out. This is really important if you are switching up the oils you are using in the diffuser.

In just 15 minutes time you can keep your diffuser running better and lasting longer with these simple tips on how to clean a diffuser. Keep your diffuser smelling great and working for years to come.

Want some other easy cleaning tips? Check out how to clean with essential oils. Get a clean home using the essential oils you love.