Thieves Oil is one of my new favorite family “remedies” in my holistic medicine chest arsenal. A blend of five essential oils, I was introduced to it last year from a friend of mine who swore by it’s effectiveness in battling everything from headaches to mouth sores to coughs and colds. Anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-septic and anti-fungal, thieves oil is safe for children (when administered by a caring, knowledegable adult) and I use it in my home as a hand sanitizer, rubbed on little (and big) chests and necks when they are down with winter colds, and even as an air purifier during cold and cough season.
Not to mention, it makes your house and hands smell like Christmas.
Thieves oil is named as such because it is rumored that the original blend was given to the King of England after a band of thieves who had been stealing from the ill, dying and dead during the plague, were caught. Demanding to know how they stayed well even after being intimately close with those who were infected, the thieves explained that they had been spice merchants and traders pre-plague and had developed this blend of herbs and spices, and rubbed it on their throats, ears, noses and hands before going out on their raids.
You can buy Thieves Oil online, but I prefer to make my own – much more economical and I never have to re-order because one “batch” lasts a long, long time!
I bought most of these oils and supplies last year from a local store, but they are also available via Mountain Rose Herbs.
Thieves Oil
The ingredients :
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Clove Essential Oil
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Lemon Essential Oil
- 2-1/2 teaspoons (12.5 ml) Cinnamon (Cassia) Bark Essential Oil
- 2 (10 ml) teaspoons Eucalyptus Essential Oil
- 2 (10 ml) teaspoons Rosemary Essential Oil
- A carrier oil of your choice*
- Dark-colored bottles with droppers (I have the 1-ounce size, some with regular screw tops and a few dropper tops)
*The carrier oil I tend to prefer is Sweet Almond Oil because it’s easily available, is safe for newborns on up and I always have it on hand for use as a massage oil, carrier oil or just after-bath oil for those sensitive-skinned ones living among us. It also sinks into the skin easily without being greasy, and can be used at 100% dilution. Other carrier oils you can use at 100% dilution include grapeseed and apricot kernel or if you want to blend carrier oils, try 10% avocado or jojoba, mixed in, among others.
In a glass measuring cup, measure out all of the essential oils.
It ends up making around an eighth of a cup of essential oil blend.
But remember, these are essential oils we are talking about. They are POTENT and are almost never, ever used without being diluted into either a carrier oil or in water. An eighth of a cup of undiluted essential oil blend is A LOT. It has lasted me over a year and I’ve given a few (diluted) bottles away. Just saying.
How to use Thieves Oil
I use Thieves Oil, if not daily, then at least several times a week. I keep two bottles handy at all times : one undiluted (or, “neat”) and another diluted with my favorite carrier oil (I tend to favor almond or jojoba oil) for use topically. Please make sure that your undiluted and your diluted bottles are CAREFULLY and CLEARLY marked as such!
To dilute your Thieves Oil for use topically, simply blend :
12-30 drops of essential oil blend with 2 Tablespoons of carrier oil, or up to 5 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil,
You can use your DILUTED Thieves Oil, topically :
- As a hand sanitizer
- Massaged onto the bottom of the feet to ward away cold and flu
- Massaged onto the small of your back and the back of your neck to minimize aches and pains during cold and flu season
- Rubbed into the chest, neck and ears to ward away the cold and flu and help open up the sinuses
- Dab a drop on your temples to help ward away a headache
- Dab a drop on an insect bite to make it stop itching
You can use your UNDILUTED Thieves Oil by adding :
- 1-9 drops in a bowl of just-boiled water or a humidifer for room purification
- 1 drop per ounce of water for use as an all-purpose disinfecting spray (you can also use this as a room or fabric/mattress spray at this ratio)
- a few drops mixed in to your steam vacuum or steam mop water,
- a few drops mixed with baking soda to use as a disinfectant scrub (sinks, bathtubs, etc.),
- a maximum of 8 drops in a bath or shower (less for children, more for adults)
- 8 drops to a diffuser to clean the air (I do this all the time during cold and flu season)
- 5-10 drops in your washing machine to disinfect toys, sheets, etc.
- add a drop or two to a soft cloth to clean and disinfect items like cell phones or computers
Make sure to err on the low side of dilution for children or pregnant women**, and on the higher side for adults.
Make sure that you clearly label your essential oil blends and keep them away from children. Yes, they are safe to use, sparingly on children***, but they should be administered by the hands of a knowledgeable adult.
I’ve seen stories online from people who use Thieves Oil for all manner of things from a foot bath when dealing with athletes foot (due to it’s anti-fungal properties), mixed with vinegar as a mouthwash (do NOT ingest) and even for clearing up mold in the home. I haven’t tried any of these options, I don’t necessarily support or recommend them, but they are out there if you are interested.
Have you ever used Thieves Oil? What other oil blends do you keep in your holistic medicine chest?
