Reed diffuser: where to place it and how to care for it

The reed diffuser is the simplest of home fragrances: a bottle, a few reeds, and nothing to light. It only asks for a good spot and a little attention from time to time.

How it works

The reeds, made of rattan, are run through with very fine channels. They draw up the scented oil from the bottle and let it evaporate from their tips: the fragrance spreads gently, with no flame and no electricity.

Where to put it

• In the hallway: it is the first scent you notice when you come home.
• In the living room: on a console or a shelf, near a place people walk past. Movement helps the fragrance travel through the room.
• In the bedroom: on a chest of drawers rather than the bedside table, for a more discreet scent at night.

Avoid a sunny windowsill, the top of a radiator and draughts: heat and moving air speed up evaporation, and the bottle empties faster.

Set it on a stable surface, out of reach of children and pets, and ideally on a small dish: a drop of scented oil can mark waxed or varnished wood.

How many reeds

The more reeds, the stronger the fragrance, and the faster the bottle empties. In a small room, start with a few reeds, then add more if the scent stays too faint.

Turning the reeds

Over time, the fragrance grows lighter: that is the moment to turn the reeds. Do it over a sink, so that the oil does not drip onto the furniture. Not too often, though: each time, the bottle empties a little faster.

One fragrance per room

A small bottle in each room is better than one large one for the whole home: one for the hallway, one for the living room, one for the bedroom. Before use, read the precautions on the label.

In the evening, a home fragrance goes well with low light: a lamp on the console, a light painting on the wall.