Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Thieves Oil

We had two more cousins (and their parents, of course) come visit us earlier this week.  They lovingly brought us a Nebraskan cold!  So, I broke out my Thieves oil... okay, technically, it's been out because I just used it last week!  When I first started using therapeutic grade oils a year ago (really, a year already?), I jumped in as a distributor with Young Living Oils with both feet, but I wasn't really sure how to swim beyond the good 'ole doggy paddle.  How was I supposed to use the stuff?  The generic oils I had were for cleaners and one bottle of a Thieves-like oil that I'd barely touched.  Well, since Thieves is now one of my "Top Three" (along with peppermint and lavender) oils to have, I have decided to post a little bit about Thieves and the ways I have personally used it.  There are soooooo many different things to do with it, I'm sticking with what I've done because I'm still learning, and you, my Dear Friend, are probably learning with me.  

So to start, what on earth is Thieves Oil?

Let me cheat, and stick in a picture :)


I know it's tiny, I'm just too lazy to type everything out, when it is conveniently stuck on one "piece of paper" ;)  

I'll let you zoom in at your leisure and jump right to the juicy part ... how I have used it in my house!!!

* Rubbed on the feet
At the first sign of illness (sniffles, fever, headache, abnormal crankiness, Smaug coming to sleep in my bed, etc.)... everyone gets a dose of oil on their feet.  Sometimes right away, sometimes when I remember, but always just before bed.  Easy Peasy, I usually put a squirt of carrier oil (I have a Young Living carrier oil, but you could use a dab of olive oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, whatever you have) in my hand, followed by a drop of Thieves oil.  Then I rub the mixture together in my hand and apply it to the feet of the sicky!  I usually top this off with socks so that there is no tracking of oil in the house :)  If I plan on doing all the kids feet... I get out a shallow glass bowl and add a couple squirts of carrier oil plus about a drop of Thieves per person.  Tonight, because I have some sniffly kids, I made a vapor-rub-esque mixture of coconut oil, Thieves, peppermint, eucalyptus, and RC!  I rubbed this on their feet and chests and made them hang out in one spot while the oil absorbed... too hot for socks!



*Diffused in the Air
Right after I joined Young Living I ordered a diffuser (now, the bigger distributor kits come with one... jealous!).  It's basically a humidifier, but you can add oil to it, and it doesn't get all bacteria gunky, and mine glows :)  So, when we are feeling poorly, or germs may be in the air, or I feel like it, I fill my diffuser up, add about 8 drops of Thieves oil and turn it on.  I have also added peppermint and eucalyptus (and less Thieves) to the diffuser if noses or sinuses are stuffy.  The van even has a plug in thingy diffuser that currently has Thieves in it :)  Having this in the air has not bothered my head, unlike some of my beloved candles!

*Carpet/Floor cleaner
Before I bought the actual Thieves cleaner, I used to stick a few drops of Thieves oil in my carpet cleaner... literally, about 5 drops, plus plain water.  The store-bought carpet cleaner 1) foamed up crazily (and yes, I added it last) and 2) kind of gave me a headache.  I used to mop my floors with water, vinegar, and about 5 drops of Thieves in this squirt bottle do-hicky (the technical name).  Now, I make my fake Pine-Sol... supposedly flies don't like it when you're house is piney... I might have to mop more often for this to be affective, but I'm sticking to my plan.

*Thieves Products

Here is a picture of some of the pre-made Thieves products:


Thieves Cleaner:  Young Living just had a sale (February?) on their household cleaner, so I bought some.  I about gagged when I saw the cost (okay, granted, I've been cleaning with vinegar and water, so to pay more than $4, and for a much smaller bottle, it's a shocker).  But, I have filled my cleaning spray bottle once since I got the cleaner, (and really, because it's concentrated, I think I used 1 oz), and I have used only half of my cleaner bottle, and I've been cleaning everything with it :)  In other words, a little goes a long way.  At this rate, I will easily make it a year before I have to order again.  And, best of all... TW (my oldest son) is no longer complaining  about the vinegar smell (which I had gotten used to).  I have, so far, cleaned bathroom counters, kitchen counters, bathroom mirrors (you are supposed to use a smaller dilution for mirrors, but I'm lazy), bathroom floors by hand, walls, tables, my iPad (don't worry, there is a screen protector, and I sprayed a cloth first), and I've sprayed a bit on my dust rag to dust.  Everything gets as clean as I would expect and smells so good.  When I get around it, I'm planning on following the directions for degreasing my kitchen cupboards, and for cleaning my stinky carpets, again.

Dentarome Plus Toothpaste (not pictured): I ordered toothpaste about a year ago.  I was using a natural toothpaste before then.  I still have about half a tube of Dentarome left because I kept bouncing back and forth between the two (hmm, peppermint or Thieves...) until the peppermint was gone.  Now, I am Thieves only, I have had two cavity free check ups in the past year (and one spot they have been watching for the past 3 visits, so year and a half)!  Woo hoo, go me.   It's a bit sweet, and a bit spicy... it's not as foamy, so I can walk around the house more easily while brushing, so that's good :)

Funny story (and a warning), so I read that Thieves could help a cold sore, and I had this annoying one that my upper lip kept rubbing on.  Thieves is considered a "hot" oil... meaning, that if you put it on bare skin, it may burn.  Now, since I usually put it on feet (and my hands) and chests, with a carrier oil already, it's no biggie.  But, for some reason, I was not thinking... put a drop on a cotton ball and stuck in my mouth... ohhh buddy, I'm telling you... my gum was on fire!!!  I highly recommend adding that bit of olive or coconut oil with the Thieves.  After that, I decided I would use the Thieves toothpaste solely for a few days (I still had peppermint then)... the cold sore did go away!

*Internally:  Last Wednesday (yes, I remember the day, it was a chiropractor day), I woke up with a stuffyish nose and drainage (this time of year, I always have drainage, but this was extra), and starting-to-get sore throat.  I had read about people putting drops of Thieves in a vegetable capsule, but I didn't have any.  I did however, have some apple cider tea bags.  So I brewed a cup added one drop of Thieves and nursed that drink (it was hot) the entire way to the chiropractors.  I also rubbed Thieves on my feet and chest (without a carrier oil), along with peppermint and eucalyptus (with a carrier oil) on my temples, forehead, and back of my neck.  The chiropractor told me that my lymph nodes were swollen.  He adjusted my neck, and thought I smelt nice during one of my other adjustments that requires an almost-hug.  Side benefit of being sick and slathered in oils... people think you smell nice, even if you haven't showered :)

Okay, I think that about exhausts the ways I have actually used Thieves oil.  Next up:  foaming hand wash!  I have all the supplies.  I'm just waiting for one of my bottles of soap to run out (I'm half tempted to leave a bottle in the kids bathroom and ignore anyone running water in there, it will be gone in 5 minutes).  So, both bottles are down to about 1/4 full.  I told you our relatives came into town earlier this week... with colds... The wife felt she was using so much soap taking care of herself and her sickies, that she bought me a replacement bottle *bangs head against wall* Well, at least I'm ready for when I run out of the store bought stuff... whenever that happens!

Please, feel free to ask me questions... if I don't know the answer, I'll find out (learned that in the Navy, I did) :)