Switch & Ditch in 2017: Clean House Edition

It’s resolution season, so we’ll take the last two weeks of January to give you tips on a couple of naturally awesome goals. Week 1 Objective: Clean House in your Cleaning Closet.

That’s right. Make 2017 the year you ditch chemical-laden, toxic cleaners and switch to the good stuff. By good stuff we mean cleaners that you don’t have to worry about coming in contact with you or your family’s skin or lungs. And – bonus – cleaners that do just as good a job (or better!) cleaning every surface of your house.

Read on for practical tips, quick fixes and tried-and-true recipes. Happy Switching and Ditching!

Ditch toxic cleaning products and switch to all-natural, essential oil-powered clean. 

The All-Important All-Purpose Cleaner

Ditching your old cleaners has another bonus: you can replace all those bottles with just one. Yup. I bought a 14.4 oz. bottle of Thieves Household cleaner 3+ years ago and I am still using it one capful at a time.

I spray this versatile mix on kitchen and bathroom countertops, glass and mirrors. Basically everywhere.*

All-Purpose/Glass Cleaner Recipe

• 3 cups water
• 1 capful (approx. 1 tsp) Thieves Household Cleaner
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 3-5 drops your choice oil (I usually use Lemon, but Citrus Fresh or Tea Tree, would be other fresh ideas)

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in your favorite glass spray bottle, spray, wipe away, SMILE.

*When in doubt, try the all-purpose cleaner in a conspicuous spot first. Especially on surfaces like granite or sandstone, where a higher dilution may be in order.     

Kitchen

Thieves Line Quick Fixes*: Thieves Dish Soap, Thieves Automatic Dishwasher Powder

*If you love Thieves Household cleaner, check out the whole line! We’ve included links to some of our favorite products by room to make things (you guessed it) EASY.

Recipe for Clean Tile Floors:

• ⅛ Cup Thieves Dish Soap
• ⅛ Cup White Vinegar
• 1 Gallon Warm Water

Instructions:

Mix and Mop!

Trashcan Tip:

Keep your trash can fresher in two steps!

1. Put 2-3 drops Citrus Fresh (or preferred Essential Oil, Purification would be a great choice) on a cotton ball.
2. Place cotton ball in trash can before you insert liner.

Laundry

Thieves Line Quick Fixes: Thieves Laundry Soap

Laundry Soap Tip: Like the household cleaner, this soap is super concentrated. 32-oz. should give you at least 64 loads of clean clothes!

Dryer Sheet Replacement

You know you’re an adult when you get dryer balls for Christmas. But I did this year, and I embraced my adulthood by being totally excited. The wool dryer balls not only help laundry dry faster with less static and wrinkles, they also provide the perfect opportunity to ditch toxic dryer sheets in favor of therapeutic grade essential oils.

I have 4 balls and I add a couple drops of oil to each for a refreshing scent. My favorites are Lavender and Citrus Fresh. Others to try: Stress Away and Joy

Bathrooms

Thieves Line Quick Fixes: Thieves Wipes

Toilet Tips:

I’ve gotten natural toilet cleaning down to 4 steps:

1. Spray toilet bowl with all-purpose Thieves cleaner (recipe above).
2. Sprinkle bowl with about ¼ cup baking soda.
3. Let mixture sit while you wipe down the rest of the toilet with a rag and all-purpose cleaner.
4. Scrub bowl.

Tub Tips:

Most cleaning sessions, I simply wipe tubs and showers with my all-purpose cleaner, but if deeper cleaning is in order I have a couple of options:

1. Sprinkle half a lemon with baking soda to tackle stubborn stains.
2. Create a paste with 1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner and 2-3 TB baking soda.
3. For a refreshing clean, spray tub with vinegar. Adding a few drops of Lavender or Tea Tree oil will help amp up cleaning power and tune out the intense vinegar aroma.

Last Sweep: Miscellaneous Tips

Carpet

Ditch musty carpet smell with this carpet freshener recipe we shared in our Oil of the Week series:  

Recipe:

• 1 cup baking soda
• 5 drops of Thieves Essential Oil Blend

Instructions:

1. Combine ingredients in shaker, mix well and let sit overnight.
2. Sprinkle over carpets and vacuum.

General Stain Remover

Reach for Lemon for any weird, sticky, stubborn stains. It’s a natural at getting gunk out of your life.

Wood Cleaner

This recipe works wonders on wooden cabinets and furniture:

• 1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner
• 1 cup Olive Oil
• 2-3 Drops Lemon  

Making the Switch Made Easy

If you’re ready to make the switch, the Young Living Essential Rewards program makes it super easy (and affordable). You just:

1. Ditch the toxic cleaners in your home.
2. Ditch the toxic cleaners on your shopping list.
3. Switch to Essential Rewards for all your natural cleaning needs.

Your grocery list will get shorter and your house will become naturally clean. Just add a cleaning product to your order each month to help you keep this 2017 resolution! You’ll even earn points toward free products while you’re at it.

Have a cleaning quandary? Ask us in the comments!

Beyond the Kit: Members Favorites

Did you know? Young Living offers 100s of products. That’d be 100s more natural, health-supporting, can’t-get-enough products beyond what you already love from your Premium Starter Kit. So, if you’re ready to add new oils, blends and products to your everyday routine – you are in luck.

The Tree of Life team polled almost 1000 Young Living Oil lovers about their favorite products “beyond the kit”, and we revealed the winners in our latest Facebook class. Bonus: ALL the items are in stock and ready for purchase!

Beyond the Kit: Member Favorites

Favorite Single Oil: Cedarwood

This “woodsy” scent easily earns a MVP award for several, versatile daily uses.

• Apply before bedtime for a relaxing night’s sleep.
• Diffuse to help stay focused and on task.
• Comb into hair daily for thick beautiful locks.

Runners Up: Orange, Tea Tree & Northern Lights Black Spruce 

Orange, Tea Tree & Northern Lights Black Spruce give Cedarwood a run for its money!

• Orange – Diffuse for a calm, happy, sweet-smelling home.
• Tea Tree – Add to your favorite facial cream to support clearer, smoother skin.
• Insider Tip for Northern Lights Black Spruce – Order this VERY important ingredient instead when Valor and Peace & Calming are out of stock.

Favorite Blend Oil: Joy

Support the mood of your entire family -- even your toddler! -- with this beloved blend.

• Diffuse for a “joyful” home.
• Apply over the heart to help support cardiovascular health.
• Fast Fact: Joy contains Rose oil which possesses the highest frequency of any oil. Higher frequency oils are used for emotional and spiritual support.

Runners Up: Progessence Plus Serum, Endoflex & Abundance

• Progessence Plus Serum – Help support healthy hormone levels. Formulated especially for women, this blend contains wild yam extract and Vitamin E along with some of our most popular oils.
• Endoflex – Use daily to help support and maintain overall vitality and the endocrine system.
• Abundance – Wear as your perfume or diffuse to enhance the “law of attraction” – who couldn’t use more Abundance in their life?

Favorite Roll On: Deep Relief

Roll On… anywhere, anytime. We can’t think of anything more practical than that!

• Roll on to help alleviate stressed muscles or other physical discomforts.
• Roll on your temples to ease minor head discomfort.
• Apply topically before or after physical exercise.
• Inhale during exercise or physical activity for respiratory support.

Runners Up: Tranquil, Breathe Again & Stress Away

• Tranquil – Apply this calming & relaxing blend to neck or temples in times of restlessness and unease.
• Breathe Again (back in stock!) – Roll on to promote a healthy respiratory system throughout the seasons.
• Stress Away - Inhale to boost energy and serve as a daily pick me up (has a sweet vanilla/lime scent, yummy!).

Favorite Massage Oil: Cel-Lite Magic

Summer is approaching, and this beautiful blend of vegetable oils, vitamin E and Therapeutic Grade Essential oils could be your NEW best friend!

• Replace your body lotion with this chemical-free option.
• Use daily to benefit skin texture and detoxification.
• Massage on location where firming and toning is desired.

