How to Make Essential Oil Room Spray

Dive into how to make Essential Oil Room Spray and learn how to combine distilled water, alcohol, a dispersant, and essential oils to make a range of room sprays targeted at specific areas of your home and suited to you and your household.

Choose oils that impact your mood and well-being. Discern the best alcohol to use and why it should be used. Explore the role of Witch Hazel and products like Polysorbate 20 or 80 to disperse the essential oils, so they will be more evenly dispersed when sprayed. Experiment with hydrosols and their refreshing finish to a room spray.

Discover how to create blends that can be translated into other fragranced home products like scented candles and diffusers. Make a range of gifts for friends or family or start a small hobby business; you might smell roses!

The History of Air Fresheners

Nothing makes me feel more uneasy than the air freshener aisle at the store—row upon row of synthetic fragrances and chemical-laden ingredients to spray in the sanctity of our precious homes.

Consider that the first air freshener was initially developed in 1948 by the military to aerosolize pesticides. We have not moved on much past that. However, over the next twenty years, manufacturers developed and evolved the designs to enhance performance, durability, and longevity. Like most things, they also found ways to make it much cheaper to produce.

In a world where profits matter over people, as I said, it is the Air Freshener aisle that gives me that uneasy feeling. It encourages us to believe that we don't smell nice and that every little whiff of anything vaguely natural must be eliminated at all costs by spraying chemicals and everything unnatural.

Plug-in Air Fresheners that seem to contain more natural fragrances are a known fire hazard. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), between 2010 and 2021, around 1,900 fires were reported, with these plug-in Air Fresheners being cited as the cause. Yet, they are still on the shelves—profits over people.

What Can I Do About It?

The answer is profoundly simple. Make your own!

Reasons to Make a DIY Room Spray

Hopefully, you will have formulated your reasons for making your room spray by the time we get to this point. If not, let me convince you further.

When you learn how to make Essential Oil Room Spray, it enables you to:

    • Grasp control over ALL of the ingredients that go into your room spray. Choose natural ingredients over synthetic fragrances and chemicals.
    • Essential oils are proven to affect our mood and, in doing so, improve our overall well-being. We can choose essential oils perfectly tailored to us and our lifestyles. Maybe, you struggle to wake up in the morning, and a boost of a citrus blast is enough to get you going. Maybe, you need to wind down when you come in from work and need to create an ambient, soothing environment. Maybe, your teenage boys are going through the stinky sock and trainers phase, and you need something that could knock out a horse. You can choose the essential oils that suit these situations and create a blend tailored to your household needs.
    • Target the areas you need in your home rather than feeling like you have to blanket the entire house.
    • Wean yourself off highly fragranced products - When we get used to having highly fragranced products in our house, we get a bit nose-blind and then search for products with more muscular and robust fragrances. For instance, my neighbor has a washing powder so strongly scented that it almost knocks me out whenever she opens the front door. It is overly strong! It alarms me a little that her sweet baby is then dressed in those highly fragranced clothes.
    • You can re-train your nose away from those highly fragranced and scented products to the beautiful, and yes, sometimes more subtle, fragrances of essential oil. However, I will also share a few blends that pack a fragrant punch!
    • You will be reducing the amount of potentially harmful chemicals and synthetics that you would have introduced into your home otherwise. This has to be better for you.
    • You will learn how to blend your perfect fragrance tailored to yourself, your home, and the season. You can also replicate it to make your suite of fragrance products like matching candles and reed diffusers.

Here are some links to recent articles that you can peruse and develop your range. We even have one for scented pine cones! These are also perfect products for the holiday season and to make as gifts.

This article is always worth a visit when you want to learn how to create the perfect blend using perfumery techniques to create a well-rounded and balanced fragrance that will last. It has all the information that you will need.

How to Make Perfume with Essential Oils

How to Make Essential Oil Room Spray

Equipment

    • Large Measuring Jug
    • Small Measuring Jug
    • Large Bowl
    • Funnel
    • Stainless Steel Spoon or Stirrer
    • Pump Spray Bottle - ideally Dark Amber Glass
    • Label with all ingredients listed.

Materials

    • Purified or Distilled Water
    • Vodka or Alcohol
    • Selection of Essential Oils
    • Polysorbate 20 or 80 or Witch Hazel as an alternative.

