What would happen if i put essential oilss in my humidifier?
Leave a message
This is a very common question, and it's important to know the correct answer for the safety of both your health and your appliance.
The short answer: You should not put essential oils in a standard humidifier. It is not recommended and can be harmful.
Here's a detailed breakdown of what would happen and why it's a bad idea.
1. Damage to Your Humidifier
Most humidifiers are not designed to handle essential oils. Adding them can cause:
Damage to Internal Parts and Tank: Essential oils are highly concentrated and corrosive. They can degrade the plastic parts of the humidifier's water tank and internal mechanisms. This can lead to cracking, clouding, and premature failure of the unit.
Clogging the Nebulizer/Mist Mechanism: Ultrasonic humidifiers use a small, vibrating disk (a nebulizer) to create mist. The oily residue from essential oils can coat this disk and other components, clogging them and causing the humidifier to stop working effectively or entirely.
Voiding the Warranty: Almost every standard humidifier manufacturer will explicitly state in the manual not to use essential oils. Doing so will almost certainly void your warranty.
2. Potential Health Risks
This is the more serious concern. Adding oils to a humidifier designed only for water can create unintended health hazards:
Inhaling Oil Particles: A humidifier disperses tiny water particles into the air. When you add oil, it disperses tiny oil particles instead. Inhaling these micro-droplets of oil directly into your lungs can cause irritation, inflammation, and even lead to a condition known as lipoid pneumonia, which is serious and difficult to treat.
Poor Air Quality: The oil can linger in the air and settle on surfaces, creating a sticky film on furniture, walls, and floors.
Risk to Children and Pets: The concentrated mist can be particularly irritating to the sensitive respiratory systems of babies, young children, and pets. Some essential oils are also toxic to pets.
What Should You Use Instead?
If you want to enjoy the benefits of both humidified air and aromatherapy, you need to use the right tool for the job.
1. Use an Essential Oil Diffuser
This is the correct appliance. Diffusers are specifically designed with parts that can handle essential oils. They come in a few types:
Ultrasonic Diffusers: Use water and vibration to create a fine mist and disperse the oil. (These look similar to humidifiers but are built for oil).
Nebulizing Diffusers: Do not use water; they break the pure oil into tiny particles and disperse it directly into the air. They are more potent.
2. Use a Humidifier with a Dedicated Aroma Tray
Some modern humidifiers are hybrid models. They have a separate, small tray (usually on the outside or in the vent) where you can add a few drops of oil. The oil never enters the water tank. This is a safe option because the oil is evaporated by the mist without contaminating the internal machinery.
Key Difference:
| Feature | Humidifier | Diffuser | Hybrid (with tray) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Goal | Add moisture to the air | Disperse scent/therapy | Add moisture & scent |
| Handles Oils? | No (in the tank) | Yes | Yes (in a separate tray) |
| Output | Water Mist | Water/Oil Mist or Pure Oil | Water Mist + Scent |
Final Takeaway
Do not put essential oils in your standard humidifier's water tank. It will likely break the appliance, void the warranty, and could pose a risk to your respiratory health.
For the best and safest experience:
Use a humidifier with pure water to add moisture to the air.
Use a dedicated diffuser (placed away from the humidifier) if you want aromatherapy.
Always read your appliance's manual carefully-it will give you the definitive answer on what it can and cannot handle.
