We’ve previously discussed the harmful chemicals and ingredients that are hidden in your popular cleaning products. I won’t repeat those hazards because they are hard enough to hear once! In case you are looking to make changes toward a plant-based home but don’t know where to start, I am re-sharing a post and free eBook for your reference.
I remember when I was making the switch in the beginning of my journey toward a healthier and more conscious lifestyle. It can definitely seem overwhelming! But, by making small changes each month, you can make a big impact in your home!
In this post, I’ve included a month-by-month schedule to help you gradually switch out the products you are already using for plant-based products. In one year, you will have a safer home full of plant-based cleaning products that are safe, effective, and a great foundation for other DIYs. And, your home will smell great without harmful side effects.
I’ve included items from the Thieves Kit as well as other oils that we use often in our home. You can purchase any of them from my Young Living website.
Monthly Swap Calendar
Remove the toxin-filled version of the Thieves items, such as household cleaner, hand soap, laundry soap, toothpaste, etc. and replace it with the Thieves version or another plant-based product line. While our family uses Thieves, we understand not all of you will be ready or able to make that commitment at this time. The point is to start where you are and make healthier swaps to protect your family from unnecessary and harmful chemicals in products.
Now let’s dive into the details of each product and how it can help you, as well as some information about how you can use it and some recipes for the various oils. I’ve opted to give you TOO MUCH information so you can come back as you need it. The printout below does not contain all the additional information about the specific products and oils for each month. It contains the product swaps and an overview of why it’s good to swap out the non-toxin-free products. I didn’t want you to have to print out too many pages!
Month 1
- Thieves Household Cleaner
- Thieves Household Cleaner uses naturally derived, plant-based ingredients and essential oils like Lemon and Thieves to give you a safer way to clean your home. This all-purpose cleaner can clean just about anything and will be your go-to cleaner of choice. Use it on your counter tops, floors, furniture, windows, walls, in your oven, around toilet, and on almost any surface that needs cleaning! Wherever you use it, you’ll feel good knowing it’s safe to use around everyone in your family, including pets! Best of all, it is formulated without the harsh or dangerous chemicals found in many traditional clean products; it is made with a vegan-friendly, plant-based formula.We love that this product is so versatile. You can literally clean everything with one product!
- Read this blog post from Young Living to learn 29 Cleaners you can make with Thieves Household Cleaner!
- Lemon essential oil
- Lemon is a bright and uplifting essential oil. Keep Lemon on hand for its clean, energizing, and invigorating aroma. Lemon essential oil can be diffused to create a more focused environment, or to help create an uplifting atmosphere.
- Often found in cleaners and soaps, Lemon’s citrus scent is an indispensable freshener in any home and is a cleaning must-have.
- It makes a great adhesive remover! Use a few drops to help remove stickers, labels, and goo from surfaces!
- Add a few drops to your laundry detergent or wool dryer balls for a pleasant, refreshing aroma.
- Add a few drops of Lemon to your surface cleaning solution to clean your floors, surfaces, and windows.
- Add a few drops to your toilet bowl to keep the room smelling fresh. Pro tip: Put a few drops in the bowl before you go to keep the room smelling fresh. Game changer.
- Make a toilet spritz by combining 15 drops of Lemon in ½ cup of rubbing alcohol and ½ cup of distilled water and save it in a glass spritzer bottle. Keep it handy to spray toilets before using to avoid smells from filling the room.
- Cedarwood essential oil
- Cedarwood essential oil’s woodsy, warm, balsamic aroma creates a relaxing, calming, and comforting atmosphere when diffused to help support a relaxing nighttime routine. The cleansing and moisturizing properties associated with Cedarwood also make it a great addition to your favorite skin care products.
- When applied topically, it can help maintain the appearance of healthy, youthful skin. You can also massage Cedarwood oil into your scalp to enhance the appearance of healthy-looking hair.
- Diffuse Cedarwood in the evening to create a relaxing atmosphere and help neutralize odors.
- Add a couple of drops to a DIY outdoor spray blended with oils such as Citronella, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Myrtle, Clove, or Lemongrass to use at sporting events or while camping.
