Lance Carson
Incense sticks are a great way to fill your home with a wonderful, fragrant scent. They are commonly called agarbatti in India and are considered to be a better alternative to air fresheners. The process of making incense sticks is simple and requires just a few ingredients and materials. The scent of the incense sticks can be customized by using various essential oils, fragrance oils, or a combination of both. The type of oil and the quantity used will determine the strength and longevity of the scent. Additionally, ingredients like dipropylene glycol (DPG) can be added to prevent the incense from producing black smoke.
How to add scent to incense sticks
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Dipropylene glycol (DPG), fragrance oil or essential oil, unscented incense sticks |
| Tools | Rectangular box or dish with a lip, cooling rack or drying rack, spoon, dropper or sprayer, aluminium foil, glass container, rubber gloves |
| DPG quantity | 1-1.5ml per incense stick, or 32-48 fl oz to scent 500 incense sticks |
| Oil quantity | 10ml per 20ml of DPG, or 16 fl oz to scent 500 incense sticks, or 20 drops per incense stick |
| Soaking time | 1 day or 24 hours |
| Drying time | 2 days or 24 hours |
| Notes | Avoid direct sunlight and heat while drying. Store oil runoff for future use. |
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What You'll Learn
Soak incense sticks in a fragrance oil and DPG mixture
To add scent to incense sticks, you can soak them in a mixture of fragrance oil and DPG (dipropylene glycol). This method can be used to create powerful-smelling and long-lasting incense sticks.
Firstly, you will need to purchase pre-prepared, unscented incense sticks. These are often available cheaply online or from local aromatherapy stores. You will also need to select a fragrance oil or essential oil of your choice. Keep in mind that the smoke will carry the scent through your home, so choose a fragrance that will create a pleasant, delicate smoky smell.
To make the scent mixture, combine 1 part fragrance oil with 2 parts DPG liquid in a glass or HDPE plastic container. Stir the mixture well, being careful to allow any oil on the spoon to drip back into the container. Next, soak the incense sticks in the scent mixture for 24 hours.
After soaking, remove the incense sticks from the mixture and set them on waxed paper to dry. Allow them to dry completely for at least 48 hours before burning. The leftover scent mixture can be stored in a glass or HDPE plastic container for future use.
It is important to note that DPG is a synthetic ingredient, and while it is not considered highly dangerous, some people prefer to avoid it. If you wish to make incense sticks without DPG, you can apply essential oils directly to the incense sticks or use other methods.
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Let the sticks dry for 24 hours
After you've coated your incense sticks in your chosen scent, it's time to let them dry. This is a crucial step, as it ensures that your incense sticks will burn properly and release their fragrance effectively. The standard drying time for incense sticks is 24 hours. This allows the oils to fully absorb into the sticks and evaporate any remaining moisture.
During the drying process, it's important to place the incense sticks in a well-ventilated area to ensure proper air circulation. A rack or a wooden frame with a metal mesh screen is ideal, as it allows air to reach the sticks from all sides. If you live in a humid climate, consider placing a fan near the drying sticks to speed up the evaporation of moisture.
While it's tempting to speed up the drying process, using an oven or dehydrator is not recommended, as the high temperatures can negatively impact the aroma of the incense sticks. Instead, maintain a consistent room temperature during the drying process. If you're short on time, focus on creating thinner incense sticks, as they will dry faster and be less prone to cracking or bending.
Once the incense sticks have dried completely, you can further preserve their aroma by packaging them in wax paper or cellophane. This protective layer will help maintain the integrity of the scent and ensure that your incense sticks are ready for use or gifting.
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Avoid direct sunlight and heat while drying
When making incense sticks, it is important to avoid direct sunlight and heat while drying the sticks. This is because direct sunlight and heat can cause the sticks to dry too quickly, leading to issues such as curling and cracking.
To dry incense sticks effectively, it is recommended to use a mesh screen, which allows for even airflow and helps eliminate problems like curling and cracking. Place the incense sticks flat and side-by-side on the screen, ensuring there are no spaces between the sticks. You can also use a fan to improve airflow and help the sticks dry straight.
