Health and wellness is on the rise but many products that are being advertised as “safe” and “all-natural”, are anything but. The packages are pretty and the labels are clever, but the more you dig, the more you find out. Let me help you decide what’s truly safe and give you the tools you need to start making simple swaps for a healthier home.
The American Lung Association explains how many common household cleaning products can lead to health problems like eye and throat irritation, headaches, respiratory issues, allergic reactions, worsened asthma, and possibly even cancer! Yuck!! We don’t want that.
Ingredients to Avoid
When choosing products to use in our houses, it seems easiest to just grab whatever items are available at our local stores. However, those products may not be the safest. Sadly many of them - even the “green” ones - contain ingredients you do NOT want in your house or anywhere near your family. But what ARE those ingredients and why don’t we want to use them? Let’s take a look!
Formaldehyde - This is a preservative that is often seen in lotions, cosmetics, and baby wipes. It’s a known carcinogen and can cause skin and respiratory irritations.
Phthalates - These are a group of chemicals found in personal care products and many plastics and vinyls. They can affect your endocrine system, reproductive health, and even potentially cause cancer.
VOCs - Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gases that are emitted into the air. They’re found in some building materials, home and personal products,
gasoline, and even things like glue and permanent markers. Breathing VOCs can cause eye, nose and throat irritation as well as difficulty breathing and nausea, even damage to the central nervous system and other organs. Some VOCs can even cause cancer.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) - These are surfactants commonly used as an emulsifying cleaning agent in household cleaning products (laundry detergents, spray cleaners, and dishwasher detergents). In other words they keep things mixed up and help them create lather. Oftentimes they are synthetically derived and have the potential to cause skin irritation.
Ethanolamines (MEA, DEA, and TEA) - These are found in many household and personal care products and have been linked to organ system toxicity, bioaccumulation, and even cancer.
Triclosan - This is found in many antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, and detergents as well as some toothpastes, deodorants, cosmetics, plastics, and more. It can affect the thyroid and endocrine system and was recently banned by the FDA to be used in “antiseptic washes” but can still be found in some other products like toothpaste, cosmetics, and even clothing, kitchenware, furniture, and toys.
Fragrance - The word “fragrance” can appear on a label and contain an enormous list of ingredients that a company is not required to disclose, as it is considered a ‘trade secret.’ That means a product could contain some awful ingredients and the consumer wouldn’t even know! These chemicals could be linked to cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity, allergies and sensitivities. Why take the risk?
These are just a FEW of the ingredients you want to avoid when bringing products into your home. But my oh my! Doesn’t that sound exhausting to have to read label after label, wondering if what you’re using is safe?
Well, I’ve got good news! You don’t have to. You won’t find ANY of those ingredients in Young Living products, especially in the Thieves line. You can trust that what you’re purchasing is truly a SAFE product. Young Living never uses any artificial dyes, harsh chemicals, or synthetic fragrances. How wonderful is that?!
And the best part… it all comes directly to your door. Easy peasy!
Now we are going to take a look at the individual Thieves products Young Living has to offer and what makes them so special.
Why Thieves?
All the products within the Thieves line contain the proprietary Young Living essential blend called Thieves, which is a sweet and spicy combination of Clove, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus Radiata, Rosemary, and Lemon essential oils. The name ‘Thieves’ was inspired by the legend of four 15th-century French thieves who formulated and wore a special aromatic combination of clove, rosemary, vinegar, and other botanicals that they believed provided protection while they were stealing. The story goes on to say that when the thieves were caught they were offered a lesser punishment if they would divulge to the king the secret to their immunity, despite being exposed to a highly infectious, deadly disease. Pretty interesting, huh??
Thieves Household Cleaner
We are going to talk about this one first because it is by far the most beloved product of the Thieves family. It’s a member's favorite thanks to its comforting smell, crazy versatility, and excellent cost- effectiveness! So what makes it so special?
Thieves Household Cleaner is a plant-based, ultra-concentrated cleaner that can be used on virtually every surface of your home… bathrooms, kitchens, cabinets, counters, floors, furniture, toys, carpets, mirrors, glass, wood, walls, and more! If you’re a little unsure about using it on something, go ahead and test it in an inconspicuous area. I have personally never had an issue using it on ANYTHING. It’s the only cleaner I use!
AND it’s safe to use around your pets and kids, too! It’s created with naturally occurring surfactants derived from coconut and sugars, so you get a powerful clean without harmful, abrasive chemicals. It’s even septic-safe!
Remember I said it was ultra-concentrated? Well, all you have to do is add ONE capful to every 2 cups of water and you’ve got an all-purpose cleaner! If you purchase the 14.4 oz. bottle of Thieves Household Cleaner you will get a little over 28 bottles of all-purpose cleaner with that dilution ratio. At the wholesale price, that makes each bottle around $0.91 a piece! If you purchase the larger 64 oz. bottle you will get around 128 bottles of all-purpose cleaner, which makes them around $0.77 a piece! How incredible is that?
Most people grab a glass spray bottle to use and a cute label from Etsy, just for fun, but
you can use a plastic spray bottle if you’d like. I have even added a little splash to my dishwasher and my washing machine to kick up the cleaning power.
Stay tuned next week some BONUS recipes using your Thieves Household Cleaner!