Month 2
- Thieves Foaming Hand Soap
- Thieves Foaming Hand Soap gently cleans and conditions the skin with a blend of Thieves, Lemon, and Orange essential oils, as well as Aloe Vera to help purify and cleanse your hands. The instant foam makes it easy to lather and rinse leaving your skin soft and clean with a light Thieves scent. In most harsh soaps, you’ll find synthetic fragrances, parabens, SLS and SLES, triclosan, and harsh preservatives; Thieves Foaming Hand Soap is plant-based and free from sulfates, dyes, synthetic fragrances, and harsh chemicals.
- Thieves essential oil
- Thieves® essential oil blend is a powerful combination of Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus Radiata, and Rosemary essential oils that fills any space with a rich, spicy aroma. When used aromatically, Thieves neutralizes and purifies the air from strong odors and can freshen any atmosphere.
- Keeping the air in your home clean and pure is crucial for a healthy environment. Diffuse Thieves to cleanse and purify the air and add some extra Lemon for an uplifting scent.
- Make your own seasonal roller by adding a 2-3 drops of Thieves, Oregano, Frankincense, and Lemon oils to a 10ml roller bottle. Fill the rest with a carrier oil and apply topically to the bottom of your feet or along your spine.
- Add a few drops to your dishwasher or dish water to thoroughly clean your dishes and eliminate odors.
- Rosemary essential oil
- This woodsy aroma can help create an energizing environment and promote a sense of clarity. Its aroma is great to diffuse to help your children and you study.
- Rosemary is great for studying and when you are working on projects that require a concentrated focus.
Month 3
- Thieves Laundry Soap
- With a plant-based formula, Thieves Laundry Soap gently and naturally washes your clothes, leaving them truly clean without any chemical or synthetic residue. Natural enzymes and powerful essential oils like Thieves, Jade Lemon, and Bergamot, add to the formula’s strength, leaving your clothes fresh and clean with a light citrus scent. The plant-based formula can even be safely poured directly onto clothes! Thieves laundry soap can be used in all washers, including high efficiency and its highly concentrated formula will handle approximately 64 loads with just 32 fl oz.
- Tea Tree essential oil
- Tea Tree is best known for its ability to get rid of musky, undesired odors. Diffuse it anywhere that needs some refreshing.
- Tea Tree is a great natural deodorizer.
- Mix 5 drops of Tea Tree and 3 drops of Lavender with a cup of baking soda to make your own carpet powder. Sprinkle it over carpet, let it sit for 15 minutes, and then vacuum away!
- Lavender essential oil
- Enjoy calm feelings and fight occasional nervous tension throughout the day by applying a few drops to your wrists and wearing Lavender as a perfume.
- Start your day on the right foot and support a worry-free outlook by diffusing Lavender as you get ready for the day.
- Set the stage for snuggles by diffusing the oil as part of your bedtime routine.
- Complement your beauty routine by adding a few drops to lotions, shampoos, and skin care products for cleansing properties and a classic aroma.
- Boost the appearance of youthful looking skin and reduce the appearance of blemishes by adding a few drops to your moisturizer.
- Calm your skin with a soothing body scrub using coconut oil, sugar, and Lavender oil.
Month 4
- Thieves Waterless Hand Sanitizer
- The Waterless Hand Sanitizer is effective, safe, and gentle enough for your hands, especially if soap and water aren’t an option! Perfect for on-the-go washing, not only will this product cleanse and purify your hands, it will also keep them moisturized and protected.
- You’ll love that Thieves Hand Purifier has a plant-derived formula with safe ingredients that you can trust, including denatured alcohol, water, aloe barbadensis leaf powder, glycerin, hydroxypropyl cellulose, Peppermint oil, Clove oil, Lemon peel oil, Eucalyptus Radiata oil, Rosemary oil, and Cinnamon Bark oil.
- Purification essential oil
- This blend is made up of six essential oils (Citronella, Lavandin, Lemongrass, Rosemary, Myrtle, and Tea Tree) for the ultimate weapon against odors. With Purification oil, you’ll never need to feel embarrassed by bad odors from cooking, laundry, pets, or anything else life throws your way.
