Home > Clean Your Home

How to Make Your Own Thieves Essential Oil

by: Shannon Acheson posted on:
43 Comments
Jump to How-To

Welcome, fellow essential oil lovers! If you’re like me, you’ve probably fallen hard for that spicy, comforting scent of Thieves or similar oil blends. It’s more than just a fragrance—it’s a little ritual that brings warmth and a hint of nostalgia to any space. Whether it’s Young Living’s Thieves, DoTerra’s On Guard, or blends like Guardian, Health Shield, and Germ Fighter, these powerful oils are known for their history, versatility, and the sense of calm they bring. Today, I’m excited to share a simple DIY recipe to make your own version, so you can enjoy that familiar, cozy scent without having to restock.

thieves kitchen soap and hand soap on a wooden cake stand

Before we dive into making your own Thieves essential oil blend, I want to remind you that while essential oils are amazing, they do require a bit of caution—especially when you have little ones or furry friends at home. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my post on Essential Oils to Avoid for Pets and Babies. It covers the oils that can be too strong or even harmful to those sensitive to them, so you can use your oils with peace of mind. With that in mind, let’s get started on making your own Thieves-style blend!

How to Make Your Own Thieves Essential Oil

If you already have a handful of essential oils on hand, you can easily create your own blend at home. Here’s how.

Materials

(list includes affiliate links)

Instructions

  1. Put these oils in a dark glass bottle, I just reuse an old essential oil bottle I have, or you can buy them easily online.
  2. Then just shake it up, and you have your own mixture to use!

Note: This recipe hasn’t been scientifically tested, and I’m not qualified to speak to its effectiveness as an antibacterial or antiviral agent. Please use it responsibly, along with common sense and good hygiene practices.

What Can You Use This For?

Here are the top 12 Household Uses for Thieves Essential Oil:

Diffusing

Depending on the brand of diffuser you own will depend on how much to use. A general guide is around 10-15 drops of Thieves and diffuses for 30 minutes around 3 times a day. 

All-Purpose Spray

Add 1 drop of Thieves to each 1/2 ounce of water in a glass spray bottle. Shake well for each use, and use to clean counters, tables, etc. It acts like a regular all-purpose spray.

Cleaning Toys

You can add a few drops of essential oils into the washer or even the sink when you hand wash toys. This is from plastic toys to stuffed animals. This is great to do when your kiddos are sick for some extra cleaning power and a great mood-boosting scent.

Floor Cleaner

When you go to mop the floor, add around 10 drops into half a bucket of water, and use that instead of a mop cleaner.

Freshen Room

I use the all-purpose homemade cleaner and spray on the furniture, curtains, and even beds to help freshen up rooms and disinfect. Don’t put oil directly on furniture or fabrics of course.

Laundry

You can add 4-5 drops in each load of laundry to help really clean and deodorize your clothing. This works wonderfully with bedding, make sure to use regular or homemade laundry soap as well.

A Sore Throat

There’s been anecdotal evidence that Thieves provide some relief for a sore throat. Add 2 drops to around 2 tablespoons of water and gargle if you have a sore throat. Do this a few times throughout the day. Spit out when finished. (Do NOT ingest!)

Sickness

If you feel a stuffy nose, cough or fever coming on, rub some oil on your feet and along your spine, mixed with a carrier oil (like sweet almond, jojoba, coconut or olive oil), to help you breathe better.

Headache Relief

Put a drop of thieves on your thumb and place it on the roof of your mouth. This will help relieve a headache fast. It can burn and tingle a little if you are sensitive use a carrier oil with it.

Immune Support

Take a diluted thieves oil, with a carrier oil and apply to bottoms of your feet. Do this once in morning and once at night to help boost your immunity. Great for cold and flu season for symptomatic relief.

Dishwasher

If you have a dishwasher add a few drops into the soap dispenser before you start it, to help deodorize and clean your dishes.

Cell Phone

Our phones get SO dirty, spray the all-purpose spray on a cloth and wipe down your entire phone. Helps clean and potentially disinfect

FAQs

Is it safe to use Thieves oil around kids and pets?

Always use caution when using essential oils around young children and pets. Dilute oils well, and avoid applying them directly to skin without consulting a professional, especially with children under age 6.

How should I store my homemade Thieves blend?

Store your oil blend in a dark glass bottle in a cool, dry place. Light and heat can degrade the quality of essential oils over time, so proper storage is key.

Can I substitute any of the oils in the recipe?

Yes! If you prefer a slightly different aroma, feel free to substitute lemon for orange or add other essential oils you enjoy. Just remember that clove, cinnamon, and eucalyptus are essential for keeping that signature Thieves-like scent.

Can I use Thieves oil for cooking?

Some essential oils, like lemon and cinnamon, are safe for culinary use, but not all brands are food-grade. Be sure to check with the oil manufacturer before using any essential oil in cooking.

