Friday, September 21, 2012

Thieves Oil Recipe and Uses

 I am the Health and Beauty buyer for the health food store I work at and that means that I deal a lot with essential oils ~ right up my alley! :-) I have used essential oils for years for my own recipes for skin care, house-hold cleaners, etc. And while working on the "selling" end of essential oils, instead of just the "using" end, I've needed to do more research on the uses of particular oils and blends so that I can better serve my customers AND share that information with YOU.

One of the most popular and useful oils (besides Tea Tree) is a blend most commonly called Thieves Oil or Thieves Blend. This is an amazingly useful and effective blend of 5 essential oils.
 The story behind the name and the blend is that during the time of the Black Plague, there was a band of thieves who, even though they plundered and stole from the bodies and homes of those who had suffered and died from the disease, they themselves remained well and seemingly miraculously unharmed from the Black Death. They credited their health on a blend of essential oils that they rubbed over their entire bodies. This blend became known as Thieves Oil.

As I have mentioned in other posts about essential oil blends, use either an amber or blue glass bottle for your oils and keep them in a cool place between uses. 

Here is the basic blend:

~200 drops of Clove Oil
~175 drops of Lemon Oil
~100 drops of Cinnamon Oil
~75 drops of Eucalyptus Oil
~50 drops of Rosemary Oil 

**makes 1 oz**

During my research, I found a website that had a treasure trove of great recipes for Thieves Oil use, which I'll list below. I would like to add that whenever they mention a "carrier oil" ~ for topical application or massage ~ I would recommend either grape seed oil for oilier skins (light weight and "clean," my favorite carrier oil) or Jojoba oil for a heavier application.


Always remember to use essential oils carefully.

Here are some awesome recipes for your family's health from the website ~

"Thieves Oil Recipe" All-purpose Spray:
 
This is an all-purpose spray solution for cleaning and disinfecting around the home, purifying the air and eliminating odors



1 drop of thieves essential oil for each ounce of water.

Add the thieves oil first, then add water. It mixes better that way. Shake vigorously before each use.

(**NOTE** In my own home spray, I use 25-30 drops of any of my oils or oil blends per 4 oz. mist/spray bottle of distilled water. ~KW<><)


Basic Thieves Oil Recipe for Topical Application and Massage:


1 drop of thieves oil to 4 drops carrier oil.

Massage on the feet (vita flex points), lower back, neck and behind the ears.

We use this dilution for everyone. Babies too, though usually just on their feet. Test for sensitivity first.

*Note: This thieves oil recipe is excellent for daily use as protection against germs, especially during the cold and flu season.


Thieves Oil for Diffusing

Diffusing Thieves Oil will purify the air and eliminate odors.

Diffuse 15-20 drops of thieves oil for 15 minutes three or four time a day in an essential oil diffuser. 

This can help protect against infectious germs. This is valuable during cold and flu season or during infectious outbreaks.

If our house or family members have been exposed to any infectious germs we run the diffuser continuously for a few hours. At the very first sign of any symptoms we diffuse continually at 100 percent until symptoms subside. I like to add a few drops of lemon essential oil along with the thieves in the diffuser for respiratory infections.

We also run the diffuser in the bedroom of anyone who is sick, while they sleep at night. This gets a continuous flow of the therapeutic oils into the respiratory tract and is very healing.
 
Thieves Oil Recipes for Internal Use
 

*Use Thieves Oil internally for extra protection

1. Add 2-3 drops of Thieves and 4-6 drops of vegetable oil [I would recommend grapeseed oil ~ KW<><] to a size “OO” capsule and take daily.

2. Drop 1-2 drops directly onto your tongue.

3. Mix 1-2 drops in a spoonful of honey or Agave and swallow.

4. Mix 1-2 drops in a glass of soy, almond or rice milk.

5. Mix 1-2 drops in juice or water.

6. Put 1-2 drops onto a slice of bread.

7. Lick a drop off the top of your hand.

Thieves Oil Recipes for Household Use

1. Stuffed Animals – To disinfect and clean, place toy inside pillowcase and tie shut. Fill washer with detergent, use fabric softener if desired. Add 5-10 drops of Thieves Essential Oil, (for small load) to washing machine. Wash on gentle cycle.

2. Hair spray build-up, gum, gummy adhesive -Dilute 8 drops in 4 ounces of water, spray, let set for a few minutes before wiping.

