Homemade Citrus Enzyme Cleaner and Scrub

When I heard about making your own enzyme cleaner, I was intrigued because I’d heard some really good things about enzymes. As a matter of fact, a few months back we had to call a plumber to deal with some clogged pipes that caused a minor flood. After he took care of the problem he gave us a bottle of enzyme cleaner to pour down the drains on a regular basis to KEEP it that way. We have been clog-free ever since. :-)

So the idea of making my own enzyme cleaner was appealing for several reasons.

It’s natural, environmentally-friendly, and non-toxic.
It’s made from kitchen scraps!
It’s 2 cleaners in one! A liquid spray, plus a powerful baking soda scrub.
It’s effective!

Citrus Enzyme Cleaner

Ingredients:

300 g (or about 2 cups) lemon and/or orange scraps
100 g (or about 1/2 cup) brown sugar
1 teaspoon yeