Essential oil diffusers break down the essential oils so that the aroma can be dispersed throughout the whole room. It’s a great way to use essential oils since this brings a soothing and relaxing atmosphere that you can enjoy.
However, it’s troublesome when the diffuser starts functioning improperly or even breaks. At times, all it needs is a good clean-up, but it may also need some other tune-ups for it to get fixed if you experience some issues.
Below, I’ve outlined the most common reasons for problems, and how to easily fix your essential oil diffuser at home.
This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure policy here.
If your essential oil diffuser is experiencing some hiccups, give these tips a try, and also don’t be shy to share your own experience in the comments.
Make Sure You Clean Your Essential Oil Diffuser
It is vitally important that you clean your diffuser properly on a regular basis. While it can be a challenge at first, you’ll slowly get used to the process of cleaning the diffuser and you’ll be maintaining it yourself instead of paying someone to do it for you, or waiting for the diffuser to break down and having to expense the replacement cost. It’s an incredible hassle to bring in or send back a diffuser just for cleaning, and it becomes of an even bigger problem if the diffuser gets broken because you didn’t clean it properly.
Essential oil diffusers come in many types and shapes. This one here is the Young Living Aria Diffuser. It’s beautiful, but also quite expensive.
Exact cleaning recommendations and steps will vary depending on which diffuser you use. PLEASE give your diffuser manual a quick read before you start its operation, just so that you know what you need to do to maintain it’s best functionality and most effective diffusing of aromatherapy.
To be used only as a general rule of thumb, here’s a list of steps you can follow to clean your essential oil diffuser:
8 Simple Steps To Clean Your Essential Oil Diffuser
*** ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOUR DIFFUSER IS UNPLUGGED FROM ITS POWER OUTLET BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO CLEAN IT ***
- Fill your diffuser about half way with clean water. Make sure you stop well below the max line.
- Add up to 10 drops of pure white vinegar. This will help in removing the oils that are stuck inside the diffuser and on the glass or plastic pieces.
- Let the diffuser run for about 3-5 minutes to allow the water-vinegar mixture to disperse throughout the unit and clean it.
- Drain the diffuser completely.
- Using a cotton swab dipped in vinegar, clean the tight spots and corners of the diffuser to make sure that no spots are left dirty.
- Rinse with clean water.
- Empty again and you’re good to go.
- Use a dry cloth, or more cotton swabs or cotton balls to wipe the diffuser and dry it thoroughly.
Please note, some people have told me that cleaning your diffuser with vinegar voided their diffuser warranty – specifically on Young Living diffusers. If your unit is still under warranty, it would be best to call customer service of your diffuser brand or product seller first before you attempt any home remedies to clean your unit.
Some diffusers also give you specific cleaning instructions in their diffuser manuals. Please always consult these avenues first before proceeding with my general cleaning tips.
After Each Use
Most manufacturer instructions will tell you to clean out your diffuser after each use, which at first may seem a bit excessive. While I owned my first diffuser unit, I didn’t do it properly each time. I’d leave water plus essential oil mixture in the diffuser, thinking “oh I’ll just run this again tomorrow”.
Please DO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE. The oils used in your essential oil diffuser can be very corrosive and you really do have to clean it out after each use for best longevity and performance of the unit. Further, the smells and leftovers of one oil can severely effect the experience you have when you put another scent or oil in your diffuser.
So, after each use, please fully empty your essential oil diffuser of all water and oils, and give it at least a quick wipe with a damp cloth, Kleenex, or Q-tip.
Top Rated Essential Oil Diffuser Reviews
[usr 5] Pure Spa Essential Oil Diffuser Review
[usr 4.8] SpaRoom Aromafier
[usr 4.8] Edens Garden Diamond Diffuser
[usr 4.7] REVIVE Oasis Essential Oil Diffuser Review
[usr 3.4] GreenAir Spa Vapor+ Essential Oil Diffuser Review
Troubleshooting Your Diffuser
If you’re using your essential oil diffuser on a regular basis, it can from time to time come up with some troubles or hiccups. But do not panic! Most common problems can easily be solved with the following few simple tricks.
Ways to troubleshoot these problems
Diffuser Doesn’t Have Power
- Check if the power plug is securely plugged to the electrical outlet
- Make sure that the bowl contains water and the levels are correct
- Check if you’re using the right power adapter
- Check if the power supply socket is plugged into the diffuser
- Empty the diffuser, wait for a few days to dry it out and try plugging it in again
Very Little Diffusion
- Check if the water levels are correct/high enough
- Make sure that the fan inlet is not blocked by dried up oil essential oil > give your diffuser a clean-up if you can see left over dirt
- Re-check the mist settings of the diffuser and ensure you didn’t turn it down
Water in the diffuser is hot, level is high
- This means that the diffuser has been overfilled with water
- Turn off and unplug the diffuser from the power supply
- Empty the diffuser and let it cool down a bit
- Refill the diffuser at the right water level and restart
- If the diffuser doesn’t start up, that means it has been damaged by overfilling and will need proper repair
Water in the diffuser is hot, level is normal
- The fan intake may be obstructed
- Remove any towel or cloth that may have been placed below the diffuser
- Check to see if there are hairs or fur pieces stuck in the fan blades and remove
- Turn off and unplug the diffuser, letting it cool down for a while
- Refill the diffuser at the right level and restart
- If the diffuser doesn’t start up, that means it has been damaged and will need proper repair
Light indicators flash but diffuser doesn’t start
- The diffuser may have malfunctioned or there has been a detected fault
- Turn off the diffuser and unplug from the power source
- Empty the diffuser and allow to cool down for a bit
- Refill the diffuser at the correct water level
- Reconnect and restart the diffuser
- If the diffuser doesn’t start up, it may need to be checked by a professional for assessment or repair
Using a diffuser to use essential oils is very convenient. However, you also need to remember that you need to clean and maintain it regularly to ensure that it doesn’t get damaged. Read your particular diffuser’s manual to learn how to effectively clean your unit yourself and also know the proper way how to use it to prevent damage from occurring in the first place.
