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Infuse Your Drive: Easy Essential Oil Car Diffuser DIY

Create this easy essential oil car diffuser DIY to infuse your drive with blends of the best essential oils for car diffusers! This article contains some affiliate links. Thank you for your support. Please read the full disclosure policy.

When planning our road trips this summer, I kept seeing dreamy car diffusers in my scroll. Glowing with sunlight hanging from a rearview mirror, they really caught my eye!

I could only imagine the unique aroma of essential oils infusing our trips. I noticed some car diffusers were filled with colorful flower petals or small crystals, and others with sparkly glitter. Considering, I had all the above, I couldn’t wait to make this easy essential oil DIY this summer! 

So, I began the hunt for an empty glass car diffuser. It didn’t take long to find these glass diffusers with a wooden top that reminded me of a honey spoon. At less than a dollar each, how could I resist? 

Unlike other car air fresheners, these are sustainably made. Filling each with natural essential oils, they are great eco-friendly alternatives to plastic vent clip diffusers. Don’t you agree? 

Plus, I love, the fact that, they are refillable, so I can change the scent out as often as I like. 

Whether planning a road trip, regularly commuting to work, or driving the kids’ carpool, I know you’ll enjoy making a car diffuser with essential oils!

Follow the tips below to make your own car diffuser, find the best essential oils for car diffusers, how many drops to add, and how to refill. PLUS Don’t miss the printable diffuser recipes below!! 

What is the best oil for a car diffuser? 

In my experience, the best essential oils for car diffusers are happy citrus, grounding woodland, fresh herbal, or warm spicy oils. 

Luckily they all sit near each other on an essential oil blending wheel. So, you can effortlessly blend this list of essential oils for a car diffuser:

Citrus Aromas:
  • lemon
  • lime
  • orange
  • tangerine
  • grapefruit
  • lemongrass
woodland Aromas:
  • juniper
  • pine
  • eucalyptus
  • palo santo
  • blue spruce
  • cypress
Spice Aromas:
  • clove
  • vanilla
  • cinnamon
  • ginger
  • fennel
  • lavender
  • basil
  • rosemary
  • peppermint
  • sage
  • angelica

How many drops of essential oil do you put in a car diffuser?

Like most things, a ten percent blend of essential oils creates a good aroma. All you need is 1ml of essential oil diluted in these glass and wood car diffusers.

For reference, a 5ml bottle of essential oil equals 100 drops. Which means 1ml equals 20 drops. 

Ready To Use Car Diffuser Blends

Pop one of these essential oil blends into your DIY car diffuser for the Daily Grind and BEYOND. You’ll find blend recipes ideal for long road trips and fit for everyday driving too—commutes, carpools, or spontaneous Target runs!

Carpool Cruiser

Scent Vibe: Bright + Cheery

9 drops tangerine

5 drops lime

4 drops vanilla

I drive carpool every week, and honestly? I couldn’t get through the school year without my neighborhood Mom crew. When it’s my turn, I keep things upbeat with this happy citrus blend, jamming with Kidz Bop on Spotify.

Fresh Start

Scent Vibe: Crisp + Energizing

4 drops basil

6 drops lemon

4 drops eucalyptus

5 drops juniper

This car diffuser blend smells super clean, like a fresh breeze and a clean slate all in one. Perfect for clearing your head before a busy day—or for kicking off a road trip!

Traffic Chill

Scent Vibe: Clear-headed + Calming

8 drops lavender

6 drops chamomile

4 drops lemon

2 drops sage

Fill your car diffuser with this blend for those “I’d rather be at happy hour” moments… when you’re crawling behind a sea of brake lights. It might just help you clear your head and not yell at the Tesla that just cut you off!

Forest Mountain Road

Scent Vibe: Woodsy + Refreshing

7 drops blue spruce

6 drops cypress

4 drops palo santo

3 drops spearmint

Like cracking the windows on a drive through the pines. This one’ saddles up some serious mountain road energy—earthy, grounded, with a refreshing edge. A solid go-to for daily drives or weekend retreats.

Cozy Commuter

Scent Vibe: Warm + Inviting

6 drops cinnamon

5 drops clove

5 drops orange

4 drops vanilla

If your morning drive feels a little “meh,” try this blend recipe. It’ll wrap you in cozy sweater vibes, rollin with your homies—warm, spicy, and somehow comforting even in traffic.

How do you dilute essential oils for a car diffuser?

You have a couple of options to dilute essential oils for a car diffuser. The easiest option is using a diffuser oil. I love this one made with coconut oil!

Another option is vodka. It is fairly odorless compared to rubbing alcohol. It can be combined with coconut oil for a longer-lasting scent, like the diffuser oil. 

For you

Printable Chart

Are you tired of mystery fast food smells, chemical car air fresheners, or just need to try something new during the daily commute? I’ve got you! Print these essential oil blends on one chart from the Oily Chic Library!

How To Make An Essential Oil Diffuser For The Car

Crafted in charming glass diffusers with wooden tops and filled with dried calendula petals and gold flakes, these car diffusers turned out as dreamy as those in my feed. 

Make a few just for you or fill several for sweet little gifts! 

Here’s What You’ll Need

Ingredients

How To Make A Car Diffuser With Essential Oils

Step 1:

Remove each wood top and inside cap from the glass diffusers and set aside.

Step 2: 

Use crafting tweezers to add a few calendula flower petals and gold leaf flakes to each diffuser.

Step 3: 

Place a small funnel (this is one I used) inside a glass diffuser. Add 9 drops of tangerine, 5 drops of lime, and 4 drops of vanilla essential oil. Repeat for each diffuser. 

Step 4:

Fill the remaining with about 5 ml of diffuser oil. Then remove the funnel and seal with the cap and wood top. 

How to Use Essential Oil Car Diffusers

Easily infuse your ride with these tips to use essential oil car diffusers:

  • Remove the wood toppers from the glass diffuser.
  • With the bottle upright, carefully remove the tiny cap inside.
  • Screw the wood top back on and gently flip the bottle over for a few seconds.
  • With the bottle upright again, place the cap and wood top back on.
  • Securely hang it from your rearview mirror or another hook inside your car.

These quick steps will allow the essential oil blend to saturate the wood top and release the scent. 

Notes: 
  • You can leave the tiny cap off, but risk spilling the oils. 
  • Avoid hanging a diffuser too close to your windshield. 
  • If your state has a law against hanging items in your rearview mirror use this glass vent clip diffuser.

So, if you were wondering if it’s OK to put a diffuser in the car, now you know it is with these tips. 

But, car diffusers aren’t just for the car… You can hang these sparkly diffusers in your entryway, powder bath, mudroom, pantry, or laundry room. 

How long do car diffusers last?

These DIY car diffusers can keep your car smelling fresh for weeks! Choose from the best essential oils for car diffusers above and refill them when they dissipate. 

How do you refill a car diffuser? Follow the same instructions I shared above to make a refill for your car diffuser when it’s empty.

Find This Helpful?

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While there, follow Oily Chic for more inspired ideas.

P.S. Did you know you can tag #oilychic on Instagram to share your essential oil DIYs?

Yield: 2 car diffusers

Essential Oil Car Diffuser

Glass essential oil car diffuser with a wood top.

Enhance your road trips, carpool, or daily commute with an easy essential oil car diffuser DIY!

Materials

  • 2 glass 6ml diffusers
  • 1 pinch calendula flower petals
  • 1 pinch gold leaf flakes
  • 10 drops tangerine essential oil
  • 10 drops juniper essential oil
  • 5 ml diffuser oil or vodka

Instructions

  1. Remove each wood top and inside cap from the glass diffusers and set aside.
  2. Use crafting tweezers to add a few calendula flower petals and gold leaf flakes to each diffuser.
  3. Place a small funnel (this is one I used) inside a glass diffuser and add 10 drops of tangerine and juniper essential oil. Repeat for each diffuser.
  4. Fill the remaining with about 5 ml of diffuser oil. Then remove the funnel and seal with the cap and wood top.  

Notes

Follow the tips in the article for how to use a car diffuser and refill.

Recommended Products

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Wanna make this DIY?

Pin it to your idea board!

Say goodbye to stale car smells!. Enhance your road trips, carpool, or daily commute with a DIY essential oil car diffuser paired with five fun blends for on-the-go. Citrus, spice, herbal, and woodsy—there’s a blend for every vibe!

P.S. Did you make this? Tag #oilychic on Instagram to share your essential oil DIYs!

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