Posts
Effusion Lamps....
and how they can scent your home
I admit it........I am a scent hound. I have spent too much money and time looking for the perfect candle. With two dogs, a cat and three kids I want the house to smell good and that's not always easy. Over the years I have found candles that really have left a delicious aroma in the house. The problem is that they burn out too quickly and when I go to buy another one...................discontinued!
A few years ago I found effusion lamps. I read up on them and decided to buy one. The lamp cost around $20.00 but I used a coupon and got it for $16.00. I bought mine at Kirkland's (one of my favorite stores). I have seen them at Hobby Lobby as well (if you go to their web site, they have coupons for 40% off one item). These lamps are also available all over the Internet. Just put in a search word: effusion lamp and you will find plenty.
I then had to purchase the effusion oil. I got mine at http://www.courtneyscandles.com/ where they also have a large selection of the oils and lamps.
The problem was: I burned through the oil in no time. One bottle costs: $9.95. At the rate I was using my new effusion lamp, at the end of the month there wasn't going to be money left to pay the mortgage, so I thought I could try and make my own. The bottles have ingredients on them which include Isopropyl alcohol and essential oil. The question was, how much of each and was there something else added that they didn't list?
I really got fixated on this and was convinced that I could find a recipe out there. It took a long time to find a recipe, try it, move it around, change the measurements and finally come up with the right ingredients. Much of the information I got came from a Canadian web site.
I was floating around the Garden Web yesterday when I came across a post about candles. Some folks had mentioned the effusion lamps, so I figured I would share all my research.
What is an effusion lamp? They are decorative lamps (glass, blown glass, mosaics) that come with a snuffer cap (to put it out) and a decorative diffuser cap. They come with a wick. The cotton wick attaches to a stone. This lamp has effusion oil in it. It is then lit for 4-6 minutes and then blown out. The stone is now heated, hot and red. This porous stone stays hot for 12-16 hours and the scent is drawn through the wick/stone into the air.
Here is what I have found out through lots of research: Facts you need to know to properly use them.
- always use 91% alcohol. NO OTHER % WILL WORK. It has to be!!!!! I buy mine in Walmart for about $1.00
- After you use your lamp and it has cooled off, place the wick into a sealed, small tupperware that is filled with 91% alcohol. Let is soak overnight or longer. I always have two and alternate. One is burning and one is soaking.
- Please be careful with them. Alcohol is flammable. If you have little ones around, place your burner WAY out of their reach. These lamps are very, very safe but like everything else (even candles) use common sense. They should never be knocked over.
- Use good essential oils or fragrance oils in your mixture (I'll show you the link later on in this post).
- Take good care of your wicks. If you don't soak them, they "croak". They are $10.00 a piece and should last between 6-12 months. If they are burning out on you and you can't light them, you are doing something wrong.
- never, never fill your effusion lamp greater then 50%. That's right. Fill it with oil less than half way.
- one effusion lamp is plenty for my house (3500 square feet), I can smell it all the way upstairs. They are great in a basement too.
- Experiment with the oils. Some are very potent and some are not. If it's too strong, add more alcohol.
- I have used many types of wicks. Lampe Berger makes the best!!! Don't waste your money on others, they burn out too fast. These cost around $9.95 and if you put it into a Google seach you'll find plenty out there. I believe I have seen them on Ebay as well.
- They claim there are health benefits to using these lamps. When you consider they burn alcohol (which kills germs) it makes sense. Effusion lamps give off negatively charged ions that kill mold, germs, odor particles and other allergens. One thing for sure, they do not produce soot like candles do.
- Unlike candles, they can be left alone while you are out or sleeping. Wow....that's great. I come home from being out and my house smells wonderful.
- They do have a long history. I'm not going go into that, but if you are curious: http://www.effusionlampsandoils.com/faq.html
- 16 FL OZ. (473) ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL 91% VOL.
- 5 ml OF ESSENTIAL OIL (about a teaspoon)
- 0.5 OZ. OF DISTILLED WATER
Let your lamp burn up all of the fluid and then cap it off.
I've noticed that the longer my mixes are around, the better they get (kind of like fine wine).
Pictured here is an effusion lamp, the diffusion cap, the snuffer cap, the wick with stone attached and a tupperware that holds the wick over night.
To the right is the effusion lamp after being lite. This stays lite for 4-6 minutes allowing the stone to heat until it turns red. Then the flame gets blown out.
Here is a photo of the Lampe Berger wicks that I use.
Below are some of the scents I have used. There are plenty of Internet sites that sell essential oils and fragrance oils. I purchased mine from:
http://www.brambleberry.com/I have used both fragrance and essential oils.
So now you know what to buy, how to put it together (they usually come with directions) and how to take care of the wick.
Now...Directions for use.
- Fill you lamp a little less than half with the oil that you have made.
- Put your wick in. Let it sit in there for 20 minutes to absorb the oil.
- Light it. Let the flame burn (it will burn high up there 5-6 inches)
- Let it burn for 4-6 minutes (don't leave it unattended and be careful where you are lighting it)
- Blow it out
- Place the diffuser cap on it (that gets hot too so be careful)
- leave it and it will scent your entire house
- Let the lamp burn until all the fluid is gone if you want. If the scent is becoming too strong, then use the snuffer cap. This essentially turns it off.
- When it has cooled, pull the wick and place it into the tupperware container that is filled with 91% alcohol. Leave it in there until you want to use it again. Next time you use it, take it out of the container, place into the lamp and light it up.
Occasionally you will go to light up that wick and it won't work. That means that you need to soak you wick longer. When all else fails, take the wick apart and cut off the black part (it looks burned) and put the wick back together. It's a delicate procedure, but it works very well and your wick will be like new.
I'm sure I probably left something out, so if you have any questions please don't hesitate to email me at clturner3@aol.com or just post a comment on this site.I will gladly answer any questions you may have. These are wonderful lamps to use but as you can see, they do require some knowledge and little work. You will be happy with the results.
I would love to hear back from anyone that has found a really great scent. Maybe we can all share that information.
I wish I could remember the name of the Canadian web site (it was very much like Garden Web) where all the folks gave me such wonderful information about these lamps.
Good luck!
Christy01 02 03 07 08 11 12
Christy, WOW! You have done all the work for those of us interested in making and maintaining effusion lamps and oils.
ReplyDeleteI have gotten bits and pieces of information but you have put it all together.
Thank you so much. I'm off to purchase essential oil.
Ditto what Cathy just wrote! Your instructions ( with pictures!!) are very clear and consise.
ReplyDeleteI think I would like to try this myself and was curious as to which fragrant oils worked best for you, aroma wise. Does it perfume the whole house or is it contained to basically the room its in?
Again, thanks for doing such great research!
Marilyn
Yeah, I had a little trouble with the comment "they should never be knocked over". In my house - nah. No such thing!
ReplyDeleteDo you get better scent throw from the essential oils or fragrance oils? I make candles part time so I have plenty of fragrance oils - just wondered if one was better than the other.
ReplyDeleteI seem to get a better scent from the fragrance oils and I like the fragrance that they emit better. Hope that helps you.
ReplyDeleteWell I to searched the internet for the answer on how to make my own Lamp Oil Recipe and this is what I came up with and it works in all of my lamps perfectly.
ReplyDelete91% Alcohol (Walmart $1.28)
0.3 Fragrance oil
~~~ NO WATER ~~~
People do say that when you add the distilled water it makes the mixture burn longer but I talked to a girl that sells her scents she makes at large department stores and she stated that the water clogs your stones faster. The alcohol is what keeps your stones clear and cleans them.....Makes sense..... I also found that some oils are stronger/weaker then others so the 0.3 I told you to use is what I found with the oils I get at www.scentit.com
By pure definition distilled water is literally water that has been boiled, evaporated and condensed - leaving all chemicals, toxins and waste behind and creating pure, clean water. Distillation will remove bacteria, viruses, cysts, heavy metals, radionuclides, organics, inorganics, and particulates. I am not sure nor convinced that this could clog a stone. Some people do not use distilled water as a component of there mixes. I seems that both ways work just fine.I recommended adding the distilled water because I have mixed these fuels for years and this seems to work the best for me. You can always use less scent in the mix if the fragrance is too strong. You have to experiment to find which ones you like.