Optional

    • Rose Water and other Hydrosols

Instructions

To make 500ml - 17 fl oz of room spray with essential oils

Just a few little notes before we get started:

    • If you wish to add hydrosols like Rose Water - replace the volume with the amount needed for distilled water. 
    • You can use Witch Hazel instead of a solubilizer like Polysorbate 20 or 80, but you need more.
    • Polysorbate 20 or 80, which is best? The Polysorbate 20 is better suited to this project, but 80 would work just as well if that is what you have to hand in. Always follow the manufacturer's guidelines…. significantly if they differ from what is written here. Follow the guidelines for your manufacturer because they do differ.

Right, let's get stuck in; here we go!

    1. It is optional to add Rose Water or a Hydrosol - but do it at this point. Remember to reduce the amount of distilled water, though. (For example, if you want to use 100ml of hydrosol, only use 150ml of Distilled Water to make up the 250ml volume needed).
    2. If you are not using hydrosols, measure out 250ml or 8.45floz of Distilled Water - carefully pour it into the bowl.
    3. Measure out 200ml or 6.7 fl oz of Vodka and pour it into the bowl with the water
    4. Drop all your essential oils into the small measuring jug. Note the final volume of the essential oil. You need the same volume of essential oils as Polysorbate. (Say you have 5ml of essential oils. You will need 5ml of Polysorbate).
    5. Add the same volume of your Polysorbate 20 or 80 and mix carefully into your essential oils. 
    6. Not using Polysorbate? That's ok - combine your volume of essential oils with four times the volume of Witch Hazel. (So if you have 5ml of essential oils, you will need 4 x 5ml = 20ml of Witch Hazel). Stir to mix thoroughly. 
    7. Add into the large bowl and very gently stir to combine well.
    8. Using a funnel, decant into your Dark Amber Glass Bottle.
    9. Depending on if you used Polysorbate or Witch Hazel, this is the point where you may need to top your Bottle up with Distilled Water. Remember, the pump straw takes up some of the volumes, so fill it in a manageable amount, or it will simply overflow.
    10. Lid tightly and store in a dark, cool place at a consistent and ambient temperature.
    11. Label, writing down ALL ingredients used.
    12. Remember to prime your pump ready - give it a few pumps until it starts to spray.
    13. Now you are ready to fill your home with virtuous and fabulous fragrance!

What Kind Of Alcohol Do You Use For Room Spray With Essential Oils?

Here, it helps to understand the actual function of the alcohol in an essential oil room spray; understanding will enable you to make the perfect choice for you and your situation.

The role that alcohol plays serve three separate purposes.

    1. Alcohol is the preservative that will hinder and help prevent the growth of mold and other micro-organisms that might otherwise thrive in your room spray.
    2. It helps to dilute the essential oils somewhat to help blend them into the spray. (However, it does not do this entirely, which is why you may also need products like Witch Hazel and Polysorbate 20 or 80)
    3. Finally, the alcohol acts as a carrier, helping to disperse the scent molecules into the air.

You can use Vodka; it is ideally suited to the task as it does not have a strong odor, holds the scent of the oils well, and helps disperse them through the air.

However, the stronger the alcohol content, the better it will work to dilute the essential oils, giving better air dispersion. Also, it will preserve the final product much better and for longer against microbial activity or mold growth.

    • A product like Everclear with a grain alcohol content of 95% or 190 proof is the best choice.
    • The next best choice is 151-proof Vodka - 75%, but it may only partially dilute the essential oils.
    • Then the choice of a standard bog Vodka, or you could use denatured alcohol.

I have to confess that I often use Vodka, and I have even been known to use a White Rum at a push. So Vodka has served me well for a long time. But do experiment and see what works best for you.

How Long Do Essential Oil Room Sprays Last?

When you use alcohol with a high percentage of alcohol, your essential oil room spray will last longer because of the antimicrobial effect of the alcohol and therefore, it is continually working to prevent mold growth.

Basically:

    • Less strength/proof in alcohol = the less time it will be preserved for.
    • High-strength alcohol = the more time it will be preserved for.

Choose the alcohol that you use carefully, but also to suit your product. For example, if you know that you will get through a room spray in your kitchen in a couple of weeks, then you could go with a low-proof/strength alcohol because you don't NEED it to last that long.

But if you have one in your bedroom to use for the occasional disturbed nights' sleep, you will want that to last much longer, so it is worth using higher-grade alcohol.

Also, we have yet to discuss it, but the volume of alcohol is essential. I usually aim for approximately half of the volume, but you must be careful going over half of the total volume because flammability could be an issue. As a house with candles on the go, I always stick to just under half the volume to be safe.

However, like the example above, for a spray to use occasionally for disturbed sleep, you could add more alcohol if you know that the flammability aspect will not be an issue for you. NEVER ASSUME THIS FOR OTHER PEOPLE, THOUGH. This is why all my blend recipes here have less than half the volume to ensure safety.