3. Cell phones-Spray thieves cleaning solution very lightly on a cloth and gently wipe phone.

4. Dishwasher- add 4-5 drops to thoroughly clean dishes, eliminate bacteria and odors.

5. Laundry- add 5-6 drops per load to freshen and disinfect.

6. Pet Bedding-Spray down cat boxes, dog houses, and pet cages to clean and disinfect.

7. Pet Dishes- Add 1-2 drops to soapy water and wash dishes. Rinse well.

8. Plants-To repel aphids spray plants with a mixture of 2 drops thieves to every 4 ounces of water.

9. Floors-add a 10-15 drops to ½ bucket of cleaning water.

10. Surface Disinfectant-To clean and sanitize surfaces-add 8 drops to 8 oz of water in spray bottle.

11. Fragrance-Add a few drops to pot-pourri or cinnamon sticks to fragrance your home.

12. Add several drops of oil onto a cotton ball and place in home, office, car, or hotel air vents to mask odor and purify the air.

13. Drop 4–5 drops onto a cloth and place in clothes dryer to freshen laundry.

14. Bed Bugs-Spray mattresses to help dispel bed bugs.

15. Add 4-5 drops to sink water and wash children's toys to clean and disinfect.

Thieves Oil for Common Ailments

1. Flu: Dilute 15 drops with 15 drops of carrier oil. Apply to lower back (where viruses and bacteria tend to hibernate), to the upper back of thighs, and back of neck to help with symptoms.
 
*Note: When I [the writer of the website, not Kim<><] get the flu and have body aches, I massage Thieves undiluted or “neat” to my lower back, and on the top back of my thighs with “excellent” results. The relief is amazing. Some members of our family have sensitive skin and it is too "hot" if they don't dilute it. So always test first for sensitivity and have vegetable oil nearby to wipe off if necessary.

2. Immune support: Dilute 1 drop of thieves to 4 drops carrier oil and apply to feet. Apply twice daily, morning and night, for extra support during cold and flu season. (especially before leaving for school, work, or going out in public)

3. Bronchitis: Apply to lower back, sternum, chest and throat, sinus and bronchial vita-flex points.

4. Insect bites (mosquito, bee and wasp stings): Apply to bite or sting to reduce inflammation, relieve pain and counteract toxins.

5. Sore throat: Add 2-3 drops to 2 tbsp. of water and gargle, or add 1 drop of thieves and 1 drop lemon essential oil in warm water, drink as tea.

You can lick 1 drop off top of your hand and swallow or you can drop 1-2 drops directly on your tongue, swish around in mouth to mix with saliva, and swallow slowly.

6. Cuts and scrapes: Dilute 1 drop thieves oil to 4 drops of vegetable or carrier oil to prevent and apply to wound to help prevent infection and speed healing and you can apply diluted thieves on gauze or band-aid and cover wound or scrape

7. Headache: Place a drop on your thumb and place on the roof of your mouth. May require repeated applications. Be careful not to lick your lips as this can burn. Use vegetable or carrier oil to wipe off if you do.

8. Head and lung congestion: Place a few drops in a steaming bowl of hot water, cover head with towel and inhale vapors.

9. Poison Ivy: 2 drops of thieves mixed with 2 drops of vegetable or carrier oil, if there is swelling add 2 drops of lavender.

10. Acne: Apply undiluted to pimple. This works great and drys the pimple out quickly. If skin is too sensitive dilute with water.

11. Antibiotic blend:

~10 drops of Thieves Oil
~6 drops of oregano
~2 drops of frankincense
~Place in a “00” capsule and take daily.

12. Freshen Breath: Drop directly on the tongue, or add to a spoonful of honey or Agave, or even on a piece of bread and swallow for unpleasant breath.

Thieves Oil Recipe for Health and Wellness

1. Put a drop of thieves on your toothbrush before brushing to kill cavity producing germs and to sanitize your toothbrush.

2. Mouthwash: Add 1 drop per ounce of water, shake well before use.

3. Toothpaste: Add 2 drops to 4 tbsp. of baking soda, place in small container (not plastic) and shake well. Dip toothbrush in mixture and brush.

4. For protection against colds, flu, and other infectious disease apply to the bottom of feet.

5. Add 1 drop to a bottle of water and drink during the day to boost immune system, break up internal mucous, and help clean digestive tract.

6. Add 1 drop thieves to a cup of warm water and drink as a tea, wait 15 minutes before eating, excellent for and cleaning digestive system.

7. Add 1 drop to orange juice, soy milk, apple juice, etc. to boost immune system, break up phlegm and congestion.

8. Place 1–3 drops in a size “00” capsule with 4-6 drops of vegetable oil and swallow daily to boost immune system and support longevity. Adds extra support during cold and flu season.

9. Thieves Oil Recipe for Flu:


~6 drops of Thieves Essential Oil
~4 drops Oregano Essential Oil
~4 drops of Mountain Savory Essential Oil
~2 drops of Hyssop Essential Oil.


Place in a size “00” capsule and take up to four times a day. This works!!!

10. Thieves Oil Recipe for Sore throat:
Thieves spray formula- 1 drop of Thieves Oil to 1 ounce of water.

Let me know if you try any of these recipes & how your family benefited from them.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

18 comments:

  1. Hi Kim!

    We use Thieves on a daily basis during the school year. I also apply it to the bottoms of my girls feet when an illness starts...typically they are illness free within a day or so!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's great! My goodness ~ Thieves Oil & Tea Tree Oil, once you start using them you wonder how you ever survived w/o them! lol

      Blessings . . .

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  2. Kim. I've learned about "Vinegar of the Four Thieves back in the 90's from an herbal remedies book, but never tried it. After reading this I can't imagine not! Would you have any advice for a first time use other than test for senitivity?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Typically, the best place to try this blend is either on the bottoms of your feet ~ where it also does the most good against illnesses such as colds, viruses, fatigue, etc ~ or on a small section of the inside of your arm. If you would like to try it w/a nice, light carrier oil, try grape seed oil.

      Let me know how you LOVE it! :-)

      Blessings . . .

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  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. Hi Kim...I am so happy to have found your homey and warm blog site. I recently have discovered Thieves oil blend and have become quite fond of it. I especially love the Thieves hard candy and attempt to make it myself, and I am looking for a recipe to do just that.

    Have you any knowledge of such a recipe?

    Thanks,
    Wendy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, that sounds really interesting. I've never heard of Thieves candy ~ would you use it like hore-hound for cough drops or something like that? I'd be interested in knowing if you find a recipe. Thanks for the tip.

      And thank you, SO much, for your kind words, I hope you visit often.

      Blessings from Ohio . . .

      Delete
  5. You don't by chance know how to make up the Di-Gize mixture do you :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is a Young Living product & I'm only familiar with the name. I think I've only used one product of theirs. You may be able find the recipe on the web. I'm sure someone has figured it out :-)

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  6. An anonymous reader was kind enough to leave me an encouraging comment ~ which I appreciate, very much ~ but also attempted to leave a little advertising ~ which I do not accept. So, here is their kind comment w/o the ad:

    It's difficult to find educated people for this topic, however, you sound like you know what you're talking about!
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  7. A lot of times, I see "add a drop, place a drop, etc." (on your toothbrush for example). Does this always need to be diluted with carrier oil, or are there times when it doesn't need to be? I'm very confused. For instance, when mixing with baking soda (for teeth) are the drops being used diluted or not? Should it be diluted for cleaning, or is the oil only mixed with water?

    Thank you, I'm very new to using EO's, Thieves being my first one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great questions! Sorry I didn't make that clear. Thieves Oil is an essential oil blend that rarely needs diluted. You apply and use "as is." So, unless specified in ANY of my EO recipes, use this and others straight. Thanks for asking.

      Blessings from Ohio . . .

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  8. Hello Kim, Thank you for your blog. What kind of diffuser do you use or recommend (like for illness)?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can use anything from a wall diffuser by adding a few drops, an oil burner, a full room diffuser or adding several drops to a cup of water in a small cooking pot and let it warm on VERY low setting throughout the day. CAUTION ~ if you do the stove-top method, keep you eye on it so that the water doesn't completely go away and you burn your pot!

      Delete
  9. I know that the blend needs to be in an amber or cobalt bottle, but does the spray need to be in a dark bottle as well?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a great question. There are amber spray bottles or stainless steel misters. Your choice. Usually, when I make a room spray, I use the stainless steel mister ~ the one I get is from Frontier, it's about 4 oz and I put 25-30 drops of oil in it, fill the rest of the way with distilled water, shake well before each use. You can do this with ANY essential oil or oil blend you choose. Easy peasy room spray. :-D

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  10. so.. It IS okay to ingest essential oils? what?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes . . . HOWEVER . . . it depends upon the oil, how you ingest it and any allergies, etc. that you, personally, may have. Everyone is allergic to something. Thieves may be ingested in toothpaste, a drop or two under the tongue for bad breath or daily as a health tonic/immunity builder, in a capsule for colds and flu. Lemon, lime, sage, lavender, rosemary . . . several essential oils may be ingested. But YOU must do your homework and make the decision. I hope I help with information.

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