ReplyDeleteChristy
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI have owned these lamps since they started becoming the rage so to speak. I purchased one when we were on vacation in France one year and before I knew it they were all over the place in a couple of years! I make my own oil and it does not contain water. However you can use it but if you dont need to I look at it as why should you? Just one more additive that takes up more of our precious time and adds more plastic into our enviroment. Somebody once told me however that adding the water made your burn time longer because the alcohol burns faster then the water. Oh well, different strokes for different folks!
If the lamps run without the distilled water then I would not use it. You are right.....one less ingredient. I'm going to try it without the water and see what happens. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteChristy
I tried the receipe with distilled water but the scent is so overpowered by the alcohol that it just ends up smelling like rubbing alcohol and did burn very well in my lamp either. I was disappointed because the oil is expensive compared to making it on your own.
ReplyDeleteKat:
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I understand exactly what you are trying to say. Are you mixing your own scents?
I have never had the alcohol overpower the scent (maybe in the very beginning you can really smell the alcohol, but after about 15 minutes you begin to smell the scent). The distilled water should not make any difference in the scent. Some people mix it up and don't use the distilled water.
The scents (or oils) cost between $1.50 - $3.00 depending on what scent you order. Each bottle should yield 2 sixteen oz. bottles. Much cheaper than the mixed ones on the market that run around $10.00.
If you have more questions, please send me an email or post it here.
thanks for writing.
Christy
Hi! I was so pysched to find this recipe! I mixed some up right away, then was scared to light it, because it seemed like a Molotov (sp?) cocktail... Anyway, my husband finally lit it and it worked great, but then it just stopped burning, with plenty of fuel left.
ReplyDeleteWhen you soak the wick, do you soak the stone, as well? The wick was definitely saturated, and it had been burning for a few hours. I just tried putting some more alcohol in to try to get it going again, but it was very smoky...
Sorry this is so long. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Laura:
ReplyDeleteGlad you are enjoying the recipe. You soak the entire wick, including the stone in 91% Isopropyl alcohol. You can soak them for weeks if you want to. I always have two. I'm burning one and soaking the other. If you have time, read all the posts on effusion lamps and you will find more tips. What kind of wick are you using? If it's not a good wick it will only burn for a few hours and then get cold. Try soaking your wick for 24 hours and then light it. Use one of those new "long" lighters that light like a propane torch. Keep the flame on your stone until it gets red hot! (don't worry it won't blow up, I do this every day). Force it to get red hot and then it should burn until the fuel is gone. If you have any more problems just email me directly and give me your email so I can write to you directly.
Thank you so much- I'll try all that and get back to you directly!
ReplyDeleteChristy,
ReplyDeleteI love your recipe and it works for me with our without the water. I use fragrance oils as well.
I am having a problem and wonder if you have any ideas.
I have Lampe Berger burners and use your recipe in them-no problem. However my stones/wicks were getting a little old so I ordered some from a website recommended on your blog ( I think). The wicks will not get hot. They will burn when you first light them and then go out without getting hot enough. It's not the fuel and it may just be that it's because the stone is a solid stone and doesn't have a hole in it for the air?
Thank for any thoughts you might have.
RR
I love the Lampe Berge wicks. You can find them on Ebay. They have a hole in the middle. Mine last for several months and I have few problems with them. Make sure that after you burn one for a few hours, you soak it in 91% alcohol over night. If you can't get your wick to stay lit, try forcing it. Buy one of those lighters (I have gotten a few of them at Walmart) that are called "wind proof". They light very much like a small propane torch. Hold that little torch onto your wick until it gets red hot and glows. Sometimes these wicks are stubborn and this trick works really well.The "wind proof" lighters are also refillable, so buy some refills for it. Try to get wicks with the hole in the middle. The solid ones just don't work for me. I hope this helps. email me: clturner3@aol.com if you have any more questions.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting!
Christy
Hi Christy,
DeleteI thought I'd let you know about some wicks I just purchased. The online site is Courtneys Candles (out of Joplin, Mo) and the wicks I purchased were 6 for $30. They are wonderful and have the hole in the middle and the exact same as the one that came in my Lamp Berger. I believe they're something like $7 or $8 apiece on sale right now or you can get them like I did.. but since I got a great price I went ahead and stocked up. The site is www.Courtney'sCandles.com and they mail out your order the same day it's received. I love your ideas. Thanks
I am so happy to have found your blog. I've already ordered some oil, so I'm ready to make some stuff!. Thanks so much for sharing all your knowledge for us "newbies". I just love your blog. Diane
ReplyDeleteDiane,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the compliment. I'm glad to be of help. I have a real passion for effusion lamps (as you can see) so I am glad to share all that I know. Let me know if you have any questions or problems.
All that I've been reading about these lamps has made them even more interesting to me. I don't have one yet. Am trying to learn all possible b4 buying one.
ReplyDeleteI use burnig oil from bath and body works. There are only certain scents that I like. Can those oils be use as the fragrance oils in the mixture?
Thanks
Hi there. I just found where you commented back...anyway, do you where I can buy good but inexpensive wicks for the oil lamps? I really don't want to spend too much for them. I saw where someone was using re-conditioned wicks or something and was getting them for less. I have a mini oil lamp but the wick has never worked well. I've tried everything but it just won't stay lit...My large wick is starting to give me trouble...any help is appreciated!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. Diane
Only 100% pure essential or fragrance oils can be used in these lamps. I would not risk using bath and body works oils because I doubt they are pure 100%.
ReplyDeleteIf they arent' pure, you will ruin the wicks. Wicks are too expensive to risk. I personally would not use those oils.
Diane:
ReplyDeleteI have found most of my wicks on Ebay. I usually buy 6 at a time (it's cheaper that way). You should look to pay between $6.95 - $10.00 a piece.
Christy,
ReplyDeleteI have been addicted to these lamps for a few years now. I have spent tons of money in research and testing and can tell you about the water;eh, no real big difference. As far as the fragrances go the essential oils did not perform that well. I have been through many online oil suppliers and have found that Rustic Escentuals has a few fragrances that work like a charm. Neroli, Calabrian Violets and Bergamot, Pomegrante, Claire Burk's Original-all those work really well. Birds of Paradise and Fresh Baby work terrific, too. I tried Marigold and Mint and while that threw really well my husband didn't love that one nearly as much as I did. Those are the only ones I can vouche for 100 percent. Other companies I won't name the fragrances were fine in candles and oil burners but either reeked in the lamps or killed the stone. You are absolutely right about keeping the stones soaking in CLEAN alcohol. You can tell the oil residue pulls out when the alcohol looks like weak tea. Also the "Berzomatic" lighters for grills at WallyWorld are wonderful to heat the stones when you get a "balky" one. They are Butane and come with one refill. I loves me lamps! Thanks for sharing!
Swann:
ReplyDeleteYou are so right. I use those same lighters to force some of my stones to light. I get my fragrances from www.brambleberry.com and have been very happy with the scents. I too, love my lamps!
I'm new to effusion lamps but love the idea. When I light mine, the stone doesn't turn "red". It does burn, though. Could you clarify for me please if the stone actually has to be "red" in order for this to work properly? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteVicky:
ReplyDeleteI really can't see the "red" burning stone, unless I turn out all the lights and look at it. Then you'll notice that it is red around the edges. Otherwise there is not way to see it. Try this and let me know how you make out.
Christy
I still don't see any red, even with the lights out. It is, however, burning for hours and scenting the room just fine. :)
ReplyDeleteVicki:
ReplyDeleteAs long as it's doing the job, that works for me. If you smell the scent and the stone is hot, then it's working. Mine always seem to glow a little around the edges, but you can't see it unless the lights are completely out. Usually all it takes is to cup your hands around the stone and you can tell it is hot.
I'm glad you are enjoying yours. I love them.
One more question, and then I'll leave you be. :)
ReplyDeleteI want to mix some of my own, but your receipe above says 16 ounces of the alcohol and that you mix it in the alcohol bottle. However, there isn't enough room in the bottle to pour in another ounce of anything! Could you have meant 15 ounces of the alcohol?
Thanks!
Hey Vicki:
ReplyDeleteI don't mind answering your questions, so keep them coming. I just pour a little out of my 16 oz bottle of alcohol, so you are right-it will be about 15 oz, so you have enough room to add the fragrance and distilled water.
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Ok! I've been battling my lamp for 6 months. In a snit, I went and bought a new one by La-Te-Da (old one was by Aroma Decor). Lamps 2; Me 0. AD lamp worked great - for a short while, using Christy's recipe. LTD never worked!
ReplyDeleteS0, having re-read the Blog, I noted where Christy says about cleaning the wick/stone. Hmmmm. I am nowhere here, so what can I lose?!
Well, both came apart easily, at least the stone. Managed to pull up enough of the wick to trim it, end Phase 1. Inside the AD stone is a gooky mess - build up of oils I guess. Begin Phase 2: how to safely clean out the gooky innards. Tried scrubbing w/a toothbrush - no luck, gunk is too gunky; tried some gentle scrapping with a blunt instrument - that got a lot off. Now I'm soaking it in dish soap (cleans oily stuff, right?) Any better thoughts on how to get the gunky out of the innards of the stone? Soak in Alka-Seltzer?, vinegar?, oven cleaner?....getting desperate here! When I thought oven cleaner was a good idea, I figured it was time to seek "professional" guidance! SOS! Send help soonest!
Best Regards & Much Gratitude,
Betrock
Ok. Check my site and the post that I put on today. This should answer all your questions.
ReplyDeletehttp://christys-thriftydecorating.blogspot.com/
I wrote this post just for you. Let me know what you think and if you have any more questions I can help you with.
Christy
I've read all of your posts and comments concerning the effusion lamps and I'm curious about two things. What causes the stone to "go bad", meaning that it's time for a new wick? And I've tried soaking my wick for a couple of days in 91% alcohol, then put the wick in the lamp, it lights and burns. After about 5 to 10 mins. I put it out, it throws a scent, but when I return about an hour later the lamp is cold. The wick has only burned two fillings now it's not working properly. What could be the problem?
ReplyDeletejas
A lot of people liked Bath & Body Works discontinued "Firewood" scent. Go to Flicker's Fragrance and buy 4 oz for $8.00.
ReplyDeleteMakes 6 of the big bottles of alchohol.
Very Cheap for a great smell. She also carries one called Love Spell that smells like the perfume.
ok, i just bought an effusion lamp (la-tee-da brand) my mother in law has one but when she blows out her flame, it smokes and smells great. Mine doesnt smoke and it smells like alchol.
ReplyDeleteHiChristy, A friend of mine had a wild thing happen with her lamp. She already had oil and a wick in her lamp. (She hasn't read your blog yet so she doesn't put her wicks in alcohol, even though I gave her a little tuperware container and the alcohol.)
ReplyDeleteWhen she put her lighter to it, it blew up and out to the ceiling. Luckily it was on a high shelf above her head, so she wasn't hurt, just scared. She called me right away to warn me because she knows mine is on my kitchen counter and I am much closer to it when I light mine. Have you ever heard of anything like this happening before. Vinsan
Well it seems it's not such a unusual happening now, not only did one friend have her lamp blow, I've had 2 do it and another friend had her bedroom catch on fire. I think everyone needs to know how very dangerous these are. I still use mine but it is never left unattended, and I am extremely careful. Hope you are ok, since you have never posted an answer to my question about this happening, maybe it happened to you and you weren't so lucky. I think it would be very irrespnsible not to warn others about this. It makes me wonder about making our own fuel, wish I knew if this has ever happened to anyone useing store bought oil.
ReplyDeleteIf you have read "all" of the posts on effusion lamps you would clearly know that I have written about the hazards. Effusion lamps burn alcohol which makes them very flammable. You cannot light the flame and walk away, you cannot add other fluids to the mix and you must use these lamps in a safe location. Once the flame is out, the danger is gone but the stone stays hot. Move them out of reach of children and animals. I have received emails from people who want to use lamp oil or ethyl alcohol!! You cannot use anything other that 91% alcohol or higher. Add something else and the lamp could explode. The recipe, if followed exactly, is the same as the store bought oil. It will not make you lamp more or less dangerous. The risks are the same.
ReplyDeleteI have warned people about this multiple times in my posts and do not feel I have been "irresponsible". There lamps have been around for centuries. They need to be used carefully just like candles.
Isopropyl Alcohol and "Rubbing Alcohol" are often the same thing. So, when you say not to use "Rubbing Alcohol" are you talking about a 70% solution? Because a 99% solution of Isopropyl Alcohol may still be sold as rubbing alcohol.
ReplyDeleteI have a lampe berger and have tried several different scents. Maybe it's me, but all I smell is the alcohol. Any advise?
ReplyDeleteAre you making your own scents or buying the ones sold at retail stores???
ReplyDeleteThe ones sold at retail stores - made by, and specifically for, lampe berger...I've tried creme brule, pear and one that escapes me.
ReplyDeleteHi, I just wanted to say thank you for the clear directions on how to make my own lamp oil. I used concetrated fragrance oil from the craft section @ Wal-Mart and it burns nicely and smells great. I was a little skeptical at first because the mixture had a very alcohol smell but this is not an issue when burning. I just can't believe refill oil sells for $15-$35 here and I can make it for about $2! Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteHi, I thought I posted here yesterday, but can't see it. I just wanted to ask if it was ok to usee 99% Alcohol. I'm in UK and I can't as yet find it at 91%...only 99% and 70%.
ReplyDeleteBTW, Wonderful Blog site. Thanks
Sheila
icursheila@blueyonder.co.uk
anything over 91% is fine to use. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks!
ReplyDeleteBest Wishes,
Sheila
Hi Christy, I followed your recipe exactly, except that the only Alcohol I could find is 99% so I used that. However, I find that the end product (when it's burning) gives off a very alcoholic smell. The alcohol smell seems to be stronger than the essential oils. I used 15mls of a mixture of essential oils. This mixture usually blends well creating a nice perfume.
ReplyDeleteI'm just wondering if you have any advice! Do you think the stronger (99%) alcohol is causing the problem?
I really do appreciate your simple instruction here as I could not find 1t anywhere else. And I can see that everyone else (by their feedback) has had a successful outcome.
Hope to hear from you if you are not too busy!
Thanks
Sheila,
Scotland
Sheila,
ReplyDeleteIt seems that most people in the UK also can only get 99%. I have never used that strength because I can get 91% here easily. It may be that the 99% is a little stronger and smells more of the alcohol. Are you using distilled water in there? My recipe uses only .5ml of the oil, .5 of the distilled water and the 91% isopropyl alcohol. 15 ml seems like too much and it may clog up your stone quickly. Try adding the distilled water (that will dilute the alcohol). Make sure you are using 100% essential oils. I can't tell you how important that is. If they are not 100% pure, they will "not" smell and will clog your wick quickly. The alcohol will also overwhelm the oil if it isn't pure. Try mixing up your fuel using these instructions. So far, I have not heard of any problems from people using the 99% alcohol (and I know you can use this for effusion lamps). Most of the problems result from using essential oils that are not pure. You really need to make sure of that. Good luck and let me know how you make out. You can email me directly at clturner3@aol.com
Thanks for visiting the site.
