The Best DIY Thieves Cleaner Recipe

Stop using toxic chemicals to clean your house! This DIY thieves cleaner recipe is all you need. It’s 100% natural and only takes a few minutes to make.

I joined Young Living for the sole purpose of buying their thieves products at a discount.

I loved their thieves essential oil, thieves toothpaste, thieves cleaner, thieves hand soap—basically anything and everything thieves I had to have.

But over time, even with the discount, I had to admit I was spending an enormous amount of money in the name of toxin-free living.

(This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure statement here.)

Fast forward a year later, I’m no longer a Young Living member, and I now make my own DIY thieves products, including thieves essential oil blend.

And they work just as well, and I’m saving so much money!

Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to bash Young Living. I love their oils and so many of their products.

But being a middle-class family living in Southern California where housing, groceries, and everything else is crazy expensive, I just couldn’t justify spending $13 on hand soap (and that’s with the discount!).

Why I Love Thieves Cleaner

I love thieves cleaner because it is an all-natural cleaner that works really well. It is one of my absolute favorite homemade cleaners.

Many store-bought cleaners contain dangerous chemicals. These chemicals can cause headaches, sore throats, eye irritation, and respiratory problems.

Some contain endocrine disruptors, and some have even been linked to cancer.

Breathing in chemicals from household cleaners can even cause damage to the lungs.

Studies have shown that women who work around cleaners have a more significant decline in lung function than women who have not been exposed to cleaners regularly.

You can check out the study here.

I don’t know about you, but I am not okay with exposing myself and my family to the toxic ingredients that are in most household cleaners.

And thanks to this homemade thieves cleaner, I don’t have to, and neither do you.

This DIY thieves cleaner works so well. It also smells amazing. And when you use it, you don’t have to worry about exposing yourself or your family to toxic chemicals.

You’re actually doing the opposite when you use this homemade thieves cleaner. You’re exposing them to immune-boosting essential oils that will actually help keep them healthy rather than make them sick.

This DIY thieves spray contains rosemary, clove, cinnamon, lemon, and eucalyptus essential oils. Below, you can learn about the benefits of each oil.

Eucalyptus | Eucalyptus essential oil is great for supporting your immune system. It is also known for its antiviral and antibacterial properties.

Several studies on eucalyptus essential oil have found that it may increase the activity of some types of innate immune cells.

You can read this study to learn more.

Rosemary | Rosemary essential oil contains substances that help stimulate the immune system. It also has a high level of antioxidants, which can help support your body in fighting infectious diseases.

You can click here to learn more about the therapeutic effects of rosemary essential oil.

Lemon | Lemon essential oil has many detoxifying properties. It also has strong antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties.

Cinnamon Bark | Cinnamon bark essential oil is one of the most powerful antibacterial and antivirals among essential oils.

You can read this study to learn about how the methanolic bark extract of cinnamon is able to inhibit bacterial growth.

Clove | Clove essential oil is one of the most antioxidant substances on earth. It has powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Benefits of Using Homemade Thieves Cleaner

There are several different benefits to using homemade thieves cleaner. First, you can have peace of mind knowing that you aren’t exposing yourself or your family to toxic chemicals.

As I mentioned before, this DIY thieves spray is 100% natural.

Another benefit of using homemade thieves cleaner is that it can do the work of several different cleaners. Thieves cleaner is extremely versatile and can clean many different things.

Thieves cleaner is a true multi-purpose cleaner. I use it on my kitchen counters, stovetop, microwave, bathtub, toilets, wood floors, and so much more!

And my favorite thing about this homemade thieves cleaner is that it will help you save a lot of money.

The original thieves multipurpose cleaner concentrate can be pretty pricey.

Making your own DIY thieves cleaner spray is way more affordable than buying a bottle of thieves household cleaner.

What Ingredients Are in Thieves Cleaner?

The original thieves concentrate cleaner created by Young Living contains the following ingredients:

• Water
• Alkyl polyglucoside
• Sodium methyl 2-sulfolaurate
• Disodium 2-sulfolaurate
• Thieves [Eugenia caryophyllus† (Clove) bud oil, Citrus limon† (Lemon) peel oil, Cinnamomum zeylanicum† (Cinnamon) bark oil, Eucalyptus radiata† leaf oil, Rosmarinus officinalis† (Rosemary) leaf oil
• Tetrasodium glutamate diacetate

My DIY thieves cleaning solution includes very similar ingredients. It contains basically everything except the ingredients I can’t pronounce, and I add castile soap and witch hazel.

