Oily Hacks for Any Budget (Our New Series!)

Did you know that adding 1-2 drops of Lavender oil to you mascara not only purifies your makeup, but also promotes beautiful long lashes?

Or did you know that essential oils can help you cut energy costs? Just add a few drops of your favorite aromatic oil to wool dryer balls (we LOVE Purification, so good!) to help reduce drying time by 50% (!!). Your clothes will also be fresh, wrinkle-free and non-toxic. Plus, banish dryer sheets from your shopping list for good!

Oily Hacks: Use Your Oils the Smart Way

If you're just getting started with essential oils or you're ready to dig deeper, we’d love for you to check out our next series. We've asked our Tree of Life members to share their best Oily Hacks (think quick beauty tips, budget-friendly strategies or easy household tricks) to help you use your oils everyday, the smart way.

Like did you know that adding 3-5 drops of lemon oil to your automatic dishwasher detergent (like the awesome Thieves automatic dishwasher detergent!) will give your dishes commercial-worthy sparkle every time? Yes, really.  

We hope you're loving these hacks! And you'll want to come back for more soon and often, right? Follow us on Facebook or Pinterest to make sure you don’t miss a post. More to come in October!

Switch & Ditch in 2017: Clean House Edition

It’s resolution season, so we’ll take the last two weeks of January to give you tips on a couple of naturally awesome goals. Week 1 Objective: Clean House in your Cleaning Closet.

That’s right. Make 2017 the year you ditch chemical-laden, toxic cleaners and switch to the good stuff. By good stuff we mean cleaners that you don’t have to worry about coming in contact with you or your family’s skin or lungs. And – bonus – cleaners that do just as good a job (or better!) cleaning every surface of your house.

Read on for practical tips, quick fixes and tried-and-true recipes. Happy Switching and Ditching!

Ditch toxic cleaning products and switch to all-natural, essential oil-powered clean. 

The All-Important All-Purpose Cleaner

Ditching your old cleaners has another bonus: you can replace all those bottles with just one. Yup. I bought a 14.4 oz. bottle of Thieves Household cleaner 3+ years ago and I am still using it one capful at a time.

I spray this versatile mix on kitchen and bathroom countertops, glass and mirrors. Basically everywhere.*

All-Purpose/Glass Cleaner Recipe

• 3 cups water
• 1 capful (approx. 1 tsp) Thieves Household Cleaner
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 3-5 drops your choice oil (I usually use Lemon, but Citrus Fresh or Tea Tree, would be other fresh ideas)

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in your favorite glass spray bottle, spray, wipe away, SMILE.

*When in doubt, try the all-purpose cleaner in a conspicuous spot first. Especially on surfaces like granite or sandstone, where a higher dilution may be in order.     

Kitchen

Thieves Line Quick Fixes*: Thieves Dish Soap, Thieves Automatic Dishwasher Powder

*If you love Thieves Household cleaner, check out the whole line! We’ve included links to some of our favorite products by room to make things (you guessed it) EASY.

Recipe for Clean Tile Floors:

• ⅛ Cup Thieves Dish Soap
• ⅛ Cup White Vinegar
• 1 Gallon Warm Water

Instructions:

Mix and Mop!

Trashcan Tip:

Keep your trash can fresher in two steps!

1. Put 2-3 drops Citrus Fresh (or preferred Essential Oil, Purification would be a great choice) on a cotton ball.
2. Place cotton ball in trash can before you insert liner.

Laundry

Thieves Line Quick Fixes: Thieves Laundry Soap

Laundry Soap Tip: Like the household cleaner, this soap is super concentrated. 32-oz. should give you at least 64 loads of clean clothes!

Dryer Sheet Replacement

You know you’re an adult when you get dryer balls for Christmas. But I did this year, and I embraced my adulthood by being totally excited. The wool dryer balls not only help laundry dry faster with less static and wrinkles, they also provide the perfect opportunity to ditch toxic dryer sheets in favor of therapeutic grade essential oils.

I have 4 balls and I add a couple drops of oil to each for a refreshing scent. My favorites are Lavender and Citrus Fresh. Others to try: Stress Away and Joy

Bathrooms

Thieves Line Quick Fixes: Thieves Wipes

Toilet Tips:

I’ve gotten natural toilet cleaning down to 4 steps:

1. Spray toilet bowl with all-purpose Thieves cleaner (recipe above).
2. Sprinkle bowl with about ¼ cup baking soda.
3. Let mixture sit while you wipe down the rest of the toilet with a rag and all-purpose cleaner.
4. Scrub bowl.

Tub Tips:

Most cleaning sessions, I simply wipe tubs and showers with my all-purpose cleaner, but if deeper cleaning is in order I have a couple of options:

1. Sprinkle half a lemon with baking soda to tackle stubborn stains.
2. Create a paste with 1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner and 2-3 TB baking soda.
3. For a refreshing clean, spray tub with vinegar. Adding a few drops of Lavender or Tea Tree oil will help amp up cleaning power and tune out the intense vinegar aroma.

Last Sweep: Miscellaneous Tips

Carpet

Ditch musty carpet smell with this carpet freshener recipe we shared in our Oil of the Week series:  

Recipe:

• 1 cup baking soda
• 5 drops of Thieves Essential Oil Blend

Instructions:

1. Combine ingredients in shaker, mix well and let sit overnight.
2. Sprinkle over carpets and vacuum.

General Stain Remover

Reach for Lemon for any weird, sticky, stubborn stains. It’s a natural at getting gunk out of your life.

Wood Cleaner

This recipe works wonders on wooden cabinets and furniture:

• 1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner
• 1 cup Olive Oil
• 2-3 Drops Lemon  

Making the Switch Made Easy

If you’re ready to make the switch, the Young Living Essential Rewards program makes it super easy (and affordable). You just:

1. Ditch the toxic cleaners in your home.
2. Ditch the toxic cleaners on your shopping list.
3. Switch to Essential Rewards for all your natural cleaning needs.

Your grocery list will get shorter and your house will become naturally clean. Just add a cleaning product to your order each month to help you keep this 2017 resolution! You’ll even earn points toward free products while you’re at it.

Have a cleaning quandary? Ask us in the comments!