Christy
Does anyone know which fragrance oil(s) to mix with Lavendar to get the smell of La Tee Da's "Monagramed Linen" oil that the company sells? It smells so nice. I'd like to come at least close to that receipe.
ReplyDeleteI tried to google the ingredients, but found only that it's a blend of Lavender and moss. I'm sorry, but I can't help you with that one. Sometimes, just experimenting with different oils results in something wonderful. Just give it a try. Mix up Lavender and add some essential "earthy" oils.
ReplyDeleteHi, I have made my own recipe with the 91% alcohol and fragrance and never had a problem. I havn't done it for a while so today I went out and got my alcohol and made up a batch. I had a new stone that I used and put my older stones is alcohol to clean them up.
ReplyDeleteThis time I can not get the stone to stay hot. It gets red around the edges and I blow out the flame and it just cools down. I have relit it a couple of times and nothing. I did notice that the stone seems very wet. More so than it used to get. I can actully see liquid laying on top of the stone. The only thing different I did this time was get my alcohol at CVS. Last time I got it at WalMart.
Amy idea why it isn't working? Also I noticed the old wick that I put in the CVS alcohol haven't turned the alcohol brown like it did with the walmart brand. The have been soaking for about 6 hours and it's still clear.
Thanks patty
Well, Patty that does seem odd. They are both 91%, right?? What brand of wick are you using?? Is it Lampe Berger or a generic brand. The generic brand wicks never work for me. I'm lucky if I get them to work twice. do you have an old wick that you can try?
ReplyDeleteTry soaking the wicks for 24 hours and try lighting it again. Also, look at my most current post (I just posted it a few minutes ago) and check out the new brand of wick that is available. You may just have a bad wick-it happens.
Hi Christy, I tried another wick and had no prolem so I guess that was it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your help, Patty
Hi, Christy. I see you prefer to use fragrance oils over essential oils. You may have already said it and I just missed it, but do you use fragrance oils in your recipe with the alcohol, just like the essential oils? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteJanna,
ReplyDeleteI use both and sometimes even mix them together. Mix them both the same way.
Christy
Christy...I mixed the oil per your instructions, however it smells like pure alcohol, I just did it...will the alcohol smell decrease as it sits or what can I do so that it smells like the fragrance I mixed it with. Please advise...
ReplyDeleteI am looking for a recipe to make refill oil for the Air Wick plug ins. I have used fragrance oil I bought from the Dollar store, and the wick inside the bottle falls apart. The wax paper opened up and the fibers(similar to cigarette filter)expand. I gather the "fragrance oil" must contains a lot of water for the wick to fall apart like this.
ReplyDeleteCan you come up with a different recipe for the plug ins?!!
All plugins with bottles and wick is the same principle except that the electricity is heating the ring around the wick. So, it can use the same recipe. Alcohol 91% and fragrance oil. I tried it before and worked great.
DeleteI really cannot help you with this one. I have no idea what is in the Air Wick plug ins and couldn't begin to create a recipe for the oil. You should consider buying an effusion lamp so the entire house will be scented. The Air Wicks only really scent one room. Buy the platinum wick (stonewick.com) for a long lasting wick that doesn' give you any problems like the stone wicks do. You'll love it.
ReplyDeleteChristy
This is a great blog. Very good info. Thanks Christy.
ReplyDeleteI have been using fragrance lamps for about 10 years. My first lamp was a Lampe Berger given to me by my sister for Christmas. I have a collection of more than 20 lamps, many styles and brands. I love them as art and the wonderful clean air and aroma they bring to the house. I also enjoy sharing the benefits with family and friends. I started making fuels a couple of years after owning my first lamp (the Lampe Berger fuel was burning a hole in my wallet). I started creating my own lamps to give as gifts a few years ago.
I use both 91% and 99% isoproyl alcohol. I like 100% fragrance oils. I have found that different fragrances require different amounts of oil. I use a ml dropper and measure the oil. I keep a record of what I use each time to help me know what I like best and what works. I have found that if a wick turns black or gets very dark there is too much fragrance oil in the mix.
This week I'm going to try your idea using distilled water. That will be new for me.
I started soaking my wicks a couple of years ago. I keep several soaking at a time. Always keep your wicks soaking or covered, it makes a big difference. I do like the new Lampe Berger wick that came out a couple of years ago. I plan to try the platinium wick as soon as I purchase a few.
I've gone on enough but I just love fragrance lamps. fullajoyy
Thanks for that email, you sound just like me!!! Please try that platinum wick. I was so excited about it when I found it. Ordered it right away and have not regretted it since. No soaking, no long lighting ceremony. You light it on all sides for about 20 seconds and you are good to go. It uses 40% less fuel. You will be amazed at how long the fuel lasts. In August sometime, they are coming out with one where you can replace the cotton wick if you need to. This wick should last for years!!! Can you imagine? I ordered mine from www.stonewick.com They are the guys that invented the thing. If you love these lamps like I do, you will love this new wick.
ReplyDeleteTake my word on this one.
Thanks for writing!!!
Christy
I can find platinum wicks on ebay for less than the stonwick site. Do you think there is a difference?
ReplyDeleteI am really not sure about that. The stonewick people basically invented them. The ebay person may be buying them wholesale from stonewick and selling them cheaper. It's a possibility.
ReplyDeleteChristy,
ReplyDeleteI just purchased my first lamp, and can't tell you how much I've enjoyed it so far. I plan on upgrading to a platinum wick very soon. Could you post a couple of your favorite mixes, and exactly which essential oil / fragrance oils you used (brand, etc)? I just made my own fragrance using 91% alcohol from Walmart and some Sandlewood Fragrance oil (from http://www.loveisintheair.net) but it seems a bit weak, I'm thinking that brand might not be the best for this application.
Thanks so much for your help!
Actually, I have posted some of my favorites.
ReplyDeletehttp://christys-thriftydecorating.blogspot.com/2007/11/little-more-info-on-effusion-lamps.html
I'll keep you posted on some new ones I've tried. Glad you are enjoying them. Upgrade to the platinum wick. You won't regret it.
Hi Christy, I have a small bottle of fragrance oil measuring 0.34fl oz. Is this more or less than your recommended measurement of 0.5 for making homemade effusion oil? Have a math deficit moment!
ReplyDeleteHi Christy. I would like to thank you for the intensive lamp tuition and for giving your time so generously. I am in love with beautiful perfumes for the house yet have never had one of these lamps. My favourite vehicle for scent was Millefiore Bois D'arbre incense which of course is discontinued.
ReplyDeleteMy latest purchase was a reed infuser which is about a 2 on my 1 to 10 rating. Sigh. Now I am going to try the lamps and when I have got to grips with them I will try to make my own oils.
And yes, I will be very careful.I am a jeweller and a few years ago I managed to saw through my finger down to the bone with a small circular saw. I should have seen that one coming and it has made me very safety conscious. Well, usually...........
Regards from Ruth in the UK
@Anonymous- .34 fluid is less that .5 fluid ounces. That's ok though, it will just make the scent less powerful.
ReplyDeleteChristy, thanks so much for this. I have tried a LOT of recipe's found on the internet and they either smelled like the alcohol or as if something were burning (not sure why) and I almost gave up.
