Host Healthy Playdates with Thieves Oil (My All-Purpose Disinfecting Spray Recipe)

Ah, playdates.  Let’s take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of hosting a playdate in your home.

Pros:

• Child interaction
• Parent interaction
• Reason to REALLY clean your house before everyone comes.

Cons:

• Child interaction likely includes runny noses, coughing, sharing food, switching water bottles, and toys in mouths.
• Parent interaction.  Choose your guests wisely.
• You have to clean your house before everyone comes.
• You have to disinfect your house after everyone leaves.

After hosting a recent playdate, I stood back and looked at the aftermath.  I made mental notes of which toys I recalled being in someone’s mouth, including my child whom NEVER puts things in his mouth.  I guess it looks yummy after somebody else does it first though.  My son also has a knack for getting others to feed him or attempting to test out every water bottle.  Runny noses are rubbed, and drool happens.

I don’t get freaked out about germs, surprisingly.  I love watching the children play and share together, even if it sometimes includes sicknesses, but of course I do my best to keep things “clean”.   I am NOT a spotless-home-kinda-gal [just ask my mother-in-law 🙂 ], and I am very uncomfortable in places that are the epitome of perfection.  Especially when kids live there, it just makes me anxious.  On the other hand, of course I don’t condone living in filth by any means.  As with anything, I believe in the balance.  I am happy that my home is “lived in”.

So I mixed up a batch of my favorite non-toxic disinfecting spray and non-obsessively sprayed it over some toys and surfaces that experienced a lot of fun that day.  The secret ingredient to this cleaner is Thieves essential oil, which is one of my most favorite EOs ever…I love the incredible story behind it.  Have you heard it?  Well, let me tell you the quick version!

During the Black/Bubonic Plague of the 1600s when half of the people in France were dying from a highly infectious disease, four thieves/grave-robbers were pillaging from the dead/dying victims.  They were able to do so for 40 years without catching the contagion, and the King wanted to know how after they were finally captured.  They revealed how they were spice merchants struggling to make ends meet.  They explained their combination of oils (including cloves and rosemary) in which they immersed themselves and inhaled as they were around the sick.  The King (thankfully) had a big mouth and their “secret” became known as one of the most powerful immunity oils.  Today I use it to prevent sickness in our family, and so can you!  As with all essential oils, it is so much more than just a pretty smell!

Below is my recipe for this antimicrobial cleaner which has been safe and effective for our nursery, kitchen, bathroom, or anywhere, including our furniture and rugs.  I also diffused Thieves oil into the air a little during the playdate which kills airborne bacteria and viruses.  I sometimes use it in the dishwasher to sanitize and eliminate odors, and dilute on the bottoms of my feet if I’m exposed to something.  Thieves oil leaves the good bacteria alone, and boosts our immune systems.

Back in the day, I used to work at a play gym for babies and toddlers.  I taught art, but sometimes had to teach music or the main physical classes.  I remember being trained to spray down everything with a coat of Lysol spray and became quickly disenchanted with how prevalent the smell and mist was in the air.  I also thought how odd it was that it was apparently better for a baby to chew on an item freshly sprayed with “clean” than it was to let them get germs from previous children.  That was only when my natural-mindedness was operating at a low hum and not in full gear like it is today.

Quick “no-duh” soapbox:  Antibacterial products can kill some germs, but they also weaken our good germs.  Commercial cleaning products are also wrought with chemicals that are terribly detrimental not just to our environment, but to our personal health. 

“Think about how you use cleaning products: they are sprayed into the air, poured into sinks, flushed down toilets, and dumped into landfills. When put into landfills or incinerated, the noxious ingredients from the cleaning products seep into soil and water, and cause harm to people and animals.  The harmful ingredients in cleaning products contain carcinogens, heavy metals, and nervous system depressants that contribute to allergy problems, respiratory issues, and even cancer.” (source)

I cannot understand why toxic compounds are considered a good idea for our cleaning and beauty supplies (oh that’s right…money), but if you are considering natural, non-toxic alternatives to your products, I encourage you to not be overwhelmed and slowly give the transition a whirl.  A great place to start is this all-purpose disinfecting cleaner recipe…

You will need:

• a spray bottle
• water (I use distilled or filtered when I can)
• Thieves oil (where to buy)*
• white vinegar (distilled)
• a few Epsom Salts (optional) – I put a pinch of Epsom salts and then drop my essential oils onto that pile to help it disperse into my liquid recipes better.  To me, oil and water don’t mix well and this helps it, but hey…there are no hard rules with your DIY products, so skip this if you want!

I didn’t give exact amounts because it depends on your spray bottle.  I use a 24-ounce spray bottle, but only end up making about 15 ounces at a time.  I use 10 ounces of water, 5 ounces of white vinegar, and 10 drops of Thieves oil.  I would say 1 drop of Thieves per ounce of water, then use half that number for ounces of vinegar.  Combine by gently swishing  it all around, and use anytime as your all-purpose cleaner!

*You may also like to use Lemon, Peppermint, Lavender, Orange, or other favorite oils.  Another great option is the Purification Blend.  Find out more about essential oils here and more using my section at the top of this website.  Thieves oil AND my diffuser are included in the Premium Starter Kit, which is the best way I recommend exploring eleven everyday essential oils.  Click here to purchase today and let me help you navigate your way!

I love making my homemade products and knowing exactly what is going into every mixture.  Essential oils are a big part of my natural medicine cabinet and homemade ingredient pantry.  I hope by using my spray and diffusing Thieves, everyone in attendance at our playdates can share everything but the germs!

Enjoy this post? It would mean the world to me if you shared it! And please comment below with questions or your related personal experiences! 🙂

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