Simple Ways to Use Essential Oils Around the Home

Essential oils can be a simple way to add aroma to everyday spaces, whether you prefer soft florals, fresh citrus, warm woods or more grounded herbal blends.

At Washpool, our essential oil blends are created for aromatic use. They can be used with ultrasonic diffusers, passive diffusers, felt diffusers and oil burners when used according to the product and device instructions.

This guide is designed to help you use essential oils in practical, everyday ways while keeping safety, surfaces and small spaces in mind.

What are essential oils used for?

Essential oils are concentrated botanical oils used for aroma. They can help create a particular scent experience in a room, car, wardrobe, bathroom, office or other small space.

Different blends create different aromatic impressions. Citrus blends can feel bright and fresh. Floral blends can feel soft and gentle. Woody and herbal blends can feel grounded and steady. The best choice depends on the space, your scent preference and how strongly you want the aroma to come through.

1. Use an ultrasonic diffuser for room aroma

An ultrasonic diffuser is a good option for general home use. It uses water and vibration to create a fine aromatic mist, making it a controlled, flame-free way to disperse essential oil through a room.

Add water and a few drops of essential oil according to your diffuser instructions. Adjust the number of drops to suit the room size and your preferred aroma strength.

This method works well in living rooms, bedrooms, offices and other everyday spaces where you want a gentle room aroma.

2. Use a felt diffuser for small spaces

Felt diffusers are a simple passive diffuser option. They do not need water, electricity, reeds or flame. Instead, the essential oil absorbs into the felt and slowly evaporates from the material over time.

Add a few drops of essential oil to the felt, allow the oil to absorb fully, then hang the diffuser where it can move freely without touching surrounding surfaces.

Felt diffusers are useful for cars, wardrobes, bathrooms, offices, caravans and other compact spaces. Take care to keep the felt away from dashboards, screens, trims, leather, fabric, timber, painted surfaces, polished surfaces and plastics, as essential oils may mark or damage surfaces.

3. Use a clay, wood or stone passive diffuser

Passive diffusers can also be made from clay, wood, stone or other absorbent materials. These work in a similar way to felt diffusers, slowly releasing aroma as the oil evaporates from the material.

They are useful for bedside tables, desks, bathrooms, linen cupboards or other small areas where you want a subtle aroma without using electricity or flame.

Always place passive diffusers on a suitable non-porous dish or protected surface, and avoid contact with delicate finishes.

4. Use an oil burner with care

Oil burners are a traditional way to use essential oils, but they require more care because they involve heat and often an open flame.

Add water to the oil burner first, then add a few drops of essential oil. Never allow the burner to run dry, and never leave an oil burner unattended. Keep oil burners away from children, pets, drafts, curtains, papers and other flammable materials.

Oil burners can create a lovely aroma in a room, but they should always be used carefully and only according to the product instructions.

5. Refresh a wardrobe or linen cupboard

A passive diffuser can be used in a wardrobe or linen cupboard to add a light aroma to a small enclosed space.

Use a felt, clay, wooden or stone diffuser rather than applying oil directly to clothing, linen or timber. Essential oils can stain fabric and may mark or damage painted, polished or natural surfaces.

For wardrobes, choose softer blends if you prefer a gentle aroma, or fresh citrus blends if you want something brighter.

6. Add aroma to the bathroom

Bathrooms are a good place for passive diffusers because they are usually smaller spaces where a light aroma can be noticeable without needing much oil.

A felt diffuser, clay diffuser or diffuser stone can sit on a suitable dish or hang freely away from towels, painted surfaces, timber, stone, plastics and other delicate finishes.

Fresh citrus, herbal and clean scent profiles often work well in bathrooms.

7. Use essential oils in the car with a hanging diffuser

A hanging felt diffuser is a practical way to use essential oils in the car.