ReplyDeleteLike yourself I was spending way tooooo much money on ready to use oils. I was able to find 5.1 ounce bottles of concentrated fragrance oil at walmart for just 5 bucks and they work great. they are already mixed and i can still make new fragrances from them. So far my favorite is Sandlewood and Sweet Pea Jasmine. I'm gonna try out the essential oils that use to see if I like them better, but I do like the idea of just driving to store when I'm running low instead of ordering and waiting for it in the mail.
Thanks again for this, you are a true life saver (no more candles when I can't afford to buy more oils for me)
Ricki,
ReplyDeleteI am surprised you are having success with the Walmart scents. They typically are not 100% pure. If they are working, then that is great. If they do start clogging your wick, you will know why. I don't blame you for just wanting to take a quick ride to pick up the stuff though. I usually have to wait 10 days before I get my shipment of essential oils. I guess that's why I have so many of them here-so I don't run out. Have you tried the new platinum wick yet? No stone-so no clogging. Take a look at Stonewick.com I have to say this wick is great. Burns 1/3 less than the old stone wick. Take a look when you have a moment.
Christy
Dear Christy, I have been making this fuels for years now and constantly researching recipes for them. I saw a blog that suggested using more than called for fragrance oil to make the scent stronger. I have to totally disagree with this unless you just like to clean wicks constantly. Some scents just have s stronger scent than others. It really depends on the users 'nose'. Like you, I prefer fragrance scents as opposed to essential oil in the fact that you are limited to choice in essential oil. I have yet to try platinum wicks but will order them now due to the rave reviews. Thanks for your time on this subject. Linda
ReplyDeleteLinda,
ReplyDeleteI agree totally with you! You should try the platinum wick too. They burn 1/3 less fuel-that saves even more money.
Christy
Christy,
ReplyDeleteI followed you recipe and am having issues with the house looking hazy. It is letting off quite a bit of smoke. Could this be the fragrance oil or the wick?
Donna,
ReplyDeleteIt's the oil. Some of them do smoke. It's a white smoke and it won't hurt you. Technically it is steam. I use one type of oil that puts a "haze" all over my house. My family hates it, but I love the smell.
Try another scent and see if it stops.
I LOVE love the Love Spell fragrance oil from Hobby Lobby. I use your recipe and it worked wonderfully. I had issues UNTIL I took your advice and bought my 2nd wick and started soaking, as you recommended. I have been spreading the word around about effusion lamps and btw, Hobby Lobby quit selling the lamps! They still have SOME fuel and the wicks and some of the fragrance oils but they quit selling the lamps. Earthbound has NICE lamps at a reasonable price (that's where I got mine at) and some nice fragrance oils and wicks, etc. I just wanted to thank you for your blog. I wouldn't gave gotten through this without your help. I use your recipe and I LOVE my lamp. No more candles for ME!
ReplyDeleteHi Christy,
ReplyDeleteHey I found an awesome tip that's really helped me with my effusion lamp! The "neck" on mine was off center and it made it nearly impossible to put the wick into my lamp. So I got a long, bamboo skewer from my kitchen, used the blunt end and hooked my wick bottom around the end of it and I use IT to push the wick into the bottom of my lamp and voila SO easy to put my wick in now! Just thought that I'd pass that along. Sure works for me. AND I use it to measure how much fuel is in my lamp, too. I put the skewer into my lamp (before I put my wick in) and take it back out and see how much fluid is on the stick and then hold it next to my lamp and I can tell how much fuel is in there! So now I keep my bamboo skewer as handy as my funnel and it sure works!
Hope that helps!
Sharlene
Great ideas!!!
ReplyDelete@sharlene
ReplyDeleteI've bought a few lamps at Earthbound too. Their prices are great!!! Thanks for all the info.
Christy
im having the alcohol smell too what is causing this, how do i stop it. im getting my scents from customfragrancelamps.com
ReplyDeleteMake sure that your scents are 100% pure essential oils. some companies don't mention that they are "not" 100% pure. Call up the company and ask them. Try adding some distilled water to your recipe. Are you using 91% isopropyl alcohol?
ReplyDeleteyes i am, i added more then they said to add and it makes the scent way to strong. guess ill have to mess with it. where do u buy your scents at?
ReplyDeleteim also been reading about flash points on the oils, at what flash point do these need to burn at?
ReplyDeleteLove your blog! I just purchased a platinum wick from ebay buyer. Do you teat it as any other wick--keep one soaking in alcohol while burning one? How often do you change out the platinum wick with the soaking one? I have wasted a lot of money on wicks and want to do this one right!
ReplyDeleteI do exactly that, Rochelle. I keep one soaking and one is in action. I don't believe this is necessary, but I do it anyway. When you are changing the wick, just pull it out of the soaking container-give it a few minutes and light it up. Good luck and let me know how you like them.
ReplyDeleteChristy
Christy, Kudos to you for keeping this going for 4 years! I really like these lamps as well, and have replaced many wicks over the years. Recently I switched to LB, but the actual wick is quite long for my little lamps (forgot brand of lamp!) Does this matter? I'm going to follow your advice and start soaking wicks and making my own fragrance. As soon as possible, I'm also going to upgrade to the platinum wick. Thanks for all of your great info and taking time to help all of us without the trial and error!
ReplyDeleteRobbie
Texas Hill Country
@Robbie. Thanks Robbie!! I'm not sure about a "long" wick in a small effusion lamp. I do know they actually sell mini wicks for the smaller lamps. That's probably what you should be using for your lamp. Try soaking your wicks as stated and when you get the time, order a platinum wick. You won't be disappointed-that's all I use now. Thanks for writing!
ReplyDeleteChristy
Hi Christy,
ReplyDeleteThanks so very much for taking so much time to help everyone with this stuff! I bought a platinum wick and red currant oil from brambleberry at your suggestion. I have used la-tee-da's red currant scent before. I used your exact recipe to make my own oil. I am finding the scent to be quite smokey smelling. It puts off a steady stream of smoke (I don't think it is steam.) I looked at the trouble shooting for the platinum wick and it said that if you are getting smoke, it is a fuel issue. I then tried using your recipe with a regular lamp berger wick. It smoked a lot less, but still smelled like a mixture of char and red currant. I am stumped. What causes smoke / char? Thank so much!
-KS
KS-You certainly have me stumped with that one. I have certain scents (from brambleberry) that emit a white smoke. Still smells great though.......but it can smoke up the entire house with a white smoke. I've never had a "smokey" smell with any of them. Are you adding distilled water to the recipe. You may want to add a little more......play with the recipe a little. Less oil, more water...etc. etc
ReplyDeleteSometimes playing with the recipe can cure the problem. Are you getting this with other scents or just the red currant?
Some scents smoke and some don't smoke at all. That's kind of interesting. Let me know if and how you are able to fix this one (if you can). It just may be the scent.
Christy
Hi Christy,
ReplyDeleteI love your site... the information is incredible. I have a lampe Berger, love it, but like everyone else, need to start making my own scents. I just tried a patchouli/amber scent which is working pretty well.
So here is my question. Your recipie calls for .5 oz(14.79mls) of scent.Yet in a post to Sheila you said:
"My recipe uses only .5ml of the oil, .5 of the distilled water and the 91% isopropyl alcohol. 15 ml seems like too much and it may clog up your stone quickly."
I am confused and don't want to add too much scent... I am a scaredy cat at heart.
So please clarify how many ml's per 16 oz. alcohol?
Thanks again for all your efforts to help others!
Have a very Happy New Year
Susan
Susan,
ReplyDeleteYou should use a full bottle of 91% Isopropyl alcohol. Those bottles typically are 16 fluid ounce. Add to that .5 cc of distilled water (that is about 1 teaspoon) and .5 cc of scent-also comes to a teaspoon (approx).
So basically-1 bottle alcohol, 1 teaspoon scent and 1 teaspoon distilled water.