Thieves in the Kitchen
You may be thinking, “Why do I need to worry about the soap I use to wash my dishes?” Well, you aren't eating the plate for lunch. However, you do put food ON your plate. The food picks up the detergent residue from the plate and then you ingest the food. That means that you ARE ingesting the soap or detergent. You also inhale the chemicals as the dishwasher releases them during washing. Ahhh!!! But don’t worry… I have some solutions!
Thieves Automatic Dishwasher Powder
Thieves Automatic Dishwasher Powder combines the power of natural enzymes, essential oils, citric acid, and saponins derived from soapberries for a superior cleaning system without the use of harsh chemicals. It’s also infused with essential oils for extra effectiveness and a great, fresh scent. It removes dried-on food, grease, oil, and other contaminants so you can enjoy sparkling clean dishes without compromising your health.
Thieves Dish Soap
Easily swap out your not-so-safe dish soap with Thieves Dish Soap. This plant-based solution is infused with Jade Lemon and Bergamot essential oils, and of course, the Thieves blend. It contains no sulfates, dyes, formaldehyde, phosphates, or synthetic perfumes and uses natural grease-cutting agents, leaving dishes sparkling clean with no residue. Your hands will also thank you for using such a gentle formula.
You may notice that this soap isn’t quite as sudsy as traditional dish soaps. That’s because they don’t add the harmful chemical that creates the bubbles. So… I have an easy hack for you that not only creates more bubbles but will also TRIPLE your bottle of soap! #WinWin First, remove 2/3 of the soap from the bottle and store it for later. Add 1 tsp baking soda to the remaining soap. Fill with distilled or filtered water and shake until all mixed together. Use as directed on the bottle. So easy!
Before we move on, let’s talk about two more Thieves products you can use in your kitchen - Thieves Fruit & Veggie Soak and Thieves Fruit & Veggie Spray. They’re both the same formula but come in different containers. The soak comes in a small jug; you simply add a little to a basin of water, soak, rinse, and enjoy eating your fruits and vegetables as nature intended. The spray can be used to give your produce a quick spritz before rinsing and enjoying! It’s great for on-the-go uses or to bring along for camping trips or vacations.
The Fruit and Veggie Soak and Spray are infused with the Thieves, DiGize, and Purification essential oils blends and are great for both conventional and organically grown produce, safely and effectively cleaning them before consumption. Because believe me - once you see what comes off, you will be glad you decided to wash them!
Thieves in the Laundry Room
The laundry room is a place most of us spend a lot of time in. I mean, we all need clean clothes, right? One would think it’s safe to just use whatever laundry soap or detergent you want based on the smell and washing ability. Sadly - that’s not the case.
Unfortunately, the majority of the laundry soaps and detergents available to us are riddled with dangerous chemicals such as 1,4-dioxane; fragrance; SLS; and more. We breathe in those chemicals as the laundry is being washed and dried (hello toxic dryer sheets!) AND we can even be absorbing them as we wear our clothes and snuggle into our blankets and towels. Ahhh! Why risk things like skin, nose, throat, and lung irritation or long-term effects to our organs and hormones? Some of these dangerous chemicals have even been linked to cancer yet they’re still readily available to us and marketed as “safe” and “normal.”
Thankfully, Young Living wants nothing to do with those chemicals and has given you a legitimately SAFE solution with Thieves Laundry Soap. It is made of plant-based ingredients and leaves no chemical or synthetic residue so you can snuggle up with NO worries! It contains natural enzymes and cleaning agents and of course, the most powerful essential oils on the planet. Your clothes will be fresh and clean and left with a light citrus scent, not a heavy perfume.
The best part about this soap is that it’s concentrated so a little goes a long way! You can get 64 loads with just one 32-ounce bottle, making it economical AND a safe alternative for your family. Want to get DOUBLE that? Try this hack!
- Remove 16 oz. soap from the bottle (half).
- Add 3 capfuls of Thieves Household Cleaner (as a booster; optional).
- Add 16 oz. distilled or filtered water.
- Gently shake until completely incorporated.
- Use as directed on the bottle.
One last trick...instead of grabbing dryer sheets (also filled with dangerous chemicals), grab some wool dryer balls from Amazon or a store like Trader Joe’s. It's such an easy switch! Add 3-5 drops of your choice of essential oil to each dryer ball and freshen up that laundry.
Tip: add the oils to the balls at the end of the cycle and let them toss for 5 minutes for best results.
Thieves Soaps
Everybody needs soap! Why not grab one made formulated with only the highest-quality, plant-based ingredients and infused with pure essential oils? You can cleanse and purify your skin and not have to worry about any harsh ingredients. There are two Thieves options to pick from: Thieves Cleansing Soap (bar) & Thieves Foaming Hand Soap.
Thieves Cleansing Bar Soap
- Provides natural, gentle exfoliation and soothing benefits from oat bran
- Leaves skin feeling soft, smooth, and refreshed
- Made with a 100% vegetarian formula and infused with Clove, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus Radiata, Lemon, and Rosemary essential oils
- Gentle enough for all skin types
- Formulated with aloe vera to moisturize the skin
- Formulated with non-gluten-containing ingredients
Thieves Foaming Hand Soap
- Combines Thieves, Lemon, and Orange essential oils with other naturally derived ingredients to clean hands
- Instant foam makes it easy to lather and rinse
- Leaves skin soft and clean with a light Thieves scent
- Delivers a gentle clean for the whole family
- Comes in a single, 3-pack, and a 32-oz. refill
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