Why Vodka?

Vodka is generally suggested and used because it is odorless. Because of this, it is better to accept the scents of the oils. In addition, it is one of the most readily available forms of spirit worldwide.

Can I Use Gin Instead Of Vodka?

Gin is a very strong-smelling spirit—laced full of juniper and other herbs and spices, which is excellent if you like it. I cannot stand it and it would never be my choice. However, preference aside, it would not be suitable because it would mask and overpower the most subtle oils. It also does not seem to hold or disperse them into the air as well as Vodka does.

Why Hydrosols - They Are Not That Strongly Scented?

I am a big advocate of using Hydrosols, and yes, they are a more subtle scent profile than the very concentrated essential oils, but they have their place here.

They bring a fresh, light, and airy aspect to the scent profile. In addition, they can lift an otherwise heady blend making it more suitable for everyday use, which is why I have included them as an option in the Rosy Glow Blend. Of course, try it both ways, but you will likely find that it lifts it, rounds the overall scent profile, and gives that very refreshing final finish to the overall product.

That is a word I often associate with hydrosols - refreshing!

How to Make Essential Oil Room Spray - My Favorite Recipes and Best Blends

Basic Formula For An Essential Oil Room Spray
Necessary Ingredients Optional Ingredients
which act as a dispersant
250ml of Distilled Water OR
A mix of Distilled Water and Hydrosol
200ml of Vodka, Denatured Alcohol OR
Grain Alcohol like Everclear
Blend of Essential Oils
For safety stick to less than 4% of the overall volume.
In this case (500ml) use less than 20ml of essential oils,
following the safety date percentage of the individual essential oils.
Polysorbate 20 or Polysorbate 80
Same volume as your essential oils OR
follow the manufacturers guidelines.
Witch Hazel
(use instead of Polysorbate)
You need x4 the volume of the essential oils.

Frosted Spice

This is a perfect blend for the special days of the holiday season and will translate beautifully from a Room Spray into a candle and a reed diffuser, don't forget you could make those lovely scented pine cones too! Buy a bit of extra essential oil to ensure you have enough to cover all the projects. You won't regret doing this; it is such fun. Not only that, but it adds to the layers of fragrance for those special days.

Frosted Spice
30 drops 20 drops 5 drops 30 drops 5 drops 50 drops 5 drops 5 drops
Scotch Pine Essential Oil
(Pinus sylvestris)
Fir Essential Oil
(Abies siberica)
Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil
(Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
Cardamom Essential Oil
(Elettaria cardamomum)
Clove Bud Essential Oil
(Syzygium aromaticum)
Sweet Orange Essential Oil
(Citrus sinensis L)
Nutmeg Essential Oil
(Myristica fragrans)
Star Anise Essential Oil
(Illicium verum)
Safety:
Many spice oils are known as dermal irritants and sensitizers.
Do not spray onto soft furnishings or anywhere your skin is likely to come into contact with the product.
Do not use it close to children under 12.
Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.

Spiced Mint

This blend is a bit more subtle; it still says Holiday Season, but it is more suited to everyday use. Again, this blend will translate to candles, reed diffusers, and scented pine cones.

Spiced Mint
40 drops 50 drops 30 drops 5 drops
Peppermint Essential Oil
(Mentha piperita)
Sweet Orange Essential Oil
(Citrus sinensis L)
Ginger Root Essential Oil Fresh
(Zingiber officinale)
Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil
(Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
Safety:
Cinnamon oils are known as dermal irritants and sensitizers.
Do not spray onto soft furnishings or anywhere your skin is likely to come into contact with the product.
Do not use it close to children under 12.
Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.

Forest Mist

This is the blend to keep in the bathroom sharp, clean, fresh, and long-lasting. It has a bit of extra zest that we often associate with smelling 'clean.' It will deal with all manner of whiffs.

Forest Mist
40 drops 50 drop 20 drops 10 drops 30 drops 20 drops
Scotch Pine Essential Oil
(Pinus sylvestris)
Grapefruit Essential Oil
(Citrus paradisi)
Lime Essential Oil
(Citrus latifolia Tanaka)
Himalayan Cedarwood Essential Oil
(Cedrus deodara)
Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil
(Eucalyptus citriodora)
Tea Tree Essential Oil
(Melaleuca alternifolia)
Safety:
Do not use it close to children under 6 years of age.
Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.