If you are drying the incense sticks in an oven, try using only the oven light to provide a low level of heat. This can help prevent the sticks from curling. Alternatively, you can dry the sticks naturally without the use of heat, but be sure to rotate them during the drying process to prevent curling.
It is worth noting that the climate and humidity of your environment can impact the drying process. If you live in a humid climate, you may need to take extra measures to prevent mould growth. Additionally, the thickness of the incense sticks will also affect the drying time, with thinner sticks drying faster than thicker ones.
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Coat the incense sticks with essential oils
To make incense sticks, you can coat unscented incense sticks with essential oils. You can use a single oil or a blend of oils. If you are using a blend, mix them before applying them to the incense stick to ensure they are evenly distributed. You can use up to 20 drops of essential oil per incense stick. If you are making a batch of five incense sticks, you can use up to 100 drops of essential oil (about 4ml).
To coat the incense sticks with essential oils, place a few drops of the chosen oil(s) into a small dish or container. If you are using multiple oils, experiment with different ratios to find the desired fragrance strength. Take a plain incense stick and hold it at the bamboo stick end. Carefully dip the opposite end into the essential oil(s) in the dish, ensuring that the oil coats the stick about an inch or so. You could also use an oil dropper to add drops of the essential oil blend over the incense sticks from top to bottom. Allow the oil to saturate the incense stick for a few moments, ensuring it absorbs the fragrance.
If you are not using dipropylene glycol (DPG), an additive that helps to evenly distribute the aromatic ingredients and increase the longevity of the scent, lay your incense stick blanks down on a tray lined with aluminum foil. Use a dropper or sprayer to distribute the essential oil blend as evenly as you can over your blanks. Place the soaked blanks on a rack to dry for 24 hours. After that, they can be packaged in wax paper or cellophane to protect their aroma.
If you are using DPG, insert your incense stick blanks into a shallow glass dish that is as small as possible while still allowing the blanks to lay flat. Once the sticks are set up, pour the DPG and essential oil blend into the container, covering the blanks completely. If needed, you can add extra DPG to make sure the sticks are completely covered. Cover the container and let the sticks soak for 24 hours in a safe spot away from direct sunlight or excessive heat or cold.
Once your incense sticks are dry, they are ready to be lit and enjoyed.
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Burn the incense sticks to release the fragrance
Once you've made your own incense sticks, or bought some, you can burn them to fill your home with a wonderful fragrance. Incense sticks are commonly called agarbatti in India and are used for spiritual practice in many cultures. They are also used in the western world to create a calming atmosphere and a relaxing environment at home.
To burn incense sticks, light the tip of the stick with a match or a butane lighter. Once the tip is burning, blow it out and let the ember burn down the stick, releasing the essential oils as scented smoke. You can also gently blow on the lit tip to encourage glowing, ash-like embers that will release the scent. Depending on the length of the stick, it could burn for up to two hours. If you don't want it to burn for that long, you can extinguish the ember by dipping the tip of the burning stick in water and relight it later. Always be careful when burning incense and keep an eye on children and pets.
The choice of fragrance oil for your incense is entirely yours. You can choose from hundreds of varieties, including essential oils or different aromas like toffee, vanilla, honey, or even designer perfumes or colognes. You can also create your own blends with base, middle, and top notes to add a fragrant complexity. Traditional incense scents like frankincense and myrrh are perfect for beginners.
When burning incense, it's important to use an incense stick holder to keep it away from surfaces. You can also use a porcelain dish to hold your bamboo incense stick, which is branded with a metallic punctured disk in gold or silver. It's also important to burn incense in a well-ventilated area as the smoke can irritate your lungs. Keep windows open and consider running an air purifier.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need pre-prepared, unscented incense sticks, fragrance oil or essential oil, and dipropylene glycol (DPG).
Mix 1 part fragrance oil and 1 or 2 parts DPG in a glass container. Soak the incense sticks in the mixture for 1 day, then air-dry them for 2 days.
Light the tip of the incense stick with a match or butane lighter. Blow it out and allow the ember to burn down the stick, releasing the scented smoke.
