DIY Thieves Cleaner Without Essential Oils
An all-natural thieves cleaner without essential oils using herbs and vinegar.
Have you ever bought a bottle of thieves household cleaner? It is honestly wonderful! But it can get expensive. I am trying to use fewer essential oils in my house (I even made my own herbal bug spray without essential oils!). So I set out to make my own Thieves cleaner by creating an herbal concentrate all-purpose cleaning spray.
Not only is this recipe a great non-toxic option for cleaning your home, it it a great alternative to running to the grocery store the next time you run out of your multipurpose cleaner!
The Story of the “Five Thieves”
The story of the “Five Thieves” is a popular myth associated with the origin of the blend of essential oils now known as “Thieves Oil”.
According to the legend, during the 15th-century outbreak of the bubonic plague in Europe, a group of thieves robbed the bodies of the infected without getting sick themselves.
When they were eventually caught and brought to trial, they were offered a lighter sentence in exchange for revealing their secret. They supposedly told the authorities that they had rubbed a blend of aromatic spices and herbs on themselves to protect themselves from the disease.
This blend of oils, which is said to have included cloves, cinnamon, rosemary, eucalyptus, and lemon, became known as “Thieves Oil”.
While there is no historical evidence to support the claim that this specific blend of oils was used by the thieves of the bubonic plague, the individual oils and their potential health benefits have been well documented.
Today, the concept of using essential oils to boost the immune system and protect against illness is a popular one, and “Thieves Oil” is often marketed as a natural alternative to commercial household cleaners and personal care products.
DIY Thieves Cleaner Without Essential Oils Recipe
This simple recipe is just one of many cleaner recipes you can make at home. By making your own cleaners, you’ll save money in the long run and reduce your exposure to endocrine disruptors and other harmful chemicals. And the best part, you’ll have complete control over the ingredients and scents you use, making it a great option for those with allergies or sensitivities.
Thieves Cleaner Ingredients:
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 TBSP castile soap
- 1 stem fresh eucalyptus leaves
- 2 TBSP of Fresh lemon juice
- 5-6 cloves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
- Filtered Water
Benefits of the Thieves Ingredients
- Lemon: Lemon is a natural disinfectant and deodorizer. Its citrusy scent is also great for leaving your home smelling clean and fresh.
- Clove: Cloves have antiseptic and antifungal properties, making them great for killing germs and bacteria. They also have a warm and spicy scent that can add a pleasant aroma to your cleaning products.
- Eucalyptus: Eucalyptus is known for its antibacterial and antiviral properties, making it a great ingredient for cleaning. It also has a fresh, medicinal scent that can help soothe and invigorate the senses.
- Rosemary: Rosemary has antifungal and antiseptic properties, making it a great ingredient for cleaning. It also has a fresh and herbaceous scent that can add a pleasant aroma to your cleaning products.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon has antibacterial and antifungal properties, making it a great ingredient for cleaning. It also has a warm and spicy scent that can add a pleasant aroma to your cleaning products.
Want to buy the best herbs and spices online?
Starwest Botanicals is my favorite place online to shop for herbs (affiliate link).
White Vinegar Base
White vinegar is a natural disinfectant and deodorizer. It is also a great ingredient for removing grease and grime from surfaces. Its acidic nature also makes it effective for removing mineral deposits and restoring the shine to surfaces.
Vinegar is an excellent cleaning agent. However, vinegar is very strong and abrasive. In my opinion, you should never use vinegar on porous surfaces, including wood and natural stone. Vinegar will likely dull the shine on your wood surfaces and real stone.
Hate the vinegar smell? Alternatives are isopropyl alcohol or high-proof vodka, witch hazel, or even just distilled water.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please visit my privacy + disclosure page for more details.
Thieves Cleaner Supplies:
- Airtight jar
- Glass spray bottle
- Small strainer or cheesecloth
- Funnel
Thieves Cleaner Instructions:
Step 1: Wash and dry the eucalyptus leaves, lemons, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and rosemary sprigs.