Hope this helps! Christy
Thanks for your prompt response, and for clearing up my confusion. It feels great to know I can burn my lamp daily and still have food on the table and gas in the car.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day
Susan
Well great...stonewick has changed up and now appears to be one of those distributor/houseparty deals....
ReplyDeleteYou can still buy the platinum wicks in other places. Even Amazon has them...as well as Courtney's candles. I was surprised to see they went the "home party" route.
ReplyDeletethanks for the info though.
Christy
HI Christy,
ReplyDeleteI mix amber, sandalwood and patchouli together and really like it. However, now all I can find is amber paste, which is thicker than a usual fragrance oil. The person helping me in the store said to dilute the amber with jojoba oil, then treat it like any other essential oil. She said some essential oils are already diluted with jojoba oil before we buy them. Have you ever tried doing this? I really don't want to try anything that might explode.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI love reading all this information. I have just purchased 2 of the platinum wicks. The first time I used them they seemed to burn fine, but I can't seem to get them to light again. I am currently using the La tee da oils. I appreciate any help you can give me. Kathy
What kind of lighter are you using? You should be using a torch or windproof lighter. It can all the difference in the world when lighting the platinum wick. This type of lighter is like a small torch and works great to light up the wick. Try using one and I'm sure you will see the difference.
ReplyDeleteAlso, don't be afraid to soak the wicks in alcohol over night. Christy
I have started making my own fragrances since I came across your website last fall. I have only used essential oils and sometimes they just are not strong enough so I have increased the amount by 3 or 4 times. Are their negative repercussions for doing this? Thank you in advance for your response.
ReplyDeleteI see no reason that you can't decrease the amount. I've done it in the past with no problem. Good luck!!
DeleteI have started making my own burner oil using 91% alcohol and oil from scent it. It seems to burn just fine at first then after it is burning for a while it begins to smoke. I read that you said that some oils smoke and some do not. I would appreciate it if you can you tell me which ones I can get from them or someone else that you know do not smoke?
ReplyDeleteGary,
ReplyDeleteDon't worry so much about the "smoke"- it's actually steam. I don't know exactly which ones smoke and which ones do not. I seldom run into that problem, but once and a while, I find a scent that I like-but it does fog up the rooms. It's really a matter of trial and error. Good luck. Take notes and you'll soon figure out what recipes will work for you.
hey !!!
ReplyDeleteMany many many thanks !!!
love your site,, found you did a heck of a lot more work than i bargained for,,
since i am a sucker for fregrance etc,, i find it VERY hard to go out and buy the premade bottled effuser oils since they run between 15-22$ in canada,,
and since i'm a lil mini martha at home ( aside from cooking and baking and floral designing) , this will be my NEW hobby!!
i dont mind stronger scents at all
so now i'm headoing out ina while to find the 90 or 91% alcohol,, and get started making my own
thanks again!!!
regards
cameron
Very interesting site with informative comments from all. I recieved my first lamp last Christmas and finding the Lamp Oil in Winnipeg has been very taxing. I only recently discovered Pet Valu sells the products. I paid $30.00 for a new wick. I had made a few bottles of home made oils in the past giving up because of the overpowering alcohol smell. However, after reading this site, I will try again after my knee surgery. And yes, prices in Canada are through the roof! Carolyn
ReplyDeleteCarolyn,
ReplyDeleteI have heard that prices in Canada are very high. Keep experimenting with the recipes and you should be able to come up with a scent that smells great. Try getting your wicks on Amazon. They sell them cheaper. Also Courtney's candle. Try the new Platinum wick too , it's great.
Christy - I have read all your post but my mind is not processing all the info. I am a "newbie" with these lamps. I bought a lampe berger for a friend 20 years ago because she raved about them. Last year I stumbbled across one at a thrift store for 2.99 and snatched it right up! Just today I went to a store and bought a bottle of lampe berger oil, funnel and cap (the one that snuffs it out), and also got a lesson in how to start/put out from the nice salesperon. I was SO excited! I came home right away and pulled out my wick and discovered it was soaked with oil. Because I was so excited......I decided to light it. It burned high like it was supposed to but I noticed black smoke coming off the flames and tiny black specs floating around but they werent ashes they just seemed to be concentrated black smoke specs. I know that sounds weird but I dont really know how to describe it. after several minutes I blew out the flame and the lamp smoked and released the scent, which was nice but it really smelled like I was burning an incense. I finally put it out and decided to google a cure. then.....i found you! :) should I start buy soaking the wick and stone in 91% alcohol, then refill with my new oil, wait 20 minutes, light, burn several minutes, blow out then expect magic? I am so lost. Thanks Carly also, would it help to wash my glass bottle and tops just to make sure i get out whatever was in there?
ReplyDeleteI would start by returning that wick to the store. Tell them what happened and ask for a new wick! There seems to be something wrong with the one they gave you. When you get the new wick home, place it into the lamp. Wait 20 minutes and lite it up. Let it flame for 4 minutes and blow it out. The scent should not smell like burnt. After you use it once, then soak it in the alcohol until the next time you use it. The next time you do use it, pull it out of the alcohol and lite it right up in the scent. It should work fine. Look around on the internet for the platinum wicks. I believe courtney's candles sell them. They work great. Good luck and let me know how you make out!!
ReplyDeleteHi Christy i'm so happy I found your blog. Anyway, can I use an efficascent oil? The ones who has menthol in it?
ReplyDeleteSorry, but I'm not even sure what an "efficascent" oil is. Can you be more specific or send me a link for some more information?
ReplyDeletehttp://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?id=28027
ReplyDeleteHere's a link. It smells like eucalyptus which is very relaxing and refreshing. Also, why shouldn't we use 70% Isopropyl Alcohol? I'm having trouble finding 91% in my country, thank you.
70% Isopropyl alcohol does "not" work and that's why you can't use it. I just doesn't work.
DeleteI checked out that site. It does not say that the scents are 100% pure essential oil. I can't promise you that it will work. I've tried scents that were less than 100% pure and they did not work. I use brambleberry.com Not sure if they ship out of this country, but you could look into it. I know their line is 100% pure.
I purchased a lamp that came with a wick. I went through the entire bottle of "fuel" in 2 days and just cannot afford that at $12 per bottle! I made my own using Dragon's Blood essential oil. Wonderful! But now the stone will not burn more than a minute. I took everything apart and trimmed the bit of black off the ends of the wick but I cannot get the two ends back into the stone. Are all wicks a "loop" hanging down from the stone? My stone is solid except for the hole in the bottom, and I cannot shove enough of the two ends into the stone for it to stay in there. I just feel like taking everything back! Help!
ReplyDeleteZhanna,
DeleteDon't panic! In my experience, every effusion lamp sold, comes with a "bogus" wick. They are burn out in no time. You'll be lucky to get 6 burns out of one of those wicks. Don't waste your time with the wick. Look around on the Internet (ebay, amazon) and order a few Lampe Berger wicks. If you take care of them, they should last for 5-6 months and that's if you burn every, single day. They are the only ones that work and well worth the money. Check it out and get a couple of them.
Let me know if you need any more help.
Christy
Christy,
ReplyDeleteI have several of the lamps in my house and I received my first one from my mother-in-law as a gift and i fell in love with it immediately . I have had my lamps now for about ten years and yes the oils are expensive and I have tried many different solutions to cut down on cost of my oils.
My question to u is would u please give me some brand name oils that i can buy in a store, I am not a online shopper.
I love your site and all the info that you have given. Thank you so much for your hard work and wonderful website. Keep up the great job.
Thank You,
L. Styles
I've actually never purchased oils in a retail store. You never really know if they are 100% pure. I always get my oils from brambleberry.com I've been very satisfied with the process, the oils and the shipping. Their oils are 100% pure and they work. You may want to give them a try. They have a large selection and even, smaller kits with trial bottles so you don't have to make a large investment but get a chance to smell a nice sampling. Hope this helps!