Curious about using other essential oils for holistic purposes? These are my favorite resources:
** When I first made this blend I investigated each ingredient to find out it’s safety for pregnant women. They all came back safe but this year, when I wrote this post, I’m finding differing opinions on cinnamon bark oil. From what I read last year cinnamon leaf oil and cinnamon oil are not safe for pregnant women (they can cause contractions and potentially induce labor) but cinnamon bark oil was okay. Depending on the source, I’m finding different information this time and, as I’m not a trained herbalist, I’m not going to tell you it’s 100% safe however I used it while pregnant (diluted with a carrier oil) with no problems.
***Note : I would not use this topically on children under 18 months (and at that age, heavily diluted) and would only use it sparingly on small children.
Thieves® is a registered trademark of Young Living Essential Oils, LC. heartland Renaissance is not affiliated with Young Living Essential Oils, LC in any way.
I’ve been meaning to order thieves oil to use in my homemade cleaning products – I’ve never researched how to make it. Thanks for your post! I’m curious if you found differences in ratios when coming up with this recipe or is there one traditional version.
Hi Lisa!
Good question! Mostly I’ve found either my version or one where you just add equal quantities of all the essential oils and call it good. Personally, I prefer a higher concentration of cinnamon over eucalyptus, but both would probably work fine. Other recipes I’ve found online just made smaller batches but had a similar concentration of oils; I made sure to include the ml quantity in mine in case you wanted to reduce it easily!
I’ve also heard/researched about Thieves Vinegar which is a similar concept (antibacterial/antiviral) but it uses different herbs and uses herbs infused in whole form in vinegar, rather than essential oils. I haven’t tried that one out yet . . . but the basic recipe is thyme, rosemary, sage and lavender, though some I’ve found include lemon and lemon balm and even marshmallow root, garlic and wormwood as well.
Hope this helps! Let me know if you make it!
Best,
Sarah
I’ve made and used 4 Thieves Vinegar as an insect/mosquito repellent for years. My recipe uses wormwood.
Kim, will you share your 4 Thieves Vinegar recipe with us please? Thanks. Being a camper, we have lots of ‘squitos. Also, anyone, would that be safe to spray on my 10# dogs too for mosquitos? Anyone know? Thank you.
Thanks for posting this! I’ve heard of thieves oil and thought about making a batch for cleaning and other household things. I’ve been using doTERRA On Guard in very much the same way, it has all the same essential oils but instead of lemon it has wild orange. I use it every day this time of year, on myself and diffused. (and yes, I have an extra one in my purse too) We joke that it’s my fall/winter perfume! But I would love to make a batch of thieves oil myself to save on cost. (And I already have most of these) I may have to pick your brain about essential oils in the near future, I didn’t know you were using them too!
Thanks so much for this post! I’m working on a notebook to keep here at home for when we get sick. It seems when we’re sick, I just freak out instead of remember what to do.
This will defiantly be going in the notebook and I need to buy more of those oils! Thanks.
Would cinnamon leaf be as effective as cinnamon bark?
Cinnamon leaf is closer to Clove Bud essential oil as far as therapeutic value. Cinnamon Cassia is Asian Cinnamon which is primarily antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial. It can also cause mild/moderate irritation to mucosal lining and the epidermis if not properly diluted or used to often. Also lemon/ most citrus is phototoxic . Which means can cause you to be more sensitive to the sun. These are all things to be taken into consideration when using this blend. If you are new or a blend is new to you, always start with a mild dilution and work up especially with children.
Hi Sarah,
I’d like to make Thieves Oil. I’m not sure how much carrier you added to the 1/8 cup mixed essential oils? Did you say add an equal amount so you added another 1/8 cup almond oil or did you add more?
Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth!
The details for dilution are in bullet points later down the post, I’m sorry it wasn’t clear to you! Here they are again:
12-30 drops of essential oil blend with 2 Tablespoons of carrier oil, or up to 5 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil,
and you can keep a small bottle of it undiluted (clearly marked) and add :
1-9 drops in a bowl of just-boiled water or a humidifer for room purification
1-9 drops per cup of water for use as a room sprayer, or
a maximum of 8 drops in a bath or shower (less for children, more for adults)
Let me know if you have any questions!
Best,
Sarah
I saw this same recipe on another site, and they used the entire amount of essential oils in one cup of jojoba oil. This was at http://www.noordinaryhomestead.com/dailiness/how-to-make-thieves-oil/ if you want to read the post.
This is a great post. I’m so interested in trying this.
P.S. Love that we’re both in the midlands
Thanks! Let me know if you have any questions!
[...] Thieves Oil from Heartland Renaissance [...]
Hi Sarah! I just found your blog and I love it! So, I’m a newbie.
I just have a quick question. Im REALLY confused about it when a recipe calls for 10 or 100 percent dilution. I even googled it lol, I’m just not getting it lol… HELP!!!
Many thanks & Happy Trails!
Thank-You, you share such valuable information & recipes; I absolutely love & appreciate you as well as this site!
I have been using a homemade blend like this for over two yrs and it is wonderful I use it undiluted but I include peppermint oil. We dont get colds any,more and when we do it only last a couple of days. I make a blend of peppermint oil eucaliptus oil and rosemaryoil. for all of us we use as a sanitizer. and my husband uses it for his asma. so he dosnt reach much for the inhaler he sleeps wit a bottle under his pillow.. and when he needs it he puts some on his nose.
Thank you so much!! I can’t wait to make it! I’m a newbie and am wondering if I want to make cleaning wipes for bathroom/kitchen (like Clorox ones) how would I do them??
Thank you in advance and I’m your new follower
Thank you for posting this! I wrote it down last year and misplaced it. I am so glad I found it again! I use a blend of emu and olive oil as the carrier.
It is my all purpose go to blend. I also add a bit of Frankinsence and Myrrh with the peppermint. After applying it to my neck/chest area I rub my hands together and then cup them over my nose and inhale all the aromatic goodness!! Thanks again, tablesoons and tsp are alot easier than 40 drops, 20 drops etc.
I commend you for your dedication to your health & the health of your family! However, do you know where the essential oils have come from that are in your recipe? Many store-bought oils today have chemicals & toxins added. While you may have a perfume quality, I do not believe the quality to be therapeutic-grade. Only therapeutic-grade essential oils can bring first aid & pain management. I purchase my essential oils from Young Living; they grow the plants, cultivate, distill, test each batch, & seal them into bottles. I hope you are not offended, I speak b/c my wish is that people would use pure, unadulterated essential oils that will bring them wellness.
Great post! I love the Young Living Thieves Household Cleaner. We’ve been using it for almost 2 years now and its amazing. You’re right, it smells like Christmas and it works so well. It gets my house just a clean as hot vinegar with out the stink
Dear Sarah,
Honestly, I’ve been where you are at, having learned the hard way that making blends with inferior oils (in fact, the very ones that you have pictured) only brings more harm than good, not to mention, you can’t use them to their fullest extent (ingesting) because of their toxicity. I would caution you to reconsider this post for yourself & the benefit of your readers & especially their children!!! Young Living Essential Oils are the longest standing, best quality, safest, purest, lab-tested, therapeutic-grade essential oils on the market & in the world! If you are interested in learning how to obtain these oils free AND at wholesale prices or would just like more information about my claims to you about your post, please contact me! I would be MORE than happy to share & explain or answer any questions you may have regarding the danger of propagating your post to people who unwittingly believe that this recipe is safe to use on themselves & their children (including yourself)! I’ve got lots of info I could send you to read or watch or listen to (whatever you prefer!) that would help you see what I’m talking about. Believe me, I used inferior oils for several years before realizing their danger, so I know. I encourage you to investigate this for yourself. Let me know how I can help.
Sincerely,
Tanya
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We use this blend for warts also. The dermatologist gave is medicine for warts that listed cancer as the first side effect. And, my daughter spilled it on a chair and it stripped the finish. We started using medieval oil from Aura Cacia and they cleared up!
[...] and colds back and forth and around this house over and over. We upped chicken stock, garlic, used Thieves Oil, drank elderberry syrup. Not to mention went to the doctor and tried prescriptions. Nothing [...]
Where do you buy your colored bottles?
Hi Rhonda!
I buy my dark bottles through Mountain Rose Herbs. I’ve tried to link it in this response as well as above in the recipe. Hope this helps!
Best,
Sarah
Nice blog I have been useing dOTERRA Essential oils and there Life Long Vitality Pack supplements for a year now. I am happy to say my household is percription and over the counter medication free now. My husband and I are healthier because of this it’s a shame really that it took us so long to look into essentials oils. Thank you for sharing the information
Hi! You’re blog post is very helpful! I also make my own thieves oil blend, it’s just so much cheaper. I have been searching all over the internet trying to figure out how many drops to use on adults and small children. What do you do for your family? I have just been using it on our feet and chests. Thank you!
What is the recipe for the cleaning solution? I would really like to try that, as well!!! Thank you for this information!! God bless!!!!
Hi Philisha!
I just updated this post with more ways to use Thieves Oil with details both medicinally as well as around the house, so please come back and check it out!
But, for a cheat sheet, add 1 drop of undiluted Thieves Oil per ounce of water to use an all purpose disinfecting spray.
Best,
Sarah
Great post and thanks for the recipe. I use doTERRA’s On Guard blend which is very similar but think I’ll make your blend to keep on hand for when I run out of the other since I already have all the oils.
I went to a seminar given by Gray Young’s sister (Young Living Oils) and she gave us this one that works very well. Its Anti Bacterial, Anti Flu, and good to Enhance the Respitory system. 4 Parts Hyssop 3 Parts Rosemary 3 Parts Peppermint 3 Part Eucalyptus 3 Parts Lemon 1 Part Cinnamon It works good for diffusing. You can use it as you would thieves.
Thank you for sharing such an interesting and detailed post. Yours was the favorite of those I found while researching making my own Thieves blend. I shared your link on Facebook.