Step 2: Crush the eucalyptus leaves, cloves, and rosemary sprigs to release their oils and add them to the bowl or jar.
Step 3: Cut the cinnamon sticks into small pieces and add to the bowl (I skipped cutting them and it was still fine!)
Step 4: Pour vinegar over the top of the mixture, covering all ingredients.
Step 5: Mix well until all the ingredients are combined.
Step 6: Let sit in the vinegar for about 2 weeks (give or take a little). This creates a the all-purpose cleaner concentrate!
Step 7: Squeeze Juice of one lemon over mixture.
Step 8: Strain the mixture into a clean spray bottle until it is half-full using a small strainer or cheesecloth.
Step 9: Add 1 TBSP castile soap to the mixture.
Step 10: Fill the remainder of the bottle with filtered water and shake!
Note: If you have big floaties, you should strain again using cheesecloth so you don’t clog up your spray bottle.
To use, simply spray the cleaner onto a surface and wipe it down with a clean cloth.
This cleaner is great for cleaning your kitchen sink, counters, bathrooms, laundry room, and even your garbage cans. It even cleans glass!
Note
This cleaner is effective on most surfaces, but it’s always a good idea to test a small, inconspicuous area first to make sure it doesn’t cause any damage or discoloration.
Shelf Life and Storage
The shelf life of the DIY all-purpose cleaner will depend on various factors such as the freshness of the ingredients and how it’s stored. However, in general, it’s best to use it within 2-3 weeks to ensure that the cleaning solution remains effective.
Here are a few tips to extend its shelf life:
- Store the cleaner in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight.
- Be sure to tightly close the spray bottle after each use to prevent contamination.
- If the cleaner starts to look or smell off, discard it and make a fresh batch.
Always label the bottle with the name and date of preparation so that you can keep track of its age and contents.
FAQs
Interested in other homemade cleaners?
Looking for a glass cleaner?
Check out this amazing window cleaner my my friend at Homegrown Hopes for more natural cleaning inspiration!
Tell me what you think in the comments below! Do you like this as much as your Thieves concentrate? I think it is pretty close!
Pin It for Later!
Print it for Later!
DIY Thieves Cleaner without Essential Oils
A homemade take on the famous 5 thieves cleaner using herbs!
Materials
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 TBSP castile soap
- 1 stem fresh eucalyptus leaves
- TBSP of Fresh lemon juice
- 5-6 cloves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
- Filtered Water
Tools
- Airtight jar
- Glass spray bottle
- Small strainer or cheesecloth
- Funnel
Instructions
- Wash and dry the eucalyptus leaves, lemons, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and rosemary sprigs.
- Crush the eucalyptus leaves, cloves, and rosemary sprigs to release their oils and add them to the bowl or jar.
- Cut the cinnamon sticks into small pieces and add to the bowl (I skipped cutting them and it was still fine!)
- Pour vinegar over the top of the mixture, covering all ingredients.
- Mix well until all the ingredients are combined.
- Let sit in the vinegar for about 2 weeks (give or take a little). This creates a the all-purpose cleaner concentrate!
- Squeeze Juice of one lemon over mixture.
- Strain the mixture into a clean spray bottle until it is half-full using a small strainer or cheesecloth.
- Add 1 TBSP castile soap to the mixture.
- Fill the remainder of the bottle with filtered water and shake!
- use, simply spray the cleaner onto a surface and wipe it
down with a clean cloth.
Notes
If you end up with floaties after the first strain, strain again with cheesecloth so you do not clog your spray bottle!
About the Author:
I’m Brittany, totally modern and mainstream turned crunchy mama!
Read more here about how I went from a totally incompetent cook and hyper-consumer to striving to live a more meaningful life from scratch.
I can’t wait to share my modern homesteading journey with you and I hope I inspire you to join along!
3 Comments