Things to Consider Before Adding Scented Liquids to an Indoor Water Fountain

If you have an indoor water fountain and love the idea of adding a subtle scent to your home’s interior, then you may have considered putting a drop or two of your favorite essential oil, perfume, or other scented liquid in your fountain’s water supply. While doing so can sometimes lead to a beautiful scent wafting through the air, its always a good idea to consider a few things before adding any foreign substances to a fountain.

First, it’s important to understand that certain indoor water fountains react poorly when exposed to substances other than water. White some scented liquids may discolor a fountain or ruin its finish, others may clog the fountain’s pump, filter, or motor, preventing it from working altogether. Unless your fountain’s user manual explicitly encourages the use of scented liquids, then it might be wise to think twice before adding them to your fountain’s water supply.

If, upon consideration, you’ve decided that you still want to add a scented liquid to your indoor water fountain, then don’t add too much in a single go. It’s easy enough to add another drop of your favorite scented liquid if you find the first drop to be less potent than you’d like. Trying to dilute an overwhelming smell, on the other hand, can be quite troublesome—especially if the scent leaches into the materials from which the water fountain was constructed.

Now, if your reason for considering the use of scented liquids is to mask any unpleasant smells coming from the fountain itself, then a simple water change might be enough to solve your problem. Unfortunately, a water change will have little effect if the unpleasant smell is already present in your tap water. In this case, you can try boiling the tap water before adding it to the fountain (be sure to sufficiently cool it) or use bottled water instead. If you choose to use bottled water in your fountain, then be sure to avoid using any flavored or carbonated varieties.

As you can see, there are several things worth considering before adding scented liquids to an indoor water fountain. That’s why it’s important to weigh your options before taking any action. So, before you add any type of scented liquid to your fountain, please keep the following three points in mind: certain substances might harm your fountain, less is usually more when adding a scented liquid, and performing a simple water change may be enough to combat any unpleasant smells coming from a fountain.