- Replace overpowering aerosol fragrance sprays with Purification. This blend is great to keep your home and laundry fresh.
- It creates a refreshing, bright scent that keeps you and your family happy and comfortable, especially in the springtime!
- Add a few drops to laundry to give your wash a great-smelling boost.
- Place a few drops on cotton balls or wood clothes pins and stash them wherever necessary: the car, closets and drawers, air vents, shoes, or gym bags.
- Create your own air freshener by mixing 5 drops of Purification and 2–3 drops of your favorite essential oil, plus a cup of distilled water, in a glass spritzer bottle to attack offensive smells after cooking. You can also use it to freshen your linens.
- Bergamot essential oil
- Bergamot essential oil’s effervescent citrus aroma makes it a great addition to your morning routine and to liven up your household chores. The yellow-green peel of this orange-shaped fruit is cold pressed to produce pure essential oil. While Bergamot has a primarily tart and uplifting aroma, there are also sweet and relaxing elements, making it a popular addition to perfumes. Bergamot has attracted attention for its skin-cleansing properties, and its elegant scent makes it a popular addition to luxury shampoos, soaps, and cleansers. Bergamot can cause photosensitivity, so avoid applying it before spending time in the sun.
- Upgrade your skin care routine by adding a drop of Bergamot to your favorite shampoos, soaps, serums, and cleansers.
- Add it to your favorite nighttime moisturizer for an uplifting scent and to reduce the appearance of blemishes.
- Create a signature perfume by mixing Bergamot with a floral middle note, like Jasmine or Geranium, and a musky base note, like Cedarwood, Patchouli, or Frankincense.
- Diffuse Bergamot at home, in the classroom, or while working to create an uplifting, positive environment.
Month 5
- Thieves Spray
- Thieves Spray is a portable essential oil spray ideal for cleaning small surfaces. Just one small spray freshens surfaces using only naturally derived, plant-based ingredients and the powerful spicy-citrus scent of Thieves essential oil blend. It is a great option to use around children and the perfect size to throw in a purse, backpack, or luggage! We love using Thieves Spray on light switches, kitchen sinks, door knobs, public toilet seats, bathroom counters, smelly shoes, and more!
- Pine essential oil
- Pine essential oil is steam distilled from the needles of the Pinus sylvestris tree, which originates in Austria, the United States, and Canada.• Refresh your home with the rich aroma of Pine. This essential oil is a great addition to floor surface cleaners and creates an aroma reminiscent of fresh air and the outdoors.
- It adds a clean, sweet scent to your home when diffused!
- Add it to your Thieves Household Cleaner to mop your floors.
- Combine Pine with water and spray it on carpet for a fresh smell after vacuuming.
- Add a few drops of Pine to olive oil and Thieves Household Cleaner to shine your wood furniture and floors.
- Cedarwood essential oil (refill)
Month 6
- Thieves Dish Soap
- Thieves Dish Soap will effectively clean your dishes without harsh chemicals, dyes, or synthetics. Jade Lemon™, Bergamot, and Thieves essential oil blend complete the formula with their naturally occurring constituents.
- Eucalyptus Radiata essential oil
- Eucalyptus Radiata essential oil promotes a stimulating and rejuvenating environment anywhere it’s diffused. It’s also very popular in spas, salons, and beauty products for its refreshing experience.
- Diffuse it by your bed stand for an opening respiratory experience.
- Diffuse in your home or work space for a clean, energizing aroma.
- Create a DIY room-refreshing spray with Eucalyptus Radiata to combat stale odors.
- Apply to your back, neck, or chest before a steamy shower for an invigorating and awakening aromatic experience.
- Add a few drops to your shampoo or conditioner for a rejuvenating scalp massage.
- Thieves vitality oil
- Add 2-3 drops of Thieves Vitality to a warm cup of tea.
- Create a DIY throat blend by adding 1 drop of Lemon and 1 drop of Thieves Vitality to a teaspoon of honey.
- Support your immune system by taking a capsule of Thieves Vitality daily especially during times of need.
