If you’ve heard of essential oils, you’ve probably heard of the amazing benefits THIEVES® or Four Thieves oil. In this post, I’m sharing with you a DIY Thieves® Oil so that you can easily make a copycat version of this powerhouse oil blend yourself.
With all the concerns about germs and antibiotic resistant bugs these days, this essential oils blend is quite the rage.
See, the “bugs” mutate and become resistant to standard medications, but from what I’ve read they don’t do the same for natural remedies, like essential oils.
That’s good news for us “crunchy folk.”
NOTE: I do not use Young Living Oils any longer.
You can go here to find out why and to see what company’s oils I am using now.)
When I first was talking with someone about using essential oils (I thought the whole topic was a bunch of hocus pocus, by the way), the woman whom I was talking with kept saying something that sounded like “Feeves.”
We had a not so great phone connection, I guess.
I was pretty confused, so I finally had to ask.
Me: What do you keep saying–“Feeves?”
Other woman: “Thieves,” she said. “T-H-I-E-V-E-S.”
Me: Oh. Uh–what’s that?
She then told me a story about essential oils. That apparently, back during the time of the Black Plague, thieves would go to places where the dead bodies were and they would steal goods off of the corpses. But to protect themselves from the super-contagious plague grossness, they would put a blend of oils or spices on themselves.
Supposedly the THIEVES® blend by Young Living oils was made to mimic the germ-killing blend.
Now, I don’t know if this is all true or not.
There are plenty of folks who claim it’s true–and many who claim it isn’t.
I suspect that there is some truth to it.
Regardless, we’ve used several similar blends, and we have been pleased with the results of most of them. Honestly, however, I like this DIY blend better than one of the big name blends that I tried.
I’m always trying to figure out how to making thing cheaper. I’m kinda the DIY-it-if-you-can Queen. Hubby says I have this characteristic “Happy Grin” when I figure out a way to save our family money with a DIY version of anything. I think it started when I first made Dairy-Free Milk Substitutes when we were first married. (You can check out Easiest Coconut Milk and Easiest Almond Milk for those recipes if you like :).)
So–enter my version of this blend….My Homemade Antibacterial Oil Blend.
Simple to make. Just as effective. Cheaper than buying a blend already blended. (You’re basically getting paid for doing the mixin’ yourself. In these troubling financial times, I’ll take the savings anyway I can [within reason, of course!].)
I love making Essential Oils Blends like this Purify Blend, Essential Oils Breathe Blend, and these Essential Oils for Energy.
How to Use this Homemade Thieves® Blend
Following are ideas that I have read about or personally used. Of course, with the medical uses, I am not a medical practitioner, nor do I pretend to be one. But these are uses I have heard about or ways that I have personal experience with myself.
Again, some of the oils in this blend are “hot” and can burn. Please dilute with a carrier oil before applying directly to skin.
1. For sickness – diffuse in the air or use topically, remembering to dilute with a carrier oil if using topically.
2. House cleaning
3. As a mouthwash
4. Dental issues – I have occasionally swished with 1-2 tsp of coconut oil with about 4 drops of antibacterial oils added to address dental concerns.
5. Wound Healing
I hope to share some recipes in the not-too-distant future, so make sure you are subscribed to my email feed. You wouldn’t want to miss that, now would you :)?
Where to Buy the Ingredients
1. Oils:
Essential Oils are sold all over the place. I personally left the 2 big Direct Sales companies and went with Rocky Mountain Oils after a lot of investigating. A lot. As in–Going to lose my mind if I have to call another company lot.
You can check out Rocky Mountain here. Their oils are top notch and they are very helpful people.
If you don’t feel like making your own blend, here is their Immune Blend. I like it quite a bit and a local friend of mine has used it successfully to fight off numerous sinus infections.
You can read my series, “Which Essential Oils Company is Best?” here. It’s really fascinating–and things get pretty dicey in the comments so get a cuppa (I recommend my Rich and Nutritious Won’t-Mess-with-Your Adrenals Coffee Substitute with a splash of coconut milk and stevia (and a little cocoa if you’re feeling adventurous) and sit down to read them. I guarantee you’ll learn a lot.
2. Bottles:
For the bottles, you can use an old essential oil bottle like I did, or you can head over to Amazon and get an amber dropper bottle like this one there.
Safety Notes
Eucalyptus Oil –
Under age 3: Can be diffused or applied topically up to .5%.
