Why doesn’t my Essential Oil diffuser work anymore?

Odds are if you’re reading this, you have or have seen an essential oil diffuser. They come in all shapes and sizes and the art of diffusing essential oils has been around for almost as long as the essential oils themselves.

We all LOVE our essential oil diffusers, they bring beautiful scents, decoration and for some, even medical relief, but if you’ve ever had one of these machines, whether they’ve been ultrasonic or nebulizing, you may have had some problems with them. In this article I am going to concentrate on ultrasonic diffusers, these are the ones that take water and essential oils to create an amazing smelling vapour. Ultrasonic diffusers work by that little pad at the bottom of the bowl vibrating at an ultrasonic speed. This causes the water and essential oils to break into microparticles and disburse into the air.
There are many different makes and models on the market that all generally “try” to do the same thing, some are better than others but all can experience the same type of problems.
I will get into what kinds of diffusers to buy in my next article but just note, not all diffusers are created equal. If you buy your diffuser on amazon for $9.95 and it doesn’t live up to your standards, well sometimes you just get what you pay for.
This article is for those quality diffusers that people invest in. Essential Bracelet carries some of the highest quality diffusers on the market. The same can be said about your quality brands like Green Air, Spa Room, Young Living and doterra. Sensy and Saje carry great diffusers as well but I don’t believe you need to pay that much for a quality diffuser. They do come with great warranties though, so as you read on, that may be worth the extra cost.
Quality or not , you are going to end up with some common problems and even a few duds. I have been selling diffusers for over 4 years and have tried almost every brand, make, model and design. I have had diffusers that i’ve sold thousands of all go bad in one case. It’s going to happen. The good news is if you’ve done your research and bought from a reputable brand, you will probably have warranty.
Essential Bracelet backs all of our diffusers with a 1 Year Warranty and a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. That means if something goes wrong or you just aren’t 100% Satisfied, we will exchange, repair or refund your money completely. I know other reputable brands offer this type of warranty as well, so always make sure you ask before purchasing.
Ok let’s get down to it, you’ve bought a quality diffuser and you want to know Why doesn’t my essential oil diffuser work anymore?
Here are some of the most common problems:

Water in the electronics
I find this is the most common issue with a broken diffuser. Electronics and water just do not mix. If you have ever seen inside a diffuser, you will see there is not much to them, a circuit board and a fan. Both of these components will be ruined with water. The most common way to get water inside your diffuser is through the air vent. You will see this on all ultrasonic diffusers, some are marked to avoid water, others just hope that you’ve read this article. It is very easy when you are adding water or removing water to get water in this port. Always pour away from this port and cover when applicable. The other way people get water inside is by removing the lid while the unit is operating, this allows water to drip down the unit and collect underneath where the crucial fan and electronics are wide open. The water is sucked up into the fan and can cause a mineral/calcium or essential oil build up in the fan, causing it to stop working. Be cautious of water accumulation under or around your diffuser.

Ultrasonic Pad is Dirty
A common question with diffusers is How do I clean them? For the majority of the time, you don’t! Once you start using oils and depending on the area you live, your diffuser tank will become discoloured and have mineral deposits that build up. This is normal. What you do want to keep an eye on is how your diffuser is performing. The ultrasonic pad is meant to vibrate ultrasonic so if it get a build up on it, well it’s not going to be so ultrasonic.
This is an easy fix, take a Q-tip and dip it in vinegar, coca cola or lemon essential oils. Gently rub around the pad without pushing too hard onto it. Keep in mind, in most newer units, this is also your automatic water shut off sensor. If your diffuser begins acting like it has no water even when it’s full, this could also be the culprit, so clean thoroughly, even the smallest particle could cause you some problems.

Fan stopped working
So 90% of the time this is the first thing to go on your diffuser. These little motors are essential for pushing vapours up into the air. If you have a defective diffuser you may see that the pad works, there’s vapor but nothing comes out the top. This is usually the problem. These little components are spinning non stop and most of the time are the first to go. Unfortunately you’re not left with too many options at this point. Without the fan, the vapors just sit inside the casing and never actually blow out. You do have a couple options. Lift the unit up and try blowing into the fan or using compressed air, it may be just a small particle blocking it. If it is an inexpensive unit with no warranty, just continue using it for short periods of time. The diffusing action is still occuring inside, it’s just not spreading throughout your room as designed to do. This fan also designed to keep the circuit board and LED lighting cool, so you don’t want to run it for long periods of time. Alternatively you may just want to replace it all together.

Essential Bracelet offers some amazing diffuser options at great prices, we also back all of our products with a 1 year warranty and a Satisfaction Guarantee, so contact us anytime to hear about our great selection or stop by our retail location at #1-501 Pakwa Place, Saskatoon, Sask. Canada or call 1.844.834.2555 or email us at info@essentialbracelet.com, sometimes due to inventory we don’t carry all of our diffusers on our website so make sure you message us.
If you do have a unit that you really love and want to salvage, contact us at Essential Bracelet. We offer diffuser repair. If we are unable to fix your diffuser, we charge absolutely nothing. If we can fix it and have the parts, the cost is anywhere between $20-$60 depending on the parts used.

We hope you learned alot from this article, if this was of value to you, please share it with your friends and feel free to contact us with any questions that you may have.