- Make a soothing winter tea by adding a few drops of Thieves and a tablespoon of honey into a warm tea.
- Carry with you while traveling and put a drop under your tongue for added wellness support.
- Boost your herbal teas and juices with antioxidant properties and a spicy-sweet flavor by adding a drop of Thieves Vitality.*
- Add a drop of Thieves Vitality to your daily shot of NingXia Red® for a quick, spicy boost to this YL favorite’s immune-boosting properties.
- Add a drop to oatmeal, granola, or other cereal to elevate your breakfast and help cleanse the digestive system.
Month 7
- Thieves Foaming Hand Soap Refill
- Grapefruit essential oil
- Grapefruit essential oil is cold pressed from the peels of the fresh fruit for a citrusy oil with the bright aroma of a grapefruit orchard. It’s this sweet, invigorating scent that associates the essential oil with feelings of joy, satisfaction, and playfulness. Not only is Grapefruit a wonderful essential oil to diffuse, but it’s also a great addition to DIY skin care products.
- Bring an invigorating aroma into your home by diffusing Grapefruit in the morning.
- Freshen up the kitchen after cooking or cleaning with Grapefruit’s bright, uplifting aroma.
- Invite the effervescent aroma into the living room to add a sunny note to a party or family time.
- Create a refreshing room spritzer by mixing Grapefruit, Peppermint, Orange, Lemon, Bergamot, and distilled water in a glass spray bottle.
- Combine a few drops with a carrier oil such as V-6™ Vegetable Oil Complex and use it for an uplifting massage.
- Use it as part of your skin care regimen in lotions, toners, and cleansers for clean, healthy-looking skin. Keep in mind that Grapefruit is a photosensitive oil. Avoid direct sunlight or UV rays for up to 12 hours after topical application.
- Combine it in a salt body scrub with other skin-toning essential oils—such as Lemon and Juniper—for a home spa experience that gives your skin a smooth-looking glow.
- Purification essential oil (refill)
Month 8
- Thieves Whitening Toothpaste
- Start using this monthly. Depending upon how many people are in your family and how much toothpaste you use, a tube can last between one month to six weeks.
- Our Thieves® AromaBright® Toothpaste can help promote extra-clean teeth and gums. This top-selling toothpaste gently removes stains while polishing and brightening the appearance of teeth. The Peppermint and Spearmint essential oils combine for a minty-fresh flavor and long-lasting fresh breath. The best part is that this toothpaste is free of fluorides, dyes, synthetic perfumes, SLS, and synthetics such as triclosan. Young Living also offers Dentarome Ultra®, Dentarome Plus®, and KidScents® toothpaste, which are all free of harsh chemicals.
- Orange essential oil
- Orange essential oil has a sweet, bright aroma reminiscent of a blossoming orchard of orange trees. Start your day with an uplifting burst of liquid sunshine by diffusing Orange as you get ready in the morning. With just a few drops, you can fill any space with a sense of peace, harmony, and creativity. Orange is wonderful on its own, and you can also combine it with complementary oils such as Grapefruit, Cinnamon, Neroli, and Patchouli.
- Play around with different essential oil combos for both warmer and cooler months. Diffuse Orange with Lime, Lemon, or Tangerine for a sunny, warm-weather scent or diffuse it with Cinnamon Bark and Clove for a festive smell that is perfect for the holidays.
- Combine 8–10 drops with distilled water or witch hazel in a small glass spray bottle and spritz over linens to keep your sheets, towels, and clothes smelling great.
- Add it to your nighttime face regimen to help reduce the appearance of blemishes and to smooth the appearance of skin.
- Diffuse Orange in your children’s play areas; they’ll love the sweet, playful scent!
- Christmas Spirit essential oil
- With some of Young Living’s most popular Christmas essential oils, Christmas Spirit™ taps into the happiness, joy, and comfort associated with the holiday season. It combines Orange, Cinnamon Bark, and Spruce to create a warm, spicy, and sweet Christmas essential oil blend that’s sure to be loved by everyone in the family.