DeleteOk, I'm trying this for the first time. I just got my order in from Brambleberry.com. I must say this has to be the best supplies store i've ever come across. The scents are true to name!
ReplyDeleteChristy,
ReplyDeleteI was reading some of the responses and wanted to get clear on how much oil you actually use.
For 16oz of 91% alcohol, do you add 1 Tablespoon or 1 teaspoon of frag. oil?
.5 oz of essential oil. I think that would be 1 teaspoon (or close to it). I use a cheap little dropper that I bought in the pharmacy that has the markings, so .5 is easy to measure out. Glad to hear that you like the fragrances from Brambleberry. I've always been happy with their oil. Cherry Blossom is my new favorite!
ReplyDelete.5 oz. is 1/2 oz. or 1 tablespoon. 1 oz. is approx. 30 ml, one teaspoon is approx. 5 ml (not .5). One teaspoon is NOT 1/2 (.5) oz. Some of your answers, you left off any measurement after the .5. In one answer you said that 3/4 oz. was not enough. So it is no wonder people are confused. Sorry.
DeleteI find it is near on impossible to get 91% IPA in the UK. Would it be ok to use 99%IPA & dillute with disitlled water to reduce the Percentage? or just use the higher 99% concentration with the oil?
ReplyDeleteJC-You can use the 99% IPA without diluting it. Most people in the UK cannot find the 91%. They use the 99% with no problem. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHope you dont mind my opening an older thread.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your comments on platinum wicks I looked around. I found that Amazon no longer (?) sells platinum wicks. I believe you said they did at one time. I was surprised to see this. Is there a problem with them. Have they fallen out of favor ?
Also shopping.yahoo.com states the platinum wicks have 40% less fragrance throw (I'm assuming this means they dont fill the room with fragrance as well as the stone wicks (?) ...
"our testing of the new platinum wick reveals: consumes fuel at around 0.3 oz per hour (about 40% less than conventional wick stones). fragrance throw is correspondingly less than conventional ceramic wick stones"
http://shopping.yahoo.com/775474672-platinum-wick-for-fragrance-lamps-or-effusion-lamps/
Thank you for your GREAT blog, I'd love to hear your comments on these issues. And your current opinion on the platinum wicks
Robert,
ReplyDeleteI was very hot on the platinum wicks a few years back until all of the sudden they became very difficult to obtain. When I researched this, I found that the company had gone the route of "home parties". This seemed to be the only way you could purchase them. I have used them many times and find the fragrance throw to be a little less than the stone wicks, but not much less. They do use less oil though. Because I can no longer find the plat. wicks I have gone back to using the stone wicks. I only use the Lampe Berger wicks-they are the best and last the longest. Thanks for visiting the site Bob. Good luck!
Christy-
ReplyDeleteThanks for keeping this thread open, I have a few of questions. I purchased an effusion lamp last year, I'm late getting introduced. I love the concentrated fragrance but couldn't afford to keep up the expense of buying the oil. I found your blog, I'm rejuvenated and started using it again and making my own oil.
A few questions:
Can I keep the lamp burning all day? Some of the information I've read indicates you should only let it burn until the room is fragranced.
What if I forget to put the cap on the wick? I'm thinking of purchasing several lamps, one for each area/room of the house and know, on occasion, I'll forget to place the cap on.
The platinum wicks are available at iscentu.com at a cost of $18 is it worth it to purchase them at that price or are the stone wicks acceptable?
Thanks again for your response and help.
Christine
Christine,
ReplyDeleteI keep mine burning all day until it dies out and gets cold. So yes, keep them burning if you want to. If you "cap" the lamp, the lamp goes out. If you don't cap it, eventually the oil gets used up and dies out. I liked the platinum wicks for a while, but I've gone back to the old Lampe Berger stone wicks. I usually buy six at a time on Ebay. Make sure they are Lampe Berger (the old kind). One effusion lamp should pretty much make your whole house smell great. More than one may be too much-but that I will leave up to you.
Good luck and let me know if you need any more help.
Christy
Christy,
ReplyDeleteThis post is amazing. Thanks so much for the recipe. I recently made a DIY oil lamp with a starbucks bottle and I used a fiberglass wick. I purchased the lamp oil, and it was expensive for me to sustain (which is why I am on this site - to figure out a cheaper solution for the lamp oil - the ones I bought were the La-Tee-Da brand). I don't know anything about a stone, I guess that is specific to a diffusion lamp. But have you guys tried using a fiberglass wick? Those things work great, at least for my purposes. If there are any contraindications to using a fiberglass wick with this self-made lamp oil, please let me know. They definitely last a thousand times longer and they are cheaper. Thanks!
Not really sure what you mean by a "fiberglass" wick. I'm only familiar with the stone wicks and platinum wicks. Could you send me a picture of it? Then maybe I can be more helpful. send to : christurner29@aol.com
ReplyDeleteChristy, I have had an Effusion lamp for about 5 years and just stopped using it due to cost of oils. I have recently been getting in making my own lotions, face creams and essential oils and thought hmmmm....I bet I can make my own effusion oil. Found your site and just wanted to say "THANK YOU" so much for posting on this. It was exactly what I needed.
ReplyDeleteChristy, I tried your recipe using the Brambleberry frag oils but found quite a few gave off little to no scent. I tried adding more fragrance to the formula but of course this just clogged the stone and it went out. So apparently not all frags will work. (not Brambleberry's fault, btw... their frags are very good, I'm sure this would happen with any frag)
ReplyDeleteHave you run into this problem, and if so which frags did you find worked best ? And to save time and money which didn't ?
I wrote to BB btw, and asked them to blog about this and maybe provide a list of their stronger frags. Since for this to work you really need to use the strongest scents because so little can be added to the alcohol....
A few examples... I used their Patchouli and Smokey Patchouli frag oils which did nothing yet their DragonBlood and Mayan Gold frag oils worked fine....
Thank you for your post !
I haven't ever had a problem with any of Brambleberry's scents. I'm really at a loss as to why you would not be getting any scent from them. I'm assuming that you followed the recipe and that you are using 91% isopropyl alcohol and that you are hopefully using a Lampe Berger wick (they work the best). I've used so many of their scents and can't say that one is better than the other. I use mostly the "fragrant" oils rather than "essential" oils, but have used both over time. Soak your clogged wick for a couple of days and try again. I've never used Patchouli before or DragonBlood. Some are probably better than others. They used to sell a demo box, where you could order a bunch of scents for a very reasonable price. You might want to try that. I believe you get 1/2 an ounce in each bottle. That way you can experiment with them and see which ones work the best. As I say, I have never run into a problem. If you have any more questions, email me directly at christurner29@aol.com Hope this helps!!
ReplyDeleteHI Christy,
ReplyDeletedo you any experience with this wicks:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-PIECE-CATALYTIC-FRAGRANCE-LAMP-WICK-Fits-Lampe-Berger-/181303314361?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a368507b9
There is the hole in the middle you wrote about that and you said, that the hole is important. Greetings from germany, Joe
HI Christy,
ReplyDeletedo you any experience with this wicks:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-PIECE-CATALYTIC-FRAGRANCE-LAMP-WICK-Fits-Lampe-Berger-/181303314361?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a368507b9
There is the hole in the middle you wrote about that and you said, that the hole is important. Greetings from germany, Joe
I haven't had any experience with these particular wicks. I only purchased the Lampe Berger wicks. I have purchased them on Ebay (in bulk). They always last a long time and work well. Thanks for writing!!
ReplyDeleteI am making my oil with 91%, essential oils, and no water. It burns fine but it smells like alcohol only with very little scent. If I am soaking my wicks in 91% can I go ahead and add more oil to get more scent?
