My journey to living a more sustainable, toxin free life started during the pandemic. I ditched the soap for ubtan, toothpaste for Ayurvedic tooth powder and so on. I started composting and managing my balcony garden and looking for ways to keep my plants healthy,
without the use of toxic chemicals. My pursuit was to live more consciously, reduce the waste I generate and minimise pollutants coming from within my household.
In the process to stay healthy my consumption of fresh, naturally grown fruits and vegetables had increased. The compost bin would often be filled within a couple of days and it seemed such a waste to throw away these precious peels in the garbage bin.
Vani Murthy on one of her Instagram posts mentioned about bio enzymes as a cleaning alternative. This sparked my interest to learn more about it.
In this blogpost, I share the many uses of Bio enzymes as an eco-friendly alternative, its environmental impact and the process of making bio enzyme in an Indian home
What are Bio Enzymes?
Enzymes are biological catalysts (also known as bio-catalysts) that speed up reactions in the living organisms, and which can be pulled out from cells and then used to catalyse a wide range of commercially important processes. Bio Enzymes (also referred to as Garbage Enzyme or Fruit Enzyme) are organic compounds produced by fermentation of fresh vegetable/fruit waste in the presence of water and jaggery. This anaerobic fermentation generates natural chains of the capacity to breakdown, modify, create and catalyze functions that make it an astonishing cleaning support in a household as well as several other applications.
Bio Enzyme is a multi-purpose, natural cleaner produced from vegetable/fruit peels (usually citrus) or waste. It is an effective alternative to harsh chemicals such as bleach, phenyl, and other chemical solutions we typically use in households to wash our bathrooms, clean toilets, wipe our floors, tiles and other surfaces. Chemically, they are a mixture of complex organic substances such as proteins, salts and other materials that are by-products of the bacteria/yeast that we will use to make bio enzymes. These organic substances are capable of breaking down chemical and other organic wastes thus helping us in removing stains, odour, getting rid of other harmful microbes, etc. They also greatly neutralise toxins and pollutants. These enzymes have gained popularity in recent years due to their various uses as a cleaning agent, fertiliser, and even as a natural pesticide.
Discovery of natural bio enzymes as a cleaning agent and plant fertilizer
The discovery of these enzymes was made in 1982 when a Japanese researcher named Dr. Teruo Higa
was studying the effect of micro-organisms on plant growth. Through his research, Dr. Higa discovered a mixture of beneficial micro-organisms that he called EM (Effective Micro-organisms). EM is a combination of different bacteria, yeast, and fungi that work together to promote plant growth and improve soil quality.
Dr. Higa also discovered that EM can be used as a natural cleaning agent. When EM is mixed with water and sugar, it ferments and produces bio enzymes that are highly effective at breaking down dirt and stains. These bio enzymes work by breaking down the complex molecules in dirt and organic matter, making it easier to remove.
The discovery of natural bio enzymes as a cleaning agent and plant fertiliser has revolutionised the way we think about cleaning and agriculture. Unlike chemical cleaning agents and fertilisers, bio enzymes are non-toxic and environmentally friendly. They are also highly effective and can be made using simple and inexpensive ingredients.
It is known that micro-organism exist everywhere on earth and humans are living in an ocean of them. Wherever we go, we continuously host about 100 trillion microorganism in and outside our bodies. Approximately 85% of the organisms humans consume enter our bodies via the air, compared to only 15% from food. So, we are continuously adsorbing tons of microbes and pollutants, yet living mostly unharmed. However, we can improve the nature of our interaction with microbes and help keep it continuously balanced through intelligently using these microbes to our advantage
Bio enzymes is chemical free so you can use them abundantly and safely for your family and pets. At the same time, you can contribute to help the natural environment when using Bio Enzymes, for instance, by pouring Bio Enzymes in your drain ditch or toilet waste water is not always just a pollutant, it can carry microbes beneficial to the ecosystem.
Below are some ideas to use Bio Enzyme domestically:
House Care
Regardless of how many chemicals you use to disinfect and kill harmful bacteria, you cannot kill all of it since we are continuously living in an ocean of microbes. However, you can use bio enzymes to control and balance beneficial and harmful bacteria. Use it to clean up your house by spraying and wiping the floor in every corner of your kitchen and bathrooms. This will promote the activities of good microbes and reduce static electricity that increases the accumulation of dust. You can also freshen the air in your rooms by using Bio enzyme in your house to eliminate bad odors.
Washing Clothes
Adding Bio enzymes into your washing will ease the removal of dirt and sebum from clothes. Further, you will not need to use fabric softeners since clothes will become naturally softer and smoother. Meanwhile, discharging waste water that contains good microbes will promote the natural purification.
By diluting bio enzymes in the right proportion with soap nut extract and other natural ingredients they can be made into shampoos, face wash, hand wash, body wash, dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent etc. They have a plethora of use as a cleaning agent that is gentle to the skin, soil and ground water.