Apply a few drops of essential oil to the felt, allow it to absorb fully, then hang the diffuser where it can move freely. Do not allow the diffuser or oil to touch dashboards, screens, vents, trims, steering columns, gear sticks, seats, seatbelts, doors or any other car surface.

Car interiors can be easily marked by concentrated oils, so less is better. Start with a small amount and refresh only when the aroma begins to fade.

8. Create a simple desk or office aroma

For a work desk, home office or study space, a passive diffuser can provide a gentle background aroma without needing a plug-in diffuser.

Place a clay, stone or felt diffuser on a non-porous dish and add a small number of drops. Keep it away from papers, keyboards, screens, timber desktops and painted surfaces.

Fresh citrus, balanced herbal and soft woody blends can work well in office spaces, depending on the type of aroma you prefer.

9. Freshen a guest bathroom or guest room

A passive diffuser is a simple option for guest spaces because it can be set up before visitors arrive and refreshed as needed.

Use a felt diffuser, diffuser stone or clay diffuser in a safe location where it will not touch linen, furniture, painted surfaces or delicate finishes.

Soft floral, citrus or gentle woody blends can help make the space feel considered without relying on strong fragrance.

10. Choose a blend by scent direction

Choosing an essential oil blend is often easier when you start with scent direction.

Fresh citrus blends are suited to kitchens, bathrooms, offices and daytime spaces. Soft floral blends are useful for bedrooms, living areas and quieter corners. Woody, herbal and grounded blends are well suited to spaces where you prefer a deeper, steadier aroma.

Washpool essential oil blends are created with clear scent profiles so customers can choose by aroma rather than complicated claims.

Essential oil safety and care

Essential oils are concentrated and should be used with care.

For Washpool essential oil blends, use for aromatic purposes only. Do not apply directly to skin. Do not ingest. Avoid contact with eyes. Keep out of reach of children and pets. Use according to the product, diffuser or oil burner instructions.

Essential oils may mark, stain or damage surfaces. Avoid contact with polished, painted, plastic, leather, fabric, timber, stone, car interiors and delicate finishes. If oil spills, wipe it up immediately.

Do not use essential oils in the bath, on the skin, under pillows, on clothing, on shoes, in cleaning sprays or directly on household surfaces unless you are following a specific, safety-qualified product direction.

Washpool essential oil blends

Our pure essential oil blends are made in small batches at the Washpool Lab in Stanthorpe, Queensland.

The current Washpool essential oil blend range includes:

Sleep Easy: A soft evening blend with sweet orange, Lavender Maillette, petitgrain, Roman chamomile and sandalwood.

Beautiful: A soft floral citrus blend with sweet orange, Atlas cedarwood, ylang ylang, lime and neroli.

Calm: A grounded citrus and woody blend with mandarin, Atlas cedarwood, bergamot, clary sage, lavandin super and vetiver.

Moonlight: A warm, layered blend with sweet orange, Atlas cedarwood, juniperberry, Bulgarian lavender, patchouli and cinnamon bark.

Serenity: A soft woody floral blend with Atlas cedarwood, pink grapefruit, sweet orange, frankincense and rose absolute.

Vitality: A fresh citrus blend with lemongrass, eucalyptus-peppermint, lime and lemon myrtle.

Wellbeing: A balanced citrus floral blend with sweet orange, Lavender Maillette, marjoram, bergamot and neroli.

Felt diffusers and essential oil bundles

Our felt grape diffusers are made from 100% New Zealand wool felt and designed for passive aromatic use in small spaces. They can be used on their own with a suitable oil you already have, or paired with a Washpool essential oil blend.

Choose a felt grape diffuser if you want a reusable hanging diffuser for the car, office, bathroom, wardrobe, caravan or another compact space.

Choose a felt diffuser and essential oil bundle if you would like a ready-to-use pairing.

Explore the range

Explore our pure essential oil blends, felt grape diffusers and diffuser bundles to find a scent profile and format that suits your space.