ReplyDeleteJoe, I would add a little more oil. Don't add too much or the wick will clog up. Are you using 100% pure essential oils. Some companies sell oils that are not pure. Also, some oils are stronger. Example: Lemon seems to be a weak scent. The spicy scents are stronger. Buy samples of the oils. Try them all and then invest in larger sizes of the oils that you like. Try bramble berry.com They have sample boxes. Good luck!!-Christy
DeleteThanks for your answer and have a good time!
ReplyDeleteOne more question, pls:
ReplyDeleteI can´t deside myself whether I should buy a Platinum wick or the original Lampe Berger wicks.
What are your experiences about the Platinum wick? I think you wrote that you used it, too.
Thanks again, Joe
I have always used the Lampe Berger wicks. One of them will last me 6 months or more, if I keep them soaking in alcohol. I tried the platinum wicks a long time ago. I loved them!! I did stop using them because they became difficult to find in the US. I do like both. You should try both and see which one you like better. -Christy
DeleteI have always used the Lampe Berger wicks. One of them will last me 6 months or more, if I keep them soaking in alcohol. I tried the platinum wicks a long time ago. I loved them!! I did stop using them because they became difficult to find in the US. I do like both. You should try both and see which one you like better. -Christy
ReplyDeleteHi Christy,
ReplyDeleteI'm new to all this but I want to say your blog has been very helpful. Was doing a little research on effusion lamps and happen to find your blog. I've read quite a few of the threads and have learned quite a bit but I have a couple questions of my own. I remember you saying you don't have to spend a lot of money on a lamp that the most important part is the wick and that you find that the Lampe Berger wicks for you are the best. Well I took that to mind and made my first purchase of a $15 Fragrance Lamp by Scentier today I'm planning to purchase some Lampe Berger wicks on ebay my question is how do you go about getting the right size for your lamp? I think they come in three sizes 90mm / 130mm /and 180mm. Also if the wick is what makes the lamp a great lamp why are the Lampe Berger lamps so dam expensive when the wick can be had for $5- $15 depending on how many you order and you can just apply it to an inexpensive lamp? I don't get it. I've also been searching high and low for the infamous Platinum wick and the only place I have found it is on the iScentu website for $18 But if you purchase any of their lamps it's included. What's that about? why only iScentu?
Ok, well let me first tell you a few things. A few years ago they came out with the Platinum wick. It was great because you didn't have to soak them. After a while you would have to trim the wick..I'm not really sure what happened, but they are very difficult to find these days. I don't know why-thinking maybe the company went under. So, that being said-I went back to the stone-lamps Berger wicks. I usually buy six at a time on Ebay. The effusion lamps themselves are hand blown glass-that's why they tend to be expensive. I purchased many of mine at a store at the mall called "Earthbound Trading". When on sale, they cost as low as 8 bucks. You really only need one. They last forever, unless you drop it!! Most of the effusion lamps are one standard size-it should comfortably fit onto you lamp. All of mine are the standard size. I know there are "mini" lamps around, but I've never used one. Look around for inexpensive lamps on the Internet or your local mall. If you purchase the Platinum wick you may have problems because you won't be able to replace it. I suggest the Lampe Berger wicks on Ebay. Standard size. Just keep them soaking and clean. Each one should give you six months or more of use-if you take care of them. Let me know if you need any more help. You can email me directly at christurner29@aol.com
DeleteYou say that 0.5 ml is about a teaspoon. This is wrong. 5 ml is a teaspoon. 0.5 is 1/10 teaspoon. Don't want people to make it too strong.
ReplyDeleteJohn,
DeleteYou are correct and someone brought this to my attention a while ago. I thought that I corrected it, but I guess I didn't. I use 5 ml of the oil and it does amount to about 1 teaspoon. Of coarse, you can add less if it's too strong. Going back now to correct it. Thanks for writing.
Christy - I had started reading the start of this blog and have spent the last couple of hours trying to find the Stonewick platinum wick. Being unsuccessful, I skipped down to the bottom of the blog and saw where you are now back to buy the Lampe Berger wicks on eBay. I checked eBay and found where I can buy the best deals on the Lampe Berger wicks (10 for $89.99 - free shipping).... but they are coming from Hong Kong. Is this where you are buying yours? I am leery of them being "knock-off" Lampe Berger wicks.... and thus, not working properly. Just wondering what your take is. Thanks, Eileen
ReplyDeleteChristy - are you buying the Lampe
ReplyDeleteBerger wicks from seller in Hong Kong? I found 10 for $89.99 and free shipping but was leery of ordering from Hong Kong. Just wanted your opinion. Thanks!
You can get the Platinum wick from http://www.iscentu.com/
ReplyDeleteHere is a photo of the Lampe Berger wicks that I use. ... 1nachttischlampe.blogspot.de
ReplyDeleteI live in the UK and can only get 99.9% alcohol can this be used
ReplyDeleteDo you have a more detailed explanation in wick maintenance?
ReplyDeleteit's a very great share christy, i really love it, hope i can make it here in my place, I haven't had any experience with these particular wicks but i think i'm gonna try to make it one...thanks for sharing christy...:)
ReplyDeleteHi Christy - I have 2 lamps - one wick is Lampe Berger, and the other is generic (it came with the lamp). I used your recipe - ordered Brambleberry fragrance oils and used distilled water (Using
ReplyDeleteButter Cream And Snickerdoodle Fragrance Oil 1 $6.20). I am soaking the wicks and stones in 91% isopropyl alcohol. However, with my homemade recipe, the stone (neither the Lampe Berger or the generic one) will stay hot after I light it and blow it out (after 2 minutes). They did work with my store-bought lamp oils, but now they do not (they stopped working immediately with the new recipe). Can you tell me if I am doing anything wrong? I have read through your troubleshooting post as well - racking my brain trying to figure out why my version of your recipe will not work. I have ordered new wicks (haven't arrived yet), and think I may go buy some more lamp oil at the store just to see if my currentt wicks still work with store-bought oil... signed, Confounded in Houston
Hi Sonia:
ReplyDeleteI know your frustration, first hand. It took me a few years to "master" the effusion lamps. Hopefully, I can help you.
The generic wick is probably garbage. I've never owned one that worked, more than a few times. But.....try putting it into a small, sealed plastic container, with 91% isopropyl alcohol and let it soak for a few weeks.
Next: Go to to the grocery store or Home Depot/Lowes and purchase a "wind proof" light. It must say "windproof" on the packaging. They are the long ones that you use to light a grill with. I can't live without one! It makes a "blue" flame, not yellow, like a conventional lighter. The conventional lighters don't work well to light these effusion wick.
Soak your Lampe Berger wick for a few days with the other one. Take it out, put it into the lamp and immediately light it using the new lighter. Keep the lighter on that wick until the stone turns red!! If you get it to light, let it flame for 5-6 minutes. Two minutes is too short. Then blow it out.
For some reason, I'm not sure why, scents that mimic foods (i.e., snickerdoodle, cupcakes, cake..etc) do have a tendency to clog these wicks. Try and stick with scents like: fresh linen, mint,tropical-orange, lemon, etc. I stay away from food-like scents. You may want to cut down on the Snickerdoodle scent when mixing.
Don't ever worry about soaking the wicks. The more the better. I have three soaking at all times in a sealed, Rubbermaid container. It helps to keep them clean. The purpose of using the new lighter is that it will "burn" the oil out of your stone.
Also, that in mind, some stones go "bad" sometimes, for no reason. Most of the time I have been able to resurrect them by soaking, and "forcing" them to light with the lighter that has a blue flame.
Always remember: never leave your effusion lamp with a flame, unattended. (I'm sure I don't have to tell you that-but I always feel better saying it).
If you need any more help, don't hesitate to email me. Always happy to help. Good luck. email me at: christurner29@aol.com