Learn how to make a thieves oil blend at home with your favorite essential oil brands to save money. Thieves oil is said to be a powerful natural germ fighter.
This cold and flu season, you've probably heard of Thieves oil and Thieves cleaner from a major MLM company. I even saw their products for sale in a locally owned pharmacy.
I have personal reasons for not wanting to buy my essential oils from that MLM company, but I did want to try it since I need a good blend to fight germs.
Three/fifths of us are sick, so I'm disinfecting all the things. My younger son hadn't moved in 4 days, so I took him to the doctor yesterday. He didn't get a flu test, but they called it the flu and sent us home. So who knows?
Either way, I'm disinfecting and pushing the elderberry syrup. I make my own elderberry syrup recipe, but the kids prefer these elderberry gummies. I'm the only one taking it regularly, and so far no sickness.
I have my favorite essential oils for cleaning, but I like making master blends so they are easier to use. Learn how to make Thieves oil and how to use it in several recipes. For more diffuser blends, check my printable ebook with 100+ essential oil diffuser blends.
How to Make Thieves Oil
If you want to learn how to make your own essential oil blends, use my essential oil blending factor worksheets. This has the blending factors for 80 essential oils and teaches you how to make blends
Then keep track of your essential oil recipes in my printable essential oil journal or on these printable essential oil recipe cards.
What is Thieves Oil?
According to legend, back in the early 1400s the Bubonic Plague (The Black Death) was killing people in France. A group of thieves saw the opportunity to steal from the sick and from the graves of dead people.
Doctors were puzzled why the thieves didn't get sick. They finally did get caught stealing, but they never did catch the disease.
The judge offered to spare them their punishment (death by burning) if they told him how they managed to avoid getting sick. The men claimed to be spice and perfume merchants.
They had created an essential oil blend that they applied to their bodies and then wore a mask so they didn't breathe in the germs.
They were still sentenced to death. Their crimes were punishable by being set on fire to die, but the judge sentenced them to death by hanging.
Supposedly, the thieves were using clove, cinnamon, lemon, eucalyptus, and rosemary essential oils. And thus Thieves Oil was born.
What Oils Are in Thieves?
Thieves oil from the MLM, and in this recipe to learn how to make Thieves oil, it is made of:
Can You Drink Thieves Oil?
I never recommend taking any essential oil internally. Ingesting essential oils should only be done under supervision of a doctor or aromatherapist.
Thieves Oil Benefits and Uses
Thieves oil is said to have the following benefits and uses:
- Immune system support
- Antimicrobial
- Relieve nasal and chest congestion
- Boost or uplift the mood
These claims for Thieves oil haven't been studied or confirmed. There was a study that tested airborne bacteria levels, and it did find that Thieves oil can kill some types of airborne bacteria.
Essential Oil Substitutions for Thieves Oil
To make a true Thieves oil, follow the recipe below. If you do want to make a substitution, you can use orange or bergamot 
You can also find more substitutions in my essential oil substitution chart.
Where to Buy Blends Like Thieves Oil?
If you're new to essential oils, you might not have all five of the essential oils on hand. Buying all of them or buying the MLM Thieves oil is expensive!
Luckily, other companies do have similar blends. Simply Earth has a Defender blend that's made with the same five oils. Plant Therapy has a Germ Fighter blend with the same ingredients or try Immunity Boost from Revive.
Thieves Oil Ingredients
- 40 drops clove essential oil
- 35 drops lemon essential oil
- 20 drops cinnamon bark essential oil
- 15 drops eucalyptus essential oil
- 10 drops rosemary essential oil
Thieves Oil Directions
Combine all ingredients in an empty glass bottle. I like these bottles for blends because they have droppers and make it easier to use. Don't forget to get blank labels to label your master blends.
Thieves oil is a strong blend, so it has to be diluted before you can use it. It's recommended that you use it at 1 or 2 percent, which is 6 to 12 drops per ounce.
How to Use Thieves Oil
Thieves oil can be used in a diffuser or in a cleaning product, like a cleaning spray. It's said that it can freshen the air in your home, reduce coughing, and kill germs on surfaces.
You can also use thieves oil in these 12 natural cleaning recipes from my printable ebook. Or use it to make DIY reusable dryer sheets.
Thieves Oil Spray
The most common way to use Thieves oil is to make a Thieves spray. To do this, combine 1 1/2 ounces vodka and 30 drops of your homemade Thieves oil in a 4-ounce glass spray bottle. Swirl to mix then add 1 1/2 ounces distilled water.
The vodka acts like an emulsifier to combine the water and oil. It also helps the scent of the essential oils last longer.
Use to spray on counters and other hard surfaces. Shake before using.
Thieves Diffuser Blend
To diffuser your homemade Thieves oil, add 2 or 3 drops to a diffuser. You can also add it to some water and simmer on the stove. Since you aren't using the water and oil mixture topically, you don't need to use vodka or a carrier oil to dilute the oil.
Diffuse Thieves oil for up to half an hour at a time. You can diffuse up to three times a day.
How to Use Thieves Oil Topically
This is a strong blend, so use it at 1 percent topically, which is 6 drops per ounce of carrier oil. Mix it with a carrier oil for a massage oil for your feet or tired muscles. It can also help relieve congestion if you rub it on your chest.
Other Uses for Thieves Oil
- Add about 10 drops of Thieves oil to the mop bucket to mop the floor.
- Add up to 5 drops per load of laundry to deodorize and freshen clothing.
- Add 1 or 2 drops to the soap in your dishwasher to sanitize dishes.
Special Considerations
Lemon can increase your sensitivity to the sun, so don't apply this topically if you will be in the sun.
Rosemary isn't safe for kids under 10. The other oils can be used for kids over 2. Don't use it topically or in a diffuser with kids under 10.
If you have younger kids, Plant Therapy has a kid safe Germ Destoryer.
How to Make Thieves Oil
materials:
- 40 drops clove essential oil
- 35 drops lemon essential oil
- 20 drops cinnamon bark essential oil
- 15 drops eucalyptus essential oil
- 10 drops rosemary essential oil
tools:
- Funnel
- Bottles
steps:
- Combine all ingredients in an empty glass bottle. I like these bottles for blends because they have droppers and make it easier to use. Don't forget to get blank labels to label your master blends.
- Thieves oil is a strong blend, so it has to be diluted before you can use it. It's recommended that you use it at 1 or 2 percent, which is 6 to 12 drops per ounce.
NOTES:
Thieves Oil Spray
The most common way to use Thieves oil is to make a Thieves spray. To do this, combine 1 1/2 ounces vodka and 30 drops of your homemade Thieves oil in a 4-ounce glass spray bottle. Swirl to mix then add 1 1/2 ounces distilled water.
The vodka acts like an emulsifier to combine the water and oil. It also helps the scent of the essential oils last longer.
Use to spray on counters and other hard surfaces. Shake before using.
Thieves Diffuser Blend
To diffuser your homemade Thieves oil, add 2 or 3 drops to a diffuser. You can also add it to some water and simmer on the stove. Since you aren't using the water and oil mixture topically, you don't need to use vodka or a carrier oil to dilute the oil.
Diffuse Thieves oil for up to half an hour at a time. You can diffuse up to three times a day.
How to Use Thieves Oil Topically
This is a strong blend, so use it at 1 percent topically, which is 6 drops per ounce of carrier oil. Mix it with a carrier oil for a massage oil for your feet or tired muscles. It can also help relieve congestion if you rub it on your chest.
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