Guest guest Posted April 26, 2010 Report Share Posted April 26, 2010 Hi everyone; I am trying to make all natural room fresheners out of essential oils/water combination. I added a little glycerin and about 50-100 drops of essential oil to 3.5 oz. of distilled water. I am using a 4 oz. spray bottle (fine mist). I can barely smell it when spraying in the room! I can smell it when sniffing the bottle, though, pretty strong. I am using citrus oils: i.e., lemon, orange, etc. and am quite frustrated by the lack of smell. What I can smell doesn't last more than a few seconds! What am I doing wrong? Should I use an alcohol/water base instead? Regards, Kathi ******************************* Kathi Kirschner Infectious Disease Business Process Specialist 1125 Trenton-Harbourton Rd Titusville, NJ Desk: 609-730-7519 Cell: 267-994-4945 Fax: 609-730-8523 kkirsch1 ******************************* http://www.tibotec.com <http://www.tibotec.com/> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2010 Report Share Posted April 26, 2010 Hi Kathi, I'm probably just stating the obvious here, but have you been shaking the bottle before each use? Because EO's are not water-soluble, and they will float on top of the water...at the opposite end of the bottle from where the dip tube opening is. Patty Ganache for Lips http://www.ganacheforlips.com ________________________________ " Kirschner, Kathi [TIBUS] " <KKirsch1 Mon, April 26, 2010 7:30:20 AM Home-made air fresheners Hi everyone; I am trying to make all natural room fresheners out of essential oils/water combination. I added a little glycerin and about 50-100 drops of essential oil to 3.5 oz. of distilled water. I am using a 4 oz. spray bottle (fine mist). I can barely smell it when spraying in the room! I can smell it when sniffing the bottle, though, pretty strong. I am using citrus oils: i.e., lemon, orange, etc. and am quite frustrated by the lack of smell. What I can smell doesn't last more than a few seconds! What am I doing wrong? Should I use an alcohol/water base instead? Regards, Kathi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2010 Report Share Posted April 26, 2010 Yup, done that! Regards, Kathi ******************************* Kathi Kirschner Infectious Disease Business Process Specialist 1125 Trenton-Harbourton Rd Titusville, NJ Desk: 609-730-7519 Cell: 267-994-4945 Fax: 609-730-8523 kkirsch1 ******************************* http://www.tibotec.com <http://www.tibotec.com/> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2010 Report Share Posted April 26, 2010 Hi Kathi, I agree with Patricia. You have to use either a good emulsifier and/ or shake the product well before each use to keep the essential oils 'sort' of mixed in with the water. In my experience glycerin is not a very good emulsifier for use in a room spray. (And if you are thinking of it for a preservative it has to be over 20% to 50% of the volume of you mixture to be affective.) Alcohol works better but can be irritating to the lungs - eyes etc. So we don't really suggest using alcohol in a Room Spray blend. Coconut emulsifier, Turkey Red Oil (a castor oil) and Polysorbate 20 all are great emulsifiers for mixing essential oils into water based products. (I wouldn't use Turkey Red oil for a room spray as it does have a reddish pigment to it). When using citrus oils for a room spray you may need to use a much larger quantity (higher percentage) than most folks would consider for use in a regular diffuser and definitely for use on the skin (remember no more than 1-3% for use on the skin). It appears your recipe is about 5% EO's but you might need to go as high as 10-15% for a Room spray using citrus oils. Citrus oils quickly disperse into the air. Partly because they are so volitile but also they are cleaning the air at the same time of odors etc! So try using an emulsifier to keep the EO's suspended or plan on shaking the bottle A LOT! Yours in Aromatherapy, Penny Your One Stop Aromatherapy Shop! Birch Hill Happenings Aromatherapy LLC 100% Pure Essential oils and Supplies http://birchhillhappenings.com/aroma1.htm Since 1997 , " Kirschner, Kathi [TIBUS] " <KKirsch1 wrote: > > Hi everyone; > > > > I am trying to make all natural room fresheners out of essential > oils/water combination. I added a little glycerin and about 50-100 drops > of essential oil to 3.5 oz. of distilled water. I am using a 4 oz. spray > bottle (fine mist). I can barely smell it when spraying in the room! I > can smell it when sniffing the bottle, though, pretty strong. > > > > I am using citrus oils: i.e., lemon, orange, etc. and am quite > frustrated by the lack of smell. What I can smell doesn't last more than > a few seconds! > > > > What am I doing wrong? Should I use an alcohol/water base instead? > > > > Regards, > > Kathi > > ******************************* > > Kathi Kirschner > > Infectious Disease Business Process Specialist > > 1125 Trenton-Harbourton Rd > > Titusville, NJ > > Desk: 609-730-7519 > > Cell: 267-994-4945 > > Fax: 609-730-8523 > > kkirsch1 > > ******************************* > > http://www.tibotec.com <http://www.tibotec.com/> > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2010 Report Share Posted April 26, 2010 Say, Penny, do you think it also has something to do with the bottle/spray nozzle? I used one I bought in Whole Foods that really disperses it into the air, but the ones I purchased for this don't go half as far. On Behalf Of Penny Monday, April 26, 2010 5:13 PM Re: Home-made air fresheners Hi Kathi, I agree with Patricia. You