Thanks for the help. I unscrewed it and opened it up. Everything was clean but I cleaned again and blew air in it and lubed it up real good. Baby’s working again I think the lube helped.
Thank God I don’t know how I would have gotten through the night without my precious diffuser.
My diffuser just stopped suddenly. The tank had enough water in it. Now it just beeps, the lights don’t work or the buttons on the side. The remote doesn’t make a difference. As it beeps, I’m assuming its not completely dead. Any suggestions?
I’ve been using a Artnaturals diffuser for about a month now and today it has stopped working? It was working fine when I first turned it on then I left the room for 5 minutes and when I came back in it had turned itself completely off – Now when I press the mist function button there is a flash of light on the on side and then a beep – after the beep you can then hear the fan run for a but but it will still not turn on again – I unplugged it to see if that would help, I then plugged it back in and usually it beeps once when plugged but now it is beeping twice when I plug. Does anyone have any advice as I am just completely heartbroken that it is not working properly now – Please any info on this would be greatly appreciated
My diffusers stopped changing colour?
I plug diffusser in and nothing works
Mine makes the same loud whining noise. It’s a dew drop by YL. Thanks for the advice.
I have a YL Rainstone and it is leaking when I turn it on. Any ideas?
I forget to turn off mine. What will happen if the water dry? It will explode? Im away for 1 whole day. No one at home.
Hi Kayeleen, most essential oil diffusers have an auto shut-off mechanism where they will stop their own operation when the water level is too low or has run out. Check your diffuser’s manual or manufacturer’s website to make sure your unit has this feature as well.
I just got the aria diffuser for Christmas. Just the other night, I noticed the steam is in the bowl, but it is not coming out of the spout. Should I call YL or do I clean it with vingar. Don’t want to void the warranty.
Hi Laura, call YL or try a repair kit from DiffuserDoc for around $20. You can read about how they work, here: https://www.essentialoilhaven.com/how-to-repair-young-living-doterra-diffuser/.
I got a home and garden 250 oil diffuser about4 weeks ago at walmart. Have been very careful not to fill above the max line have cleaned it good. Loved it,but two day ago filled it was going to start it and couldn’t push any of the button in. So can’t run vinegar in it because can’t start. Would take it back to Wal-Mart, but just thru box and receipt away a week ago thinking it would last longer than that.so guess I spent $34.95 +tax for a Month.
Hi Brenda, I’m sorry to hear your diffuser quit on you.
So if you have water at the exact level, have been good about regular and careful cleaning, and all of a sudden your diffuse stops releasing mist, but when you take off the top use can see it is still making mist and there is nothing obstructing it’s exit… what on earth could cause that?
The fan that blows the mist out probably stopped working.
I have a diffuser with 7 mood LEDs and it worked fine, the first hour I used it, but then I went to move it over on my desk a little and the lights started bliking fast and changing colors even though I had selected 1 specific color and it kept blinking and changing colors even after a cleaned and dried it and I even switched outlets to see if that was the problem. So if anyone knows how I can fix them or what I need to do to get it to work again, please please help me! I really want to enjoy the whole aroma therapy diffuser experience?
Mine is constantly beeping. It’s runing but the lights won’t work and it won’t shut up. Help please. I’ve cleaned it.
Same here!!! Did you work it out??
ok got the top off finally now i got glue like stuff on the rim how do i take it off i tried evrything soap water vinager rubbing alcohol what am i missing
what if you dont have white vinegar will apple cider vinegar work as well
Hi Karen- yes, you can use apple cider vinegar for cleaning as well. It’s a bit pricier than white vinegar but for cleaning purposes, both vinegars essentially function the same.
I think I put too much oil in my diffuser, now it runs but no vapor comes out. I have tried vinegar but it didn’t work. You can’t get inside it to see what’s wrong. My diffuser is a Victsing.
My diffuser seems to be working fine except the mist is not coming out. I remove the top and it is filled with mist but nothing is coming out the venting hole at the top. I have cleaned a number of times and the same problem persists. Anyone know why?
Same exact problem
I have the same exact problem and have tried every imaginable cleaning method. Steam is filling diffuser but nothing comes out the top. Noticed several people with this issue but no answers as to why it may be happening.
I came on here looking for a solution to this same problem! It’s filled correctly and is working fine, but the mist is trapped in the dome and wont come out unless I remove the top completely. Please help!
I had the same issue. Take the top off and clean the top part of it.. there is a little plastic part that allows the mist to come out. It gets clogged. Run under hot water and replace. Also clean your main part with cotton .
Paint peeling off of defuser!!
DO NOT CLEAN ANY YOUNG LIVING DIFFUSERS WITH VINEGAR! THIS WILL VOID THE WARRANTY AND DAMAGE THE UNIT. REFER TO YOUNG LIVING, OR USER MANUAL CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS, ONLY CLEAN WITH RUBBING ALCOHOL.
Consider using distilled water only just like you would in an iron so as not to accumulate particulates that would end up clogging your diffuser and ultimately effecting performance. Also consider cleaning any filter that your diffuse may have as these can easily build up with dust especially for those with pets.
How should I clean the diffuser to not mix aromas when I change the blend from the one I was using previously?