Pets
As they are 100% natural and safe, bio enzymes can also be used for your pets. Spraying bio enzymes or using it to bathe your dog or cat will reduce the use of chemical products and
help to stimulate and balance beneficial microorganisms in their bodies. Their hair will also be softer.
Elderly People and Babies
You can use Bio enzyme for washing babies’ cups or plates and even their toys. Children and elderly persons will be kept safe and comfortable in an environment free of foul smells and full of beneficial microbes that will help to control sanitation problems as well.
Grey water treatment
Kitchen waste can be recycled using bio enzymes, with the help of a treatment bucket, you can reduce your daily waste while producing organic fertilizer full of nutrients. Properly executed it can prevent the organic waste from becoming rotten, thereby eliminating foul odors.
Gardening
Fertilizers made from kitchen waste fermented with bio enzymes can be used in your gardens to enrich soils with nutrients and beneficial microbes that will work in sync with the natural microbes existing in garden soil.
Plants will grow in a healthy way, resistant against pests and free of chemicals. Thus, garden produce will be safer for consumption.
Cleaning Groundwater:
Bio enzymes have been used to clean groundwater in rural areas that are affected by pollution. For example, in Tamil Nadu, bio enzymes were used to clean a contaminated well in the village of Gudalur. The bio enzymes were able to break down the pollutants and clean the well, making the water safe for drinking.
Soil Stabilisation
Enzyme stabilisation is commonly demonstrated by termites; "Ant saliva", full of enzymes, is used to build soil structures which are rock hard and meters high. These structures are known to stand firm despite heavy tropical rain seasons.
TerraZyme is a natural, non-toxic, liquid enzyme formulation that alters the physical and chemical features of soil. This enzymatic process improves the engineering qualities in the soil facilitating higher compaction densities and increasing the soil stability through closer bonding of particles.
When TerraZyme is added to soil, it catalyzes the breakdown of organic materials and increases the wetting and bonding capacity of the soil particles. It allows soil materials to become more easily wet and more densely compacted. Also, it improved chemical bonding helps to fuse the soil particles together, creating a more permanent structure that is more resistant to weathering, wear and water penetration.
Steps to Make Bio Enzymes at Home: [Watch the video]
Making citrus bio enzymes at home is a simple process that requires only a few ingredients.
Ingredients:
• Citrus peels or whole fruits (orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, pomelo)
• Jaggery (chemical free)
• Water (free from impurity)
• A large plastic container (preferably with a screw cap)
• Muslin cloth/strainer
Instructions:
• Rinse the citrus peels thoroughly to remove any dirt or residue.
• Cut the citrus peels into small pieces so they can easily fit into the plastic container
• Bio-enzyme is prepared by taking the ratio of 1:3:10. In this ratio there is 10 parts of water, 3 parts of citrus peels, 1 part of jaggery. I took a small coffee tumbler as my measure. You can use any utensil as per your convenience and use the same container to measure all three ingredients.
• Add the jaggery and water to the jar and stir well and then add the citrus peel. The peels will float at the top at first but as the day goes by and it starts fermenting it will start to sink.
• Fasten the lid of the jar or bottle to shut the container tightly.
• For one month you should release the pressure of the bottle every day after which it can be kept with the lid tightly shut for another two months.
• Store the jar in a cool, dark place for these three months. During this time, the mixture will ferment and produce natural enzymes.
• After three months, strain the mixture through the muslin cloth and transfer the liquid to a clean container.
• Your citrus bio enzymes are now ready to use as a natural cleaning agent or plant fertiliser.
You can accelerate the whole process of fermentation by adding 1/2 tea spoon dry active yeast to the solution.
The bio enzymes will be ready in 45 days. Since I have the time, I am choosing to make my batch without the dry active yeast and wait for 3 months instead.
Precautions:
• Ensure that all equipment used for making citrus bio enzymes is thoroughly cleaned and sterilised to avoid contamination.
• It’s preferable to use organic or pesticide-free citrus fruit and jaggery to avoid introducing harmful chemicals into the mixture.
• Store the plastic container in a dark place away from direct sunlight to prevent spoilage.
Tips to ensure your citrus bio enzymes are good to use:
• Check the colour and smell of the bio enzymes. They should have a light brown colour and a sweet-sour smell.
• If the bio enzymes have a foul odour or a moldy appearance, do not use them.
• Store the bio enzymes in a clean, airtight container in a cool, dark place to extend their shelf life.
Making citrus bio enzymes at home is a simple and eco-friendly process, by following the above steps and precautions, you can ensure that your citrus bio enzymes are safe, effective and good to use. Overall, bio enzymes made from fruits and vegetables are an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to chemical cleaning agents and fertilisers. They are non-toxic, biodegradable, and highly effective, making them an excellent choice for those looking to reduce their environmental impact and promote sustainable living.
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