Grease, grime, dirt, muck. If there is one thing we all have in common, it's the need to clean the spaces we live, work, and play in. There is a mystery, though, of what ingredients are actually used to make our cleaning solvents. Some of these ingredients are caustic. Some are carcinogenic. Some are neurotoxic. Most are unidentifiable because companies do not always disclose some or all of their ingredients. Some claim to be “green,” but aren't necessarily safe. To maximize our health and wellness, we all need a safe, nontoxic cleaner we can trust to do the job and not harm us.
One of my favorite DIY cleaners, featuring essential oils:
- 1 spray bottle
- 3 parts hydrogen peroxide to 1 parts water
- 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
- 10 drops of lemon oil
If you need a soft scrub, you can use the same proportions listed above, and mix in baking soda until you form a loose paste… and use that as a scrub.
Don't have time to DIY your cleaning?
Have you heard of Thieves cleaner?
Thieves cleaner takes its name from Young Living's Thieves essential oil blend, which is the “heart and soul” of the cleaner. It received its name in remembering a historical group of thieves whose story is recorded in the Royal English Archives.
Here is a brief summary for those of you who enjoy history:
The thieves were actually spice traders and merchants, importing spices, including cinnamon and clove, from India. When the Black Plague hit, all international shipping and trade was closed down. Unable to do business, these spice traders quickly ran out of money and had to find a way to support themselves.
Since people in the communities were afraid to touch the dead bodies, they decided to loot the homes and bodies of the plaque victims. They would take anything they could find that could later be sold, such as clothes, jewelry, pots and pans, and then barter or trade them for food and money. They believed they wouldn't get sick if they rubbed vinegar, oils, and certain spices all over their bodies, and were able to set up a very lucrative pawn business.
When the King heard about the story of the thieves, he wanted to know their secret recipe, and sent his Constables out to capture them. Four of the thieves were caught and brought before the King. He gave them a choice to either share their secret formula of “immunity” or be burned at the stake. The thieves decided to share their secret formula with the King. Immediately afterwards, the king posted the thieves secret formula all over the town.
So, Young Living came up with an effective essential oil blend designed to support the immune system and later used that oil blend to create a safe, non-toxic all-purpose cleaner. And today, the essential oil blend that powers the cleaner is over 25 years old!
Better yet, this cleaner has helped me save money!
Seriously! We solely use the Thieves cleaner for everything now… especially being a busy mom who just wants to streamline everything and be efficient and effective as possible.
I'm always impressed by the quick cleaning abilities this cleaner has, and how gentle it is – and I'm confident you will be satisfied with it too.
Plus saving money!! Who wouldn't want to save money???? When you dilute Thieves Cleaner to its appropriate levels, it costs only $0.9 per bottle!
So… what all can you do with Thieves Cleaner?
Everything! I think the better question would be “what can't you use Thieves Household Cleaner on?”… I haven't found anything yet.
Seriously. Here are 50 examples of how this one bottle of cleaner can replace every cleaning item under your bathroom and kitchen sinks (and anywhere else you might store your cleaning products)… it really is the only cleaner we use now.
- Glass Cleaner
- Dusting Cleaner using this wood polishing recipe
- Clean your kitchen sink
- Clean your kitchen counters
- Clean your kitchen floors
- Clean your fridge and freezer
- Clean your oven (add baking soda and water to make an incredibly effective scrub)
- Clean your glass or ceramic stove top
- Clean those dishes with stubborn food stuck on
- Clean and refresh wood cabinets
- Clean out your Camelbak water bottle
- Clean your kitchen/dining room table, chairs, and high chair
- Clean your windows and windowsills
- Spot clean your carpets (or all your carpets)
- Clean your dog's or kid's messes out of the carpet
- Clean your kid's goopy Flarp/Gack that hardens and sticks everywhere
- Clean your TV screen
- Clean your door frames
- Clean your bathroom sinks
- Clean your mirrors
- Clean your tub and shower surround (add some baking soda and water for a nice soft scrub)
- Clean your tub (and tub jets if you're lucky enough to have a jetted tub)
- Clean your bathroom toilets
- Clean your bathroom floors
- Clean your kid's potty chair or seat insert
- Clean your baseboards
- Clean your grill
- Clean your light bulbs and fan blades
- Clean your kids' toys
- Clean your dog's toys
- Clean your dog's crate
- Use in lieu of dishwasher detergent
- Use in lieu of laundry detergent (yes, as a military family, I often end up resorting to this during our moves)
- Use as a laundry stain remover
- Clean your kid's grass stains out of clothes
- Clean your baby's poop stains out of clothes
- Clean your spouse's car grease stains out of clothes
- Clean tools in your garage
- Clean car parts
- Wash your car
- Clean your kids' car seats
- Clean car dashboards
- Clean grease off your hands
- Clean your jewelry
- Clean leather
- Clean your keyboard
- Clean areas with mildew
- Clean shopping cart handles
- Clean sports equipment
- Clean camping equipment, and camper
And this stuff LASTS!!
My last bottle spanned a whopping 15 months through my obsessive cleaning, toddler rampages, 2 dogs, and deep cleaning 3 houses (2 of them were deep cleaned twice) — all using the same concentrated 64-ounce bottle!
What do you think??
Did we miss a use? Have you made the switch yet to a good, non-toxic cleaner? If you use Thieves Cleaner, let us know in the comments your favorite way of using it or if you have a clever way to use it that not on the list!
Beware of Greenwashing! Make sure your cleaners are SAFE for your family to use
Not all non-toxic cleaners are created equally. Many companies are jumping on the “green” bandwagon, but actually don't fully disclose ingredients, or assume consumers are stupid and lazy and slap a ‘green' label on it, even when it contains toxic ingredients.
Check out my Toxic Home Series for more information.
I fully trust Young Living, and have seen their dedication to quality and providing products that are safe to use in your home.
Where can you find Thieves Cleaner?
To purchase Thieves Cleaner, you must either be a Young Living customer
Anyone can be a wholesale customer and enjoy a lifetime 24% discount on all Young Living products. With your membership, I'll personally be available to help coach you and provide you with group resources and some reference material to help you on your non-toxic journey.
When you create your wholesale account, make sure to select the Thieves Premium Starter Kit. This will give you:
- 2 14oz bottles of undiluted Thieves Cleaner,
- 2 bottles of Thieves Spray
- a bottle of hand sanitizer,
- a tube of Thieves toothpaste,
- 2 Thieves foaming hand soaps,
- a 15ml bottle of Thieves essential oil blend,
- some samples of my favorite Ningxia Red supplement
- a bonus 5ml bottle of Stress Away essential oil blend
all for $160 – to help you start your nontoxic journey.
