Make A Gel Diffuser

Have you tried making a gel air freshener? These are incredibly simple to make. It’s just polymer absorbent crystals (like these), water, and essential oils. The polymer absorbent crystals also come in the form of beads (clear and colored), and are called “water beads.”

Here’s a recipe from One Essential Community:

• 1 tsp water-storing crystal (a little goes a long way)
• 1 cup hot water
• 20 drops essential oil

Stir together until well mixed. Keep gel freshener in glass jar without a lid (so that the gel/oil mixture can easily scent the air). Large glass salt and pepper shakers are decorative, and have holes in the lids to allow the aromas to diffuse easily.

• If you are using water beads:

1 tsp dry beads will yield about 1 quart when fully hydrated. The marble size creates glimmering floral or candle arrangements in clear vases and bowls. Ideal for candle, silk and fresh flower arrangements. Easy to use – just add water and essential oils. Layer your favorite colors for stunning effects.

Beads can be allowed to shrink and dry out for later use, or be kept alive by adding water and essential oils every 7 weeks. Completely non toxic however should not be placed in mouth due to choking hazard.

If you decide to use water beads, you can find them at Walmart and on Amazon. More about water beads can be found at the Jelly Beadz website. Here’s a link to their FAQ.

Make it with Gelatin

If you prefer, you can make your own gel. It’s pretty simple. This recipe is from One Good Thing. Here’s what you need:

• 1 cup water
• 2 individual envelopes of unflavored gelatin
• 1 Tbsp. Salt
• 20 drops of your favorite essential oils
• Heat-Safe Containers
• Food Coloring (optional)
• Silk Flowers (optional)

In a small saucepan on the stove, heat 3/4 cups of water (or liquid potpourri) and the salt. When the salt is completely dissolved, slowly add the gelatin, and stir until that is completely dissolved as well. If you add the gelatin too quickly, it might get a little sticky and “clumpy,” but just keep stirring until it dissolves.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and then add the remaining liquid. Stir until fully blended, and pour the mixture into the containers of your choice.

Now add your essential oils. You can always add more or less essential oils based on your preference, and you can do different oils in each air freshener!

Now it’s time for a bit of decoration, if you want to! Some silk flowers and a drop or two of food coloring make them look so fun! Now that your air fresheners are scented, colored and decorated; let them cool to room temperature.

You don’t have to add a lid, but the gel will dry out a little faster without a lid. You could also use a hole punch to make your own vented lid! Just a couple of punches through a standard lid will work perfectly.

This project is super easy, and a cute flowery air fresheners would make a great hostess gift! You could easily double or triple the recipe to make more at a time, but keep in mind that they do dry out in a month or so (faster if you don’t use a lid of some sort.)