Runners Up: Ortho Sport, Ortho Ease & Sensation

• Ortho Sport – Apply for a warming sensation to soothe achy muscles. A great option for active teenagers and beyond.
• Ortho Ease (back in stock!) – Massage to soothe your tired and stressed body while combating the damaging effects of everyday activities.
• Sensation – Use for a relaxing massage and smooth, youthful-feeling skin.

Favorite Beauty & Skin: Satin Facial Scrub

This refreshing must-have is a water-based, peppermint oil infused exfoliant.

• Insider Tip: Perfect for all ages!
• Use daily to minimize the appearance of pores and invigorate dull skin.
• Apply directly to moistened skin in a circular motion, rinse well and pat dry.

Runners Up: Orange Blossom Facial Wash, ART Skin Care System & Sheerlume

• Orange Blossom Facial Wash – Cleanse your skin without stripping natural oils with this wonderful soap-free wash. Insider Tip: Add OBFW to a foaming pump with some water to make it last longer and keep teens from wasting it!
• ART (Age Refining Technology) Skin Care System – Use this 3 step skincare system for all ages. It contains Light Moisturizer, Refreshing Toner & Gentle Cleanser.
• Sheerlume – Visibly brighten and balance your skin tone with this beautiful cream of botanicals and pure essential oils.

Favorite Supplement: Multigreens

This combo of “greens” and therapeutic-grade essential oils boosts vitality and overall circulatory system.

• Take daily to support energy levels.
• Insider Tip: With added therapeutic essential oils, Multigreens absorption was increased from 42% (in 24hrs) to 86% (in 1hr). No other company can offer this efficiency, and that’s why we have essential oils in most of our supplement line.

Runners Up: Inner Defense, Longevity & Life 5

• Inner Defense – Promote a healthy respiratory system with these softgels rich in immune-supporting ingredients. Insider Tip: Have a sensitive tummy? Freeze them before taking. This is a must-have in every home!
• Longevity – Promote the body’s ability to handle damage due to aging, diet and environment with a softgel packed full of antioxidants. Use daily to also help support healthy organ function.
• Life 5 – Build and restore your core intestinal health with this probiotic. Life 5 contains 10 BILLION active cultures and is clinically proven to improve colonization up to 10 times. Healthy gut, happy body! Insider Tip: Keep refrigerated after opening and take at least 1 hour away from food before bed for best results.

Favorite Home Cleaning Product – Thieves Household Cleaner

A safe, toxic-free cleaning option for every surface in your house.

• Use it in your kitchen, bathrooms, floors (tile & hardwoods!), mirrors, glass, dusting and MUCH more!
• Purify and cleanse with the power of Thieves essential oil blend.
• Make GALLONS of cleaner with this concentrated bottle. Economical, easy and safe for pets, kids and babies!

Runner Up: Thieves Laundry Soap, Thieves Dish Soap & Thieves Fruit & Veggie Soak 

• Thieves Laundry Soap –  Gently and naturally wash your clothes without any chemical or synthetic residue. Plant-based formula with essential oils is safe for all types of washers.
• Thieves Dish Soap – Effectively clean your dishes without chemicals, dyes, or synthetics. Insider Tip: Make it go further with a foaming pump dispenser and water. Please note, not for use in a dishwasher.
• Fruit & Veggie soak/spray – Effectively wash produce with the cleansing power of 3 essential oil blends: DiGize, Thieves and Purification. Who wants icky chemicals on their fruits and veggies??

Go Beyond Today

If you aren't a Young Living member, find out how to join today. Translation: don’t pay RETAIL for these great products.

Already a wholesale member, love your oils and want more more more? Check out the amazing Essential Rewards program. Earn free products with each order you place and receive reduced shipping! 

Check out the original FB class for even more comments and insights. Ready to learn more? Suggest a class in the comments below!

Young Living March Promo: Our Favorite Spring Cleaning Heroes

In January, we hosted a virtual class to help our team take baby steps toward eliminating chemicals from their homes. It’s a wonderful resolution many of us have been dedicated to for years, but if you’re new to toxin-free and off to a slow start, it’s never too late for a clean sweep.