have to use either a good emulsifier and/ or shake the product well before each use to keep the essential oils 'sort' of mixed in with the water. In my experience glycerin is not a very good emulsifier for use in a room spray. (And if you are thinking of it for a preservative it has to be over 20% to 50% of the volume of you mixture to be affective.) Alcohol works better but can be irritating to the lungs - eyes etc. So we don't really suggest using alcohol in a Room Spray blend. Coconut emulsifier, Turkey Red Oil (a castor oil) and Polysorbate 20 all are great emulsifiers for mixing essential oils into water based products. (I wouldn't use Turkey Red oil for a room spray as it does have a reddish pigment to it). When using citrus oils for a room spray you may need to use a much larger quantity (higher percentage) than most folks would consider for use in a regular diffuser and definitely for use on the skin (remember no more than 1-3% for use on the skin). It appears your recipe is about 5% EO's but you might need to go as high as 10-15% for a Room spray using citrus oils. Citrus oils quickly disperse into the air. Partly because they are so volitile but also they are cleaning the air at the same time of odors etc! So try using an emulsifier to keep the EO's suspended or plan on shaking the bottle A LOT! Yours in Aromatherapy, Penny Your One Stop Aromatherapy Shop! Birch Hill Happenings Aromatherapy LLC 100% Pure Essential oils and Supplies http://birchhillhappenings.com/aroma1.htm Since 1997 <%40> , " Kirschner, Kathi [TIBUS] " <KKirsch1 wrote: > > Hi everyone; > > > > I am trying to make all natural room fresheners out of essential > oils/water combination. I added a little glycerin and about 50-100 drops > of essential oil to 3.5 oz. of distilled water. I am using a 4 oz. spray > bottle (fine mist). I can barely smell it when spraying in the room! I > can smell it when sniffing the bottle, though, pretty strong. > > > > I am using citrus oils: i.e., lemon, orange, etc. and am quite > frustrated by the lack of smell. What I can smell doesn't last more than > a few seconds! > > > > What am I doing wrong? Should I use an alcohol/water base instead? > > > > Regards, > > Kathi > > ******************************* > > Kathi Kirschner > > Infectious Disease Business Process Specialist > > 1125 Trenton-Harbourton Rd > > Titusville, NJ > > Desk: 609-730-7519 > > Cell: 267-994-4945 > > Fax: 609-730-8523 > > kkirsch1 > > ******************************* > > http://www.tibotec.com <http://www.tibotec.com/> > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 27, 2010 Report Share Posted April 27, 2010 Penny, is the coconut emulsifier just coconut oil (fractionated) or is it a different type of coconut oil? Does it work as well as Poly? Do you sell it? On Behalf Of Penny Monday, April 26, 2010 5:13 PM Re: Home-made air fresheners Hi Kathi, I agree with Patricia. You have to use either a good emulsifier and/ or shake the product well before each use to keep the essential oils 'sort' of mixed in with the water. In my experience glycerin is not a very good emulsifier for use in a room spray. (And if you are thinking of it for a preservative it has to be over 20% to 50% of the volume of you mixture to be affective.) Alcohol works better but can be irritating to the lungs - eyes etc. So we don't really suggest using alcohol in a Room Spray blend. Coconut emulsifier, Turkey Red Oil (a castor oil) and Polysorbate 20 all are great emulsifiers for mixing essential oils into water based products. (I wouldn't use Turkey Red oil for a room spray as it does have a reddish pigment to it). When using citrus oils for a room spray you may need to use a much larger quantity (higher percentage) than most folks would consider for use in a regular diffuser and definitely for use on the skin (remember no more than 1-3% for use on the skin). It appears your recipe is about 5% EO's but you might need to go as high as 10-15% for a Room spray using citrus oils. Citrus oils quickly disperse into the air. Partly because they are so volitile but also they are cleaning the air at the same time of odors etc! So try using an emulsifier to keep the EO's suspended or plan on shaking the bottle A LOT! Yours in Aromatherapy, Penny Your One Stop Aromatherapy Shop! Birch Hill Happenings Aromatherapy LLC 100% Pure Essential oils and Supplies http://birchhillhappenings.com/aroma1.htm Since 1997 <%40> , " Kirschner, Kathi [TIBUS] " <KKirsch1 wrote: > > Hi everyone; > > > > I am trying to make all natural room fresheners out of essential > oils/water combination. I added a little glycerin and about 50-100 drops > of essential oil to 3.5 oz. of distilled water. I am using a 4 oz. spray > bottle (fine mist). I can barely smell it when spraying in the room! I > can smell it when sniffing the bottle, though, pretty strong. > > > > I am using citrus oils: i.e., lemon, orange, etc. and am quite > frustrated by the lack of smell. What I can smell doesn't last more than > a few seconds! > > > > What am I doing wrong? Should I use an alcohol/water base instead? > > > > Regards, > > Kathi > > ******************************* > > Kathi Kirschner > > Infectious Disease Business Process Specialist > > 1125 Trenton-Harbourton Rd > > Titusville, NJ > > Desk: 609-730-7519 > > Cell: 267-994-4945 > > Fax: 609-730-8523 > > kkirsch1 > > ******************************* > > http://www.tibotec.com <http://www.tibotec.com/> > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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