Clean Zest

One to use in the kitchen. I made a bit of a boo-boo the other day; I cooked Kippers and had run out of Room Spray. I was reminded of this for the rest of the very fishy-smelling day. This blend is what I usually like to have on hand to deal with all those more pungent culinary smells like French Onion Soup, Curry, and Fish.

Clean Zest
40 drops 60 drops 30 drops 20 drops
Tea Tree Essential Oil
(Melaleuca alternifolia)
Grapefruit Essential Oil
(Citrus paradisi)
Lemongrass Essential Oil
(Cymbopogon flexuosus)
Clary Sage Essential Oil
(Salvia sclarea)
Safety:
Do not use it close to children under 6 years of age.
Do not spray onto soft furnishings or anywhere your skin is likely to come into contact with the product.
Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.

Settle Down To Sleep

Ready the bedroom for sleep by spraying this half an hour before settling down. Try and avoid spraying it directly onto your bed linen for this, though. Of course, you can always use the essential oil blend in an oil diffuser.

Settle Down To Sleep

Optional:

Change the basic recipe formula to include the following:
100ml of Lavender Hydrosol
50ml of Vetiver Hydrosol
100ml of Distilled Water.

50 drops 40 drops 30 drops
Lavender Essential Oil Bulgarian
(Lavandula angustifolia)
Vetiver Essential Oil
(Vetiveria zizanoides)
Marjoram Essential Oil
(Origanum majorana)
Safety:
Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.
Do not use it close to children under 6 years of age.

Stink Bomb

For those times when your nose is assaulted, you need to do something before you pass out. This will not let you down.

Stinky Minky
Optional:
Change the basic recipe formula to include the following:
100ml of Tea Tree Hydrosol
100ml of Eucalyptus Hydrosol
50ml of Distilled Water.
30 drops 100 drops 30 drops 20 drops 20 drops 100 drops 50 drops
Tea Tree Essential Oil
(Melaleuca alternifolia)
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
(Eucalyptus globulus)
Scotch Pine Essential Oil
(Pinus sylvestris)
Lemon Essential Oil
(Citrus limon L Burm. F.)
Patchouli Essential Oil
(Pogostemon cablin)
Grapefruit Essential Oil
(Citrus paradisi)
Ginger Root Essential Oil Fresh
(Zingiber officinale)
Safety:
Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.
Do not use it close to children under 6 years of age.

Rosy Glow

This is an all-purpose room spray that you can use anywhere. It is floral and light, with lovely fresh green undertones. Perfect for any time, anywhere in the house.

Rosy Glow
Optional:
Change the basic recipe formula to include the following:
50ml of Rose Hydrosol
50ml of Lemon Balm Hydrosol
50ml of Rose Geranium Hydrosol
100ml of Distilled Water.
50 drops 40 drops 20 drops 30 drops 20 drops
Rose Geranium Essential Oil
(Pelargonium asperum var roseum)
Palmarosa Essential Oil
(Cymbopogon martinii var Motia)
Vanilla Absolute Oil
(Vanilla planifolia)
Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil
(Eucalyptus citriodora)
Spearmint Essential Oil
(Mentha spicata)
Safety:
Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.
Do not use it close to children under 6 years of age.

Just a Few "Please Do Not's"

Like a room spray you buy from the store, our blends also come with a few instructions.

Please Do NOT:

    • Ignore that safety data on the individual blend formulae; it is there for a reason.
    • Spray onto your furnishings or delicate surfaces.
    • Spray near cats, dogs, and other pets; they are much more sensitive than us and have more delicate olfactory senses. Keep the spray away from them, their bedding, and their fur. Some essential oils are toxic to animals. Do not take the risk.
    • Don't use near candles, open flames, or heat sources. Your product has an alcohol content and could ignite.
    • Spray it in your face or onto your body: Hold it facing away from you, check where the nozzle is facing, and don't mistakenly spray it in your eyes. If this happens, rinse well with lots of tepid water, and if symptoms persist, seek medical attention, and take the Bottle with you. This is why labeling could be crucial. Please write all your ingredients on your label!

Final Thought

This article will convince you to use store-bought air fresheners full of super-strong synthetic fragrances and chemicals.

It will encourage you to quickly fill your home with incredible natural scents that do a better job and can last longer!

Not only that, but the essential oils themselves will positively affect your mood and well-being. Lifting you, refreshing you, soothing you, or aiding you to sleep.

You can utilize your favorite blend and translate it across various items to naturally fragrance your home. You can also create an incredible array of gifts for friends and family. Start a little hobby business if you enjoy it.

When you learn how to make an essential oil room spray, the world might open up before you in a fragrant cloud of wonder. So why not give it a go?

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