More Essential Oil Ideas

thieves kitchen soap and hand soap on a wooden cake stand

DIY Thieves Essential Oil

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Do you love the scent and potential germ-killing abilities of thieves essential oil? If you have a few oils on hand, you can easily make your own thieves type essential oil.

Materials

Instructions

  1. Put these oils in a dark glass bottle, I just reuse an old essential oil bottle I have, or you can buy them easily online.
  2. Then just shake it up, and you have your own mixture to use!

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

© Shannon Acheson

If you love experimenting with natural products, this DIY Thieves oil blend is a perfect addition to your routine. From its refreshing, comforting aroma to its countless uses around the house, this essential oil blend is an aromatic gem that just might become a staple in your home. Try making your own, and feel free to adjust the recipe to your personal preferences. If you have any favorite ways to use it, I’d love to hear about them in the comments below! Happy blending!

After Blog Post Signature 2025 (350 x 125 px)

Want to see more content like this in your Google searches?

This button tells Google that Home Made Lovely is a source you like, so it can show you more of it.

add as a preferred source on Google in white in black background

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

43 Comments

  1. I love your posts! This essential oil one leaves me wanting to whip up a batch of thieves 🙂 where do you purchase your essential oils from? lots of times they are super $$$ and I have bought some before for better $ from home store by me and been disappointed in the quality. thank you!

    Reply

    1. I’m so glad you’re enjoying our posts! I usually buy them from Amazon, it seems to be cheaper. The difference in the home store ones is usually they’re either fragrance oils vs essential oils or they’re very diluted. I like a few brands. NOW is a brand I like. You can also look for either the Amazon recommended version or the Best Seller, when you look at Amazon for specific oils.

  2. I enjoy your blog and all the recipes.

    But I rarely read it because of the light type you use to “highlight” some words. Although it may be for emphasis it is extremely hard to read for those of us who don’t see so well.

    Reply

  3. Such perfect timing for a recipe for Theives oil!! I’ve heard you should just keep it going all day in a diffuser sine we are in such a terrible flu season righ now and this can protect your family from getting sick-
    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  4. So handy for this time of year! Even though buying all the EOs might be a little pricey at first, you can make so many more batches and save money in the long run, I’m sure!

    Reply

    1. It’s so true, the oils do cost more initially. But it’s worth it in the long run. Kinda like stockpiling food when it’s on sale.

  5. I am a regular EO user and I have always wanted a recipe for this! Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home! I will feature this week at Home Sweet Home!

    Reply

  8. How can you suggest gargling with this concoction when at least 2 of these oils say not to ingest them? Is using that many drops of other brands really save
    money vs buying thieves?

    Reply

  10. I am just learning about the use of essential oils. I recently had plastic surgery on my face for extensive basal cell carcinoma. It is healing well, but I am having trouble with continued scabbing on the tip of my nose. Thought I would try oils. I want to learn all I can about this change in my life. I am 73 years old, but it’s never to late to learn!

    Reply

    2. Get some ozonated castor oil. It is the most absorbent of the types. Plain old castor is fine and also very inexpensive

  11. Thanks for the recipe. I was told you need some soap in your water to help mix properly. I do have some problem with the castile soap because I don’t find it mixes easy. Am I putting too much in?
    I find that the cheapest and the best quality essential oils come from PLant Therapy, cheaper than amazon. Check it out great company because I have spent a lot of money and now buy here.

    Reply

  14. Could you specify the type of oil? For example when I looked up clove essential oil there was clove bud and clove leaf. Please specify for all the oils. Thank you!

    Reply

  15. In the all purpose cleaner, is that the correct measurements? 1 drop per 1/2 oz of water and 1 quart would be 64 drops of oil in 32 oz of water.

    Reply

  16. Right now my bank account is in the negative $5 and some change…or I would definitely purchase your book.
    I’m 76 and my fixed income just does not stretch…far enough!i

    Reply

    1. Yes, most definitely. Castor oil will also help anything you have mixed with it penetrate your tissues more deeply. Castor oil is a very special oil, especially when it comes to healing.

      Try applying your castor oil / essential oil blend (whatever it might be) to your skin after warming the bottle in a bowl of warm water (NEVER use the microwave, for the oil or for the water), then cover with a thin towel, put a hot water bottle on top of that thin towel, then cover the water bottle with another thicker towel. Leave in position until the water bottle begins to cool off.

      This is a modified castor oil pack which has been used for serious healing for a very long time. Also very good for relaxation, muscles which have been bruised or sprained (change up your essential oil blend accordingly), scar tissue (keloids, internal scar tissue from illnesses such as pneumonia, surgical scars etc), over the area of where a bone has been broken (obviously after the cast has been removed), bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia (do the castor pack on your chest and / or your back), and a whole lot more.