- Thanks to its familiar notes and timeless aroma, Christmas Spirit essential oil blend helps evoke feelings and memories tied to the joy of Christmas and simpler, more peaceful moments. It’s a great gift for the holidays, and it can easily become an important part of your family traditions.
- Diffuse it during the holidays and winter months to help children, family, and friends reminisce over the past and create new memories for the future.
- This is an oil our family keeps on hand at all times. We love to add Peppermint to it and diffuse it during study sessions all year long.
Month 9
- Thieves Dental Floss
- Start using this monthly. Depending upon how many people are in your family and how much floss you use, it can last between one month to six weeks.
- Thieves Dental Floss is made with strong fibers that resist fraying and easily glide between teeth, especially those hard-to-reach places. Saturated twice, this hard-wearing floss provides two layers of essential oils, offering double the freshness to your breath. Thieves Floss has one layer of Thieves and one layer of Peppermint essential oil.
- Lavender essential oil (refill)
- Cedarwood essential oil (refill)
Month 10
- Thieves Fresh Essence Plus Mouthwash
- Start using this monthly. Depending upon how many people are in your family and how much mouthwash you use, a bottle can last between one month to six weeks.
- Even with regular brushing, children and adults can miss areas of the teeth and gums. Young Living’s Thieves Fresh Essence Plus® Mouthwash freshens and provides a whole-mouth clean. For incredibly clean teeth and gums, use Thieves Mouthwash to freshen your breath without the harmful effects of mouthwash, SLS, dyes, or artificial flavors.
- Lime essential oil
- With a bright and refreshing citrus scent, Lime essential oil smells just like freshly sliced limes. When diffused this summery aroma can uplift your environment. Lime oil has a versatile scent that complements most other citrus essential oils such as Lemon, Bergamot, Grapefruit, Orange, and Tangerine.
- If you’re feeling uninspired, try diffusing Lime oil for a bright, refreshing aroma that may clear a path to greater creativity. This quality also makes Lime a great choice for diffusing in classrooms and children’s play areas. Lime can also support radiant skin! Try adding a couple of drops to your favorite nighttime moisturizer for healthier-looking skin. Because Lime is a citrus oil, it may cause photosensitivity, so be sure to avoid applying it to exposed skin before spending time in the sun.
- Our family loves to combine lime with rosemary and peppermint for an invigorating diffuser blend that creates a creatives atmosphere in our home.
- Thieves essential oil (refill)
Month 11
- Thieves Fruit and Veggie Soak
- Young Living’s Thieves® Fruit and Veggie Soak is the best way to safely clean your produce without having to worry about lingering additives, synthetics wax or dirt! As you soak your fruits and veggies, it effectively cleans with the power of three exclusive essential oil blends—DiGize, Thieves, and Purification. When combined with the other naturally derived ingredients, like Decyl glucoside, produce is easily and conveniently cleaned.
- Even if you’re buying organic produce, a fruit and veggie was will help clean your product from wax, dirt, and other surface impurities. You never know who has touched your produce at the store!
- Tangerine essential oil
- Tangerine essential oil is extracted by cold pressing the rind of the tangerine fruit. Tangerines, which are part of the Rutaceae family, likely originated in Southeast Asia and have since spread to subtropical areas around the world. Like the fresh citrus fruit, Tangerine oil is loved by children and adults alike, with its delightfully sweet aroma that can create a happy, contented mindset.
- Lime vitality oil
- Lime Vitality™ essential oil is prized for its ability to bring a unique citrus flavor and delicious zing to any food or beverage. Adding a few drops of Lime Vitality to your dishes is the perfect way to elevate your cooking.
- Guac. I will leave it there. You will thank me.
Month 12
- Thieves Automatic Dishwasher Powder
- Thieves Automatic Dishwasher Powder is a proprietary blend of biodegradable cleansing agents and enzymes that remove even the toughest grease and baked on food.With naturally derived ingredients and a blend of pure essential oils such as Thieves, Lemongrass, and Orange, Thieves Automatic Dishwasher Powder effectively cleans your dishes without chemicals, dyes, or synthetics and leaves them sparkling clean. Soap berries are the cleansing agent Young Living uses in this product. They are wild-harvested by hand from trees found in forests in the Nepal foothills. They grow in the wild without the use of chemicals, fertilizers, or pesticides.
