11 Essential Oil Diffuser Recipes to Freshen a Home with Dogs

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Living with four dogs and a cat requires daily cleaning and diffusing essential oils takes my cleaning up a notch. Here are my favorite essential oil recipes.

If you live with dogs, then there are times when your home could use a bit of a refresh. I clean our house daily, sweeping and vacuuming up all of the dog hair from the floors and furniture, and we still occasionally have that pet smell.

When the house needs more than just cleaning, I open the windows to bring in the fresh air, burn Pet House candles (the only ones I trust around my dogs), and diffuse essential oils. I came across this DIY lava rock diffuser recipe that made me want to try something new. It’s easy, doesn’t require a large investment, and is safe to use around pets.

Ingredients for a DIY Lava Rock Diffuser

Lava beads
Bowl(s) or fake plant(s)
5 drops of your favorite essential oil

Instructions to Make a Lava Rock Diffuser

Place the beads in a small bowl or in the pot of a fake plant.
Choose your favorite essential oil or blend. Drop the essential oil on the beads. Use this diffuser to scent a small space such as a bathroom or office. Refresh the aroma with essential oils as needed

Why You Should Use a DIY Lava Rock Diffuser for a Small Room

1 – Freshen the Air in an Office, Laundry Room, Bathroom, Cat’s Room, or BedRoom

Although my pets are clean, there are times when the pet smell becomes more noticeable. We have four dogs and a cat, and although I clean daily, sometimes a room needs a little more. The diffuser is for smaller rooms, and I mainly use it in rooms where the dogs hang out. My dog, Zoey, and my cat are slightly more sensitive to essential oils than the other dogs. They don’t get sick, they’re just not a fan of strong scents, so I always leave a door open to prevent them from being overwhelmed, and I use essential oils and blends that aren’t overpowering.

2 – Create a Calming or Healing Atmosphere for Everyone

Whether I’m choosing essential oils known for calming or healing, I try to choose a scent that does more than just make the room smell nice.

Lavender, chamomile, and Warmth (by animalEO) are great for calming. Sunshine in a Bottle (by animalEO), a citrus blend, or a floral blend is great for creating happy energy. And Germ Fighter by Plant Therapy, frankincense, and Clarey Sage are my favorite essential oils for healing. And I’m all for calming, happy, and healthy energy when I’m relaxing at home or working from home, surrounded by my dogs.

3 – A DIY Diffuser is an Affordable Way to Enjoy Scents Safely in a Pet Home

I love Pet House candles, but they are expensive, and I only splurge on them when I can get a discount or I have some extra funds, which isn’t often. I recently stocked up on Pet House candles, and I probably won’t get more unless they go on sale.

A DIY diffuser is easy to make and use; it takes a minute to make and lasts forever, only requiring me to refresh the essential oil when needed.

I was able to make six bowls for less than $40. I already had the essential oils on hand and just needed to buy the lava beads (or rocks from a local hardware store). Living with dogs and a cat requires daily cleaning, and diffusing essential oils takes my cleaning up a notch. Here are my favorite recipes. A few cute bowls from the dollar store.

10 Essential Oil Diffuser Recipes to Freshen a Home with Dogs

Want to create a diffuser, but need recipes to help you get started? I usually start with a single oil that I enjoy but if you’d like a mix of oils for a purpose, try these recipes. Remember that the amount of each essential oil you use is up to you; feel free to adjust up and down based on your needs. The following recipes are for humans, but I've diffused the blends around my dogs and cat with no issues.

Check out Dr. Melissa Shelton's book to learn more about using essential oils with pets.

1 – Whimsy Diffuser Recipe

3 drops orange essential oil
2 drops patchouli essential oil

2 – Joy Diffuser Recipe

3 – Winter Wreath Diffuser Recipe

4 – Summer Day Diffuser Recipe

3 drops marjoram essential oil
2 drops lime essential oil

5 – Calming Diffuser Recipe

3 drops eucalyptus essential oil
2 drops lemongrass essential oil

6 – When You're Feeling Down Diffuser Recipe

7 – Freshen the Car Diffuser Recipe

3 drops lemongrass essential oil
2 drops spearmint essential oil

8 – Stress-Free Diffuser Recipe

9 – Spirit of Christmas Diffuser Recipe

3 drops clove essential oil
2 drops patchouli essential oil

10 – Mood Lifting Diffuser Recipe

3 drops blood orange essential oil
1 drop coriander essential oil

11 – Refreshing Diffuser Recipe

What You Need to Know About Diffusing with Pets

If you're new to using essential oils around your pets, keep these things in mind.

Only diffuse in a room if there is an exit, so if it's too much for your pet, they can choose to leave. So when I'm diffusing, I leave doors open or diffuse in larger rooms (living room/dining room area, the family room, the entryway, etc.).
Go slowly with new essential oils, starting with a couple of drops and working up. This will gauge our dogs' tolerance for different oils, keeping us from adding too many drops.
I've read that we should avoid “hot” essential oils when diffusing, but I think “hot” oils are riskier when applying them to the skin, which is why we should always use a carrier oil. When diffusing, I just start small and slowly build with “hot” essential oils.