Enter Young Living’s March Promo. This month, you can earn some of our Most Valuable (and Versatile) Cleaning all-stars with your monthly Young Living purchase. You can check out all the promo details below, plus a few of our freshest oily cleaning tips to help you spring clean the Young Living way.

Put Your Promo to Work!

You’ve earned your March rewards, now here are 3 great ways to apply some (chemical-free) elbow grease for a sparkling and non-toxic home!

Thieves Household All Purpose Cleaner

You can clean practically every surface of your house with Thieves Household cleaner. Here is a basic all purpose cleaner recipe. Bonus: a capful goes a long way, so this is a reward that keeps on giving.

All Purpose Cleaner

• 1 capful Thieves Cleaner
• 2-3 Cups Hot Water

Optional: Add 10 drops of your favorite Essential Oil for extra cleaning power and a fresh smell (Lemon or Orange would be a great options!)

Pro Tip: Always use glass bottles when cleaning with Young Living Essential Oils. Some oils may erode plastic.

Lemon-Infused Glass Cleaner

Lemon is not just a fresh scent, it’s also natural cleaning agent. Here’s a recipe that combines Thieves Cleaner with Lemon that will leave your windows and mirrors shiny.

Glass Cleaner

• 1 capful Thieves Cleaner
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 5 Drops Lemon Essential Oil
• 3 Cup water

Just spray, wipe away and smile at your gleaming, streak-free reflection -- you've just eliminated more chemicals from your home! 

Pro Tip: You can use lemon to remove stubborn goo. Just apply 1-2 drops to grease, glue or even crayon and scrub.

Orange Wool Dryer Balls

We love Thieves Laundry Detergent for anything our family can throw...or splatter on their clothes. Give your laundry an extra squeeze of freshness by adding a few drops of Orange Essential Oil to a wool dryer ball. This simple step cuts down on static and dramatically increases each load’s freshness.

Clean Up Every Month with Essential Rewards

Love your oils and want more, more, more? Check out the amazing Essential Rewards program. Earn free products with each order you place and receive reduced shipping! This is the BEST way to help transition your family to a Toxin Free Home!

You can also check out the slides from our original Facebook event. Not a Tree of Life Facebook member? Contact us today!

2015 Convention: New Products!

Session one of the Young Living 2015 Convention is underway. As always, exciting things are happening, especially the new product unveiling. This year did not disappoint! Here's a sneak peek for all of our faithful blog followers. The best news? You can start ordering new items on the 10th. 

New Snacks, Vitamins and more!

Master Formula: A new multivitamin for men and women. 

Ahhh, refreshing! Ningxia Zyng is a new sparkling beverage. As you would expect, nothing artificial here. 

Did you know that potato skin extract can help extend the duration of feeling full? Talk about a snack that packs a healthy punch. Bring on the Slique Bars. 

You get a full range of amino acids, 25 grams of protein AND delish flavors like Chocolate Deluxe and Vanilla space with Pure Protein. 

Cool Azul Sports Gel earns its name with a cool mix of Peppermint essential oil, methol and camphor. 

New Kidscents Diffusers 

My little one's life is now complete with this diffuser/night light combo. This adorable product will make addition to a toddler's room or a fun baby shower gift. 

See the Dino Land Diffuser in action, here!

And Finally...New Thieves Products!

WHAT? Thieves dish soap, laundry detergent and more!!!

I love Thieves essential oil blend for immune support. Here are a few new Thieves products. I. am. so. excited. 

• Thieves Fruit & Vegetable Soak & Spray: Perfect way to quickly and throughly cleanse all of your favorite produce. It will also come in a handy on-to-go version. 
• Thieves Dish Soap: Dishes will now get the Thieves treatment as well. Perfect for soaking pots, pans and dishes in the sink. 
• Thieves Laundry Soap: This highly concentrated formula will clean 64 medium loads from one 32-oz. bottle. Looks like your grocery store list just got a lot shorter. 

Stay tuned for even more 2015 Convention updates and reflections.