Bio Enzyme : A cleaning agent made from Citrus Peels

Cleaning Agents = Lot of non-biodegradable chemicals

The commercially bought cleaning agents (Bathroom cleaners, Floor Cleaners, Soaps and Detergents and likewise) are so powerful and strong. Have we ever wondered how much of chemicals are going into making them? Are they bio degradable?

Pic Source : Internet

 Pic Source : Internet

Pic Source : Internet

While a few category of biodegradable cleaning agents are available in the market, you could make them on your own at home using citrus peels, thus reducing the landfill, reducing the water pollution made from chemically made detergents - basically reusing and utilize what is given to us by nature.

What is Bio Enzyme

We all might already know the power of Lemon as a Cleaning Agent, used in day to basis. The good news is that, even the peels of the citrus category fruits could be used as cleaning agents! 

How to make Bio Enzyme

Ingredients

• Citrus Peels (Lemon, Orange, Mosombi and likewise)
• Jaggery
• Water
• A 25 ltr bucket with a lid (to make about 10 ltr of bio enzyme). You could also make it in a 1 ltr bottle to start off with. Adjust the ratio accordingly. 

Method Of Preparation  

• We had made juice out of 2 KG mosambi and hence you can imagine the quantity of the peels. You could add any citrus peels together for this solution. Remove the pulp and clean the peels as shown in the pic below 

• Take approx 10 ltr of water and soak the peels as shown below. I tore the peels further - smaller pieces, faster the decomposition. 

• Add about 1/2 KG Jaggery to begin with. You could keep adding a handful of jaggery if required on fortnight basis if you see white worms sitting on the inside of the lid.  Close the lid and keep it aside (away from direct sunlight and outdoors to avoid any foul smell) 

NOTE 

If you are using 1 ltr bottle, do NOT close the cap tightly. Leave a gap open for the gases to escape. Otherwise the bottle could bulge and burst when you try to open it the next time. Shake the bottle once in 2-3 days to give it a nice mix.

• Keep stirring the solution once in 7-10 days and keep a check on white worms. The peels will start to break down soon and you could see them as settling at the bottom of the bucket as sediment. It would looks like the below pic after 2 months. 

• This is how it looks after 3 months - light yellow liquid, which could be used a floor cleaner, utensil cleaner, bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner. The expected smell should be of fermented citrus. 

Usage 

Dilute it or use it as concentrated, as you use other cleaning agents. 

Troubleshooting

• If you see it getting smelly, add more Jaggery and stir the solution. 
• If you feel that it is stinking a lot and is unbearable, just pour in down the drain, it will clean up your drain.