Age 3-6 – Can be diffused or applied topically up to 1%.
Cinnamon and Clove Oils –
These are “hot” oils and as such care should be taken when applying them topically.
Note – this safety information is up to date as of the update of this post. Please consult with an aromatherapist to make sure that new developments have not been determined.
There are a variety of recommendations for dilution of these oils for safety, but one recommendation is to dilute Cinnamon to .07% or (rounded to) .1% max and Clove to .5% max.
DIY Thieves® Oil Blend
Makes 280 drops. About enough to fill 1 15ml bottle
Ingredients
80 drops Clove Bud Oil
70 drops Lemon Oil
40 drops Cinnamon Oil
30 drops Eucalyptus Oil (See Note)
20 drops Rosemary Oil
20 – 40 drops total other oils of choice, including Melaleuca, Frankincense, Lavender, etc. (optional)
Method
1. Add oils, one by one, to your container of choice. (I used an old essential oil bottle that used to hold one of the oils in this blend.) You can purchase blue cobalt bottles here, which are thought by some to be the preferred glass for storing essential oils.
2. Shake bottle and use as desired.
NOTES:
1. Eucalyptus oils have a component that is poisonous. Typically most essential oils companies mention this toxicity regarding Eucalyptus Globulus only. According to this, you would need to ingest 3.5 ml of the oil to be fatal. So for sure keep these oils out of the reach of children. For safety reasons, Eucalyptus Citriodora might be the best choice to use in this blend though the big oils companies use Eucalyptus Radiata in theirs. Make sure to read the labels on your essential oils bottles carefully before using.
2. This oil blend is hot. It can burn sensitive skin, or throat lining, etc. Use with caution and dilute appropriately. I encourage you to do your own research to find out what dilution works best for you. This Fractionated Coconut Oil is the most used oil for blending of essential oils.
3. According to current research, essential oils should not be used topically on children 2 and under. Also, due to its high 1,8 Cineole constituent, Eucalyptus radiata should not be used on children who have chronic respiratory issues. This blend is usually considered a “hot” blend and as such should always be diluted for topical use.
More Essential Oils Resources
Interested in making More Essential Oils Blends? Aromatherapy: A Holistic Guide to Natural Healing with Essential Oils has a bunch of recipe blends for health and beauty to get you on your way.
This book is really great. It has a reference guide, very useful blends that work, and it’s user-friendly.
Plus, the oils used in the blends are readily available so you aren’t going to be going on a wild goose chase trying to find specialty oils that almost no one carries.
Free Essential Oils Report and VIP Newsletter Access
Also, if you go and grab my Free Report on 10 Things to Know About Essential Oils Before You Buy, you will not only get more myth-busting essential oils information, but you’ll get access to my VIP newsletter as well–complete with updates, great healthy living offers, of course new posts on essential oils, and more.
Have you used an antibacterial essential oils blend before?
i use this oil “thieves’ mixed with avacado oil. I put on my forehead & sinasis & behind my ears. It takes the swelling down &openes up everything! THANKS SO MUCH!
You are so welcome!!
For topical daily use, a 2% dilution is recommended for adults (lower is always acceptable as well). This oil should never be used with children. It is the classic recipe. I checked it. For dilution, a 2% solution would be about 15 drops per ounce, mixed with a carrier oil. You can use higher concentrations, but these are not recommended for long-term use. I have not yet had a chance to try this blend, but I am planning to make some soon and give it a try. It comes highly recommended!
Because of seizures, I can not use Rosemary or Eucalyptus. Do you have any other suggestions on oils that can take their place?
Tea Tree is known for antibacterial benefits – lavender or peppermint might be good alternatives as well. Hope that helps.
Hi Lillian,
I would like to know the connection with eucalyptus, rosemary, and seizures? Thank you.
Fennel, Hyssop, Rosemary, Sage and Wormwood and the other essential oils can overstimulate the nervous system and cause further seizures.
Yes, I have been using oil of oregano for many years- no sinus problems in 14 years & no colds. Great for fungus, too. I put four drops in an ounce of green tea daily & swallow Cat scratched me bad infection- put drop of oil of oregano on & overnight practically cured.
Using thieves mostly drops on my toothbrush. Love it.