How do I Make my own Thieves Cleaner?

Making your own thieves cleaner is super easy and only takes a minute or two to put together. But before you get started, you must ensure you have all the necessary ingredients and supplies.

Homemade Thieves Cleaner Ingredients & Supplies

You will need the following ingredients and supplies to make this thieves cleaner alternative.

• 16 oz glass spray bottle
• Thieves essential oil (or you can make your own)
• Witch hazel
• Distilled water
• Unscented castile soap

If you don’t have many of these ingredients on hand, purchasing them for the first time might seem expensive.

But remember, you are using very little of each ingredient except for water, which should hardly cost you anything.

That means you should be able to make this thieves cleaning spray recipe repeatedly without purchasing more ingredients for quite a while.

And in my opinion, it’s really the only cleaner you need.

How do you Make Thieves Household Cleaner With Thieves Oil?

To make this DIY thieves cleaner alternative, simply add the following ingredients to the 16 oz spray bottle.

• 2 tbsp Castile soap
• 1 tbsp Witch hazel
• 15-20 drops of thieves essential oil
• fill the bottle the rest of the way with distilled water

Attach the nozzle, shake well, and you’re all set!

Do I Have to Use Witch Hazel?

Witch hazel acts as an emulsifier, ensuring even distribution between all ingredients. Castile soap also acts as an emulsifier, so if you don’t have witch hazel on hand, you may find that the cleaner works just as well without it.

Do I Have to Use Young Living Thieves Essential Oil?

Absolutely not. I actually make my own thieves essential oil blend. You can get the recipe here. It works just as well and costs way less!

Does This DIY Thieves Cleaner Need to be Diluted?

When you follow the recipe above and add water to this homemade thieves cleaner, you dilute it. That is all you need to do; no further diluting is required.

Does This Homemade Thieves Cleaning Spray Need to be Rinsed Off?

This DIY thieves cleaning spray does not need to be rinsed off surfaces. Simply spray the surface you want to clean and wipe it with a cloth. It doesn’t leave any residue behind.

How to Store DIY Thieves Cleaner?

The best way to store this cleaner is in a cool, dark place.

Heat can cause mold and bacteria to grow, so try to store this DIY thieves cleaner in a cool, dark place, like under your kitchen sink.

It is also important to keep it in a dark glass bottle, as sunlight can damage the essential oils in this thieves cleaner. 

The bottle should be made out of glass because pure essential oils are very potent, and plastic may begin to deteriorate and leach into the cleaner.

How Long Does DIY Thieves Cleaner Last?

I recommend using this DIY thieves cleaner within 30 days. The water in this recipe can breed mold and bacteria if it sits too long.

I personally use up a bottle of this homemade thieves cleaner every week. As I mentioned earlier—I use it for everything!

What Can I Use Instead of Thieves Cleaner?

This DIY thieves cleaning spray is the perfect alternative to the original Thieves cleaner made by Young Living. Not only is it less expensive, but it works so well.

If you are looking for some other natural cleaning recipes, check out my homemade all-purpose cleaner and my DIY glass cleaner recipe.

Also, if you like this DIY thieves cleaner recipe, you will also probably like my DIY thieves hand soap recipe and this homemade mouthwash made with thieves oil.

Need Essential Oils?

I used to use Young Living oils exclusively. I’m no longer loyal to just one brand. There are so many amazing essential oil companies out there.

High-quality essential oils don’t have to cost a lot. I now use brands like Far & Wild, Plant Therapy, and Simply Earth essential oils. They are all amazing and very affordable.

If you decide to buy from Simply Earth, you can use the code HAPPYHEARTFREE to receive a $45 Simply Earth gift card with the purchase of your first recipe box.

If you order now with the code above, you will receive the recipe box, the big bonus box, plus a $45 Simply Earth gift card, all for only $29.99! (First-time customers only)

Final Thoughts

This DIY thieves cleaner recipe offers a simple, cost-effective, and natural solution for keeping your home sparkling clean without relying on harsh chemicals.

By combining just a few household ingredients with essential oils known for their powerful cleansing properties, you can create a versatile, all-purpose cleaner that’s safe for your family and the environment.

Let me know in the comments below how well this homemade thieves cleaning spray works for you and if you love it as much as I do!

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