- Thieves Automatic Dishwasher Powder is one of the most versatile cleaning products! It’s not just for dishes. Think of it as an all-around cleaning powder because it has enzymes like amylase and protease that actually help break down food particles into small pieces that can then be easily cleaned or washed away! You can use it in toilets, bathtubs, sinks, ovens, or washing machines, and because it is very concentrated, a little goes a long way.
- Use ½ tablespoon for regular laundry loads or with soft water. – Use 1 tablespoon for dirty loads or with hard water.
- Sprinkle some in the toilet, spray some Thieves Household Cleaner, and scrub after letting that sit for a few minutes.
- Add a teaspoon in a load of laundry that needs an extra cleaning boost.
- Mix 1/3 cup detergent with 1 capful of Thieves Household Cleaner and mix until it forms into a paste for scrubbing tubs or tile.
- Citrus Fresh Essential oil
- Citrus Fresh Vitality™ essential oil blend perfectly combines Orange, Tangerine, Grapefruit, Lemon, and Mandarin oils with the refreshingly cool taste of Spearmint to add a striking and unique pop of flavor to culinary dishes. This uplifting blend can be used to add zest to chicken, salmon, and gourmet salads. You can also try it on the go: Add it to your water to keep you motivated to stay hydrated. Citrus Fresh Vitality can also provide an internal boost with its antioxidants and cleansing properties.* Indulge with Citrus Fresh Vitality and never feel dull about the food you’re eating again!
- Feeling down? Diffuse Citrus Fresh in your home, office, or classroom for positive and uplifting aroma.
- Christmas Spirit essential oil (refill)
Big Changes Start With Small Steps
By replacing a few products each month, we can make our homes healthier and more chemical-free. You already buy household items like soap and laundry detergent from the grocery store; why not spend your money more wisely on plant-based products that are infused with the powerful benefits of essential oils? What if we took the money we spent on products that may be harmful and allocate those same dollars back into building up healthy homes through plant-based products?
Start the journey today!
As you continue to use up existing products in your home, start replacing them with plant-based products for your family! By consistently replacing a few products little by little, month by month, step by step, you can significantly reduce your family’s exposure to toxic chemicals. Be empowered! You have the option to use products that are perfect for you, your children, and your pets!
Would you like a printable copy? Download a free copy of “One Year to a Plant-Based Home” here. I’ve included an extra oil for each month, with notes on when it will need a refill (shown by the same oil being noted in multiple months).
Would you like to learn even more? These posts from the past are very helpful for knowing what to remove and add to your home and tell you details about many oils and plant-based products and supplements.
- How “Ditching & Switching” Can Lead to a More Creative Environment (Part 1)
- How “Ditching & Switching” Can Lead to a More Creative Environment (Part 2)
- How “Ditching & Switching” Can Lead to a More Creative Environment (Part 3)
- The 2020 Toxin-Free Family
- Back to School Essentials: Oils and Plant-Based Products for Transitioning from Summer Vacation to the School Year
- All About Thieves Essential Oil
For additional reading, try the Clean Living magazine from Young Living.
And last but not least, here are a couple of bonuses from Young Living about cleaning with essential oils and simple swamps you can make to rid your home of candles..
As always thank you to Well-Styled Essentials and Young Living for great pictures, graphics, and training. I start with what they share with me, add what I can so you get my personal view, and share my love for all things plant-based products and essential oils from Young Living with you. All products that are in stock can be purchased through the Virtual Office if you are already a member and through my Young Living site if you aren’t. You can reach out to me to help you through any questions you have if you aren’t already working with a Young Living Brand Partner.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. As always, talk with your physician if you are unsure how using essential oils or plant-based products will interact with your current medications, routine, or lifestyle.
Affiliate Note: This post has affiliate links, which may provide me with an affiliate commission if you make a purchase. This does not cost you extra and helps me to keep free of pay-per-click advertisements so I can share with you only ads I place here from friends’ businesses, companies I endorse and trust, and products I enjoy!
The Essential Creative 