Glad you have seen so many benefits! I would personally recommend not taking essential oils internally or using it neat w/o being under the care of a physician or aromatherapist. But oil of oregano is diluted so it’s different than oregano EO. I would be very careful about oils on your toothbrush – have you seen this post? https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/essential-oil-emulsifier/
Thank you for all the helpful information you’ve put on your website. I was wondering what is the best way to take essential oils topically. Like, what is the best place to put them? On the bottoms of your feet? On your chest? Hands? I feel like I get the most benefit from a topical application, but no one ever says WHERE to put them. Also, how much carrier oil should you use to dilute them? Is there a ratio of carrier to essential that you should use?
Hi Mickey! Thanks for reading! This post might help but I am planning on writing up more posts about diluting and application. I personally think you can often put it wherever you like b/c the aroma still is effective. Some say on the bottom of the feet b/c the pores are largest there.
I have seen people recommend all kinds of places.
I will say that diluting a lot is important. The oils are very strong and will still work.
After checking out your thieves oil recipe and comments about Eucalyptus globulus I checked my super-old Aura Cacia bottle of eucalyptus oil and it’s globulus. Is this too strong for normal use and if its 10 years old is it still okay to use for something?
Hi Kerry. I don’t know what you mean about too strong for normal use but this post should help re: usage. https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/shelf-life-of-essential-oils/
I may not being going back far enough in the notes. Once the blend is made can it be used clean – similar to how you straight use the YL version? Or does this need to be cut with a carrier. I would love to use it in my teas for when I have sore throats and when I have to make a flu / cold bomb.
Hello there. I never recommend using any essential oils neat / straight. More information is in this post: https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/essential-oil-emulsifier/
Hi, I recently found your thieves blend recipe and would love to make it but yoy didn’t include the appropriate carrier oil % in the recipe. I would like to try this recipe and would like to know the percentage of carrier oil that you prefer for that recipe.I have been using essential oils for about 3 years now and I do not sell them. I create blends for family too help with health issues and aromatherapy for stress relief. I look forward to your reply and I really do enjoy reading your posts.
Thank you
Hi there. I’m sorry for the delay in responding. I don’t have a dilution chart quite yet. I just dilute oils quite a bit to keep them safe and recommend that you follow general safety guidelines set out by experts. Thanks for reading!
I like your vibe, so I signed up for more…also I clean houses on my own and want to start using essential oils in my own products which, btw I have yet to put together but and doing research and noting what speaks to me.
Thanks for your research, knowledge and share!
Welcome!!!
Thank you for all the research you’ve done. Your posts have been very helpful to me. I have a question about essential oils and maybe you can answer it. Some online sources I’ve seen (including companies selling the oils) say an oil doesn’t have to be diluted, others say is should be diluted. An example is Young Living and Rocky Mountain Oils. RMO says that Frankincense carterii should be diluted, YL says it can be applied directly. Another online source said applying the oils directly without diluting can reduce the effectiveness of the oil over time. I understand that “hot” oils need to be diluted, but it is my understanding that Frankincense isn’t a hot oil Why would RMO recommend diluting and YL not? I wonder about lavender as well. Should it be diluted? Should all oils be diluted? Thanks for your help!
You’re welcome. I never recommend using oils without diluting them. Even Frankincense is starting to cause sensitization in people. This post should be of interest and I hope to write more. I am not a fan of some of the recommendations of some of the oils companies out there. If you think about it, their recommendations have you using more oil which makes them more money. https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/essential-oil-emulsifier/
If you are so inclined you might want to sign up for my newsletter. More info to come: https://wholenewmom.com/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-essential-oils-before-you-buy/
I am looking forward to learning more about essential oils. I am a cancer survivor and need all the help I can get.
More coming! I have 2 more posts I’m working on. You can sign up for updates here: https://wholenewmom.com/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-essential-oils-before-you-buy/
ESSENTIAL OIL SAFETY 2nd ed. Tisserand/Young is my bible when it comes to working with essential oils.
It gets pretty tecnical but it is amazing when it comes to safe use practices. It also list drug interactions as well as medical health interactions.
Yes, I have that book. It’s great.
I,Just would like to learn more.
Is the Deck Blends book you link to really selling for $91.00?!? ? that’s a lil steep! Not even my sandalwood set me back that much! 😉 I have to assume it’s an error? Is it your book?
YIKES! Thanks for catching that. That wasn’t the case when I put that in there.
I just replaced it with a very helpful book that I think you would enjoy. It’s not my book. I wouldn’t dare do something like that. Ugh! Thanks for reading! More posts to come. This is a recent one that you might be interested in: https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/essential-oil-purity-myths/