Thieves oil, by Young Living Essential Oils, is a blend of the essential oils of cinnamon, clove, rosemary, eucalyptus and lemon. These oils are not manufactured chemicals in a laboratory, but derived from steam distillation (with the exception of lemon) from pure plant material. (Lemon oil is derived from the peel of the lemon, and is extracted by a different process than steam distillation). Most of the Young Living plants are grown on the company’s own farms, and all oil samples are tested for purity and sufficient concentration of the molecules of the plants.

Thieves oil is used to prevent and kill mold and fungus, and is also used in dental products such as toothpaste, floss and mouthwash, because its antibacterial and antiviral properties promote dental health. In addition, Thieves oil is very good for disinfecting surfaces, and so it is sold in a variety of cleaning products: soap, hand sanitizer, household cleaner, and wipes. The Thieves oil got its name from a group of fourteenth-century thieves who used this combination of herbs and spices to protect themselves from plague as they robbed tombs; since then this blend has been discovered to be effective in killing bacteria, such as gram positive Micrococcus luteus and gram negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa after diffusing Thieves oil in the air for just twelve minutes.

If you decide to try essential oils in your home, do not assume that the oils you buy in the grocery store are the same. Be sure to contact your Young Living distributor to get effective concentrations of the right molecules.