Two years ago, I stocked up on a product that reputedly kills germs. I bought much more than I needed. So I ended up giving several bottles away.

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At the time, there was a lot of talk about the Ebola virus. There were even a couple of cases in the United States. Worrier that I am, I wanted to do something proactive.

Fabulous Frannie Oils

So I shipped my parents a bottle of Four Thieves, made by Fabulous Frannie. (The company now calls this product Protect). However, in my way am I implying that this blend can protect against something as dangerous as Ebola. Fortunately, that terrible outbreak has passed. But I still found so many uses for this blend.

But, back then, I was worried. So I bought a lot of Fabulous Frannie Protect. I gave additional bottles to several friends.  My son was going away to college for the first time. (Worrier that I am, I envisioned some lethal germ sweeping through his dorm.)

So he left with a jar of Mom’s homemade germ-fighter blend. This was he could apply it without having to worry about dilutions. On top of that, I gave him a separate bottle of Fabulous Frannie Four Thieves. (The company has since changed the name of this formula to “Protect.”)

There are now a number of companies selling essential oils designed to kill infectious microbes. The best known is Young Living. The product it sells is called Thieves, and it appears to be the original modern germ-fighting blend. If you want to order this proprietary formula, it’s available here.

Just to be clear, Young Living sells the only blend that should be called “Thieves.” So, when referring to all of the other formulas, sold by its competitors, I like to call them “four thieves-type.”

Young Living is an MLM operation that sells excellent products. Not everyone likes to shop through an MLM network, so I like to tell my readers about other options.

I use aromatherapy oils every day. I do believe Young Living oils are very good. I think its Sacred Frankincense is second to none.

But, for most other uses, I buy non-MLM brands. One of the labels I’ve tried is Fabulous Frannie.

Fabulous Frannie Protect Blend

I was very happy with the quality of the Fabulous Frannie Four Thieves (Protect) blend I purchased. That’s a good thing, because I bought a lot of it. I used it liberally.

Every night I put about 10 drops of Protect in my diffuser and ran it in my kitchen. This blend is made of cloves, cinnamon, lemon, eucalyptus and rosemary. It was a very warm aroma that smelled like fall. My daughter said she liked it.

Sometimes, I’d also put a few drops of oil on my kitchen sponge before wiping down the counter.

That winter was the first time I didn’t get sick at least once. A few times, I felt a sore throat coming on. So I rubbed a little diluted germ-fighter oil on the inside of my wrists. Nothing more developed.

Once, I started to get an infection at the base of my nose. A little diluted oil seemed to solve the problem.

I’ll never really know for sure if my good health was because of Fabulous Frannie Four Thieves/Protect, and I can’t make any claims. But I plan to always have a germ-fighting essential oil in the house.

Fabulous Frannie Protect Essential Oil

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Fabulous Frannie Thieves vs Young Living Thieves

If you’ve read this far, you’re probably wondering which type of microbe-busting oil to buy. Or, if you’ll be leaving yourself open to germs if you buy the lesser-known Fabulous Frannie. I didn’t think so. But I have noting to base this on. other than personal experience.

There’s no scientific paper I can look up on the Internet, comparing the actual germ-fighting potential of these two brands, one against the other.

In general, the mainstream medical profession prefers pharmaceuticals over essential oils. This may not always be the case. But it is for right now.

Young Living Thieves Oil Benefits

The story behind germ-fighting oils is that a certain blend of aromatics was once used by a group of medieval thieves, who stole from the sick and dying during a plague. Somehow, they didn’t get sick. Once apprehended, they were forced to divulge their secret. A number of the germ-fighting blends sold by various essential oil companies are based upon a similar formula. Some of them appear to be named after these men.

The little research we do have was conducted at Weber State University in Utah, on Young Living Thieves. It did show it to be very effective against certain strains of airborne pathogens.

Whether Fabulous Protect blend, which contains the same types of oils, does the same is something I can’t answer. The Weber State study was specific to the Young Living brand. But I had enough confidence in Fabulous Frannie to use Protect as my chief germ fighter.

Studies conducted elsewhere, though, have shown that clove and cinnamon oils do contain compounds that kill infectious microbes.

Germ Fighter Essential Oil Synergy Blend

There’s yet another option you may want to consider. Plant Therapy is becoming one of the better-known alternatives to the MLM networks. This is a family-run business based in Idaho. It makes exceptionally good oils. It also has impeccable standards of purity, with testing done in house as well as independently. It’s Germ Fighter Synergy Essential Oil Blend is made from the same five oils found in Young Living Thieves and Fabulous Frannie Four Thieves/Protect.

Uses for Germ Fighting Blends

Fortunately, germ-fighting oils have a wide range of uses around the house. This is a good thing, since I still have several bottles left over from last winter.

• Germ-busting blends can be diluted (1 to 3 drops to one teaspoon of carrier oil) and placed on closed wounds to help prevent infection.
• The five oils found in various germ-killing thieves-type blends make great smelling homemade hand soaps, a good alternative to chemical-based products with carcinogenic triclosan.
• You can put a few drops in your dishwasher to help disinfect it.
• Germ-killing oils can help keep your clothes clean and smelling fresh. Just add a drop or two to your laundry during the wash cycle.

Disclaimer

These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. People with health concerns should discuss them with a doctor. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use essential oils, unless under the direction of a health care professional. Speak with a doctor before using essential oils on children.

I’m not a healthcare professional, so all of the above statements are my personal opinion, and are not intended as medical advice.

For Additional Reading

What Type of Germ Fighting Essential Oil Should You Buy?

Thieves Oil and Infection

Four Thieves Oil Soap

Thieves Oil for Bronchitis