Every year about this time people start feeling like doing a little spring cleaning. Do you find yourself feeling motivated to freshen things up a bit after a long winter with the house closed up and the furnace or a wood burner running? There is something motivating about the spring. It makes you feel like getting out and doing things. I find myself wanting to give the house a good cleaning.
Most of the cleaning products on the market these days are full of toxic chemicals that are not at all good for your health. I’m sure you are like me, you do NOT want to be poisoning your family every day with the products you are using to clean your home. Health and safety data only exists for 15 percent of all the chemicals out there, even though so many are known to cause asthma or endocrine disruptions.
Essential oils are a better way. They are totally free of harsh chemicals, steam distilled or cold pressed from natural plants. Young Living’s Thieves Product Line is plant based and free of dangerous harsh chemicals.
Here are a few DIY recipes using Thieves Products for natural cleaning in your home.
Glass and Mirror Cleaner
1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner
5 drops Citrus Fresh essential oil (or any citrus oils)
1 teaspoon white vinegar
3 cups water
Add all ingredients to a spray bottle and shake well to combine. To use, spray windows and glass surfaces liberally and wipe clean with a lint-free cloth.
Deep Cleaning Scrub
1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner
2–3 tablespoons baking soda
3 drops Young Living Lemon Essential oil
Combine Thieves Household Cleaner and enough baking soda to form a thick paste. Apply mixture with a clean cloth, sponge, or scrubbing brush and scour the surface thoroughly.
Deep Cleaning Scrub – Larger batch
Ingredients:
3 cups Baking Soda
3/4 cup Thieves Household Cleaner
1 Tbsp Distilled Vinegar
30 drops Young Living Lemon Essential oil
Directions:
1. In a large glass bowl, add your Thieves Household cleaner, vinegar and Lemon essential oil.
2. Then slowly add your baking soda, stirring to combine.
3. Once completely mixed through, transfer to your desired container. I recycled my old honey jar. It fit perfectly. You could even use an old soap dish bottle. (However you may need to add a bit of water to thin it enough to squirt through the top)
4. Use wherever a little more scrubbing action is needed.
Once completely mixed through, transfer to your desired container. You may need to add a bit of water to thin it if you are using a squirt bottle like an old dish soap bottle.
DIY Thieves Cleaning Wipes
Ingredients
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 Tablespoon Thieves Household Cleaner
10 drops Lemon essential oil
20 high quality paper napkins (Coffee filters also make good cleaning wipes.)
Glass container with lid
Directions
Combine all ingredients, except the napkins, in glass container. Stir to combine.
Add the paper napkins. Make sure all the napkins are damp. Cover with lid.
Store in a cool, dark place.
Makes 20 wipes.
Note: For reusable cleaning wipes, cut several cotton fabric squares into 5-inch squares. Put the fabric squares in a sealable glass container. Old t-shirts make nice cleaning wipes. Pour liquid over the cloths. Make sure the cloths are well dampened.
Carpet Spot Cleaner
1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner
6 cups water
Mix water and Thieves Household Cleaner in a spray bottle, shaking to combine. To use, lightly spray the spot and blot with a clean white cloth. Repeat as needed.
Wood Floor Cleaner
5 drops Citrus Fresh
2 capfuls Thieves Household Cleaner
1 cup olive oil
Mix in 1 gallon warm water in a bucket. Use to mop floors.
Wood Cabinets
Combine 5 drops Citrus Fresh, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 capful Thieves Household Cleaner in a small bowl. Apply evenly to wood cabinets with a damp cloth.
Kitchen Sink and Countertops
Combine 3 cups water and 1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner in a spray bottle. Spray surfaces with solution and wipe clean.
Toilet Cleaner
Combine 1 cup water and 1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner in a spray bottle. Spray toilet liberally, let sit 15 minutes, then scrub with a brush. Flush to rinse. Spray seat and outer surface, then wipe clean.
Trash Can
Pour 1-2 capfuls of Thieves Household Cleaner into trash can. Fill with water and let sit for an hour or more. Pour out water and wipe dry.
DIY Stain Remover with Thieves Laundry Soap
1 bar solid castile soap, unscented, shaved into small pieces
1/3 cup washing soda
2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
½ cup water
2 tablespoons Thieves Laundry Soap
4 drops Lemon essential oil
Empty deodorant container
Empty lip balm container
1 Add all ingredients except for the essential oil and laundry soap into a saucepan.
2 Heat on low until the soap and all the particles are mostly melted.
3 Remove from the heat.
4 Add Thieves laundry soap and essential oil and evenly mix.
5 Let cool slightly and empty the mixture into a ziplock bag.
6 Cut the corner off and squeeze the liquid into your containers.
7 Put on the lids, let completely cool.
8 Lightly dampen stick with a wet washcloth before use to adequately spread around the stained area.
9 Wash as you normally would.
Once you finish your spring cleaning, why not have a cup of tea with a couple drops of Citrus Fresh in it. It’s Oh So Tasty. ; )
