Experts reveal the best place to position a diffuser to boost their scent and make your whole home smell amazing

Amy McArdle

November 10, 2023 at 7:00 PM·5 min read

A small side table with three candles and a reed diffuser.

Many of us opt for a diffuser in our homes as the chosen method of home fragrancing. Their small size, wide variety, and constant distribution of scent make them a great option, but you might find yourself wishing their aroma was sometimes a little stronger.

There are multiple factors that can affect how much scent a diffuser produces, the primary one being placement. Many of us just plonk the bottle of oil down anywhere, shove the reeds in, and leave it at that, but this would be a mistake. The same goes for electric diffusers, too. If you want to know how to make a home smell good all the time, we spoke to some home fragrance experts who have revealed the optimum place to put a diffuser to really maximize its fragrance.

Where is the best place to put a diffuser?

Whether you have a reed and oil diffuser or an electric one, the place that you put it matters. Even the best home fragrances won't emit a strong scent if they're not positioned properly, so there are a few things to consider before you decide where yours goes. 'Diffusers work best if they are in a place with good airflow,' says Gabby Wahlin from the luxury smart fragrance brand, PURA. 'It's essential to make sure the airflow around it does not get blocked.'

Although you might be eager to hide your diffuser by placing it lower down, the best position will be closer to nose level than the floor. This is especially true in the case of large rooms. High ceilings or large open spaces might need stronger fragrances or two diffusers to get the desired scent strength in the room.

According to Eduardo Moreno, scent expert at AIRIA by Febreze, it's important to consider the layout of your room in this process, too. 'The best place for a diffuser such as AIRIA is on a counter, table, or shelf along the outer edge of your room,' he says. 'However, it also depends on your home’s layout, so we suggest trying out different locations to determine what works best with your home’s airflow.'

As for an oil reed diffuser, the rules are much the same with one additional consideration - the bottle needs to be out of direct sunlight. Besides improving the strength of the fragrance, this is also a great trick for longer-lasting home scent. 'How long your diffuser lasts will depend on where you place your reed diffuser,' says diffuser aficionado Gemma Schofield at luxury home fragrance brand Lifestyle Interiors. 'By placing your reed diffuser on a window sill or near other forms of heat, the reeds will consume more liquid.' To ensure they last as long as possible keep away from all sources of heat or direct sunlight.

How can you hide a diffuser?

Another factor that might dictate where you place your diffuser is how it affects your aesthetics. Fortunately, there are many stylish options that won't be an eyesore, however, it's still not something you necessarily want on display all the time. Instead, most of us want to opt for hidden ways to make a home smell great.

Whilst putting a diffuser in a drawer kind of defeats the point, there are subtle ways of disguising it. The bulky plug-in diffusers are a thing of the past and have been replaced by far more sleek designs that blend into your space. 'Our white diffuser should blend into most walls and spaces, and you can adjust the light color to your liking for the right ambiance of the space,' says Gabby at PURA. While you can still see it, it looks far more design-forward and fits seamlessly into your space.

If you're averse to seeing a plastic diffuser, I don't blame you. You can try some strategic placements to hide it without blocking its scent. Utilizing home decor to disguise your diffuser can be a clever way to keep your home looking chic and smelling good. As for reed diffusers, well their bottles simply get more and more beautiful, so much so that you'll probably want to display them on your shelves, coffee table, or mantelpiece.

How do you get the most out of a diffuser?

There are also ways to make your diffusers more potent and keep your home smelling gorgeous. Often with scented candles, we become nose blind to certain scents, but utilizing a diffuser with multiple fragrances can help to counter this problem.

The smart Pura 4 has an app to control this, as well as many more clever features. 'Fragrance schedules and timers really help to scent when you want, but not waste any fragrance, so utilizing those features will help make the most of your customized scenting experience,' says Gabby. Swapping between scents can help keep everything smelling fresh and create a unique scentscape.

Of course, reed diffusers don't have an on or off switch, but they can be given an instant refresh by turning the reed around. 'We recommend turning your reeds every two to three days to keep the scent fresh and dispersing,' says Gemma.

Follow these placement tips to get the most out of your diffuser and keep your home constantly smelling fresh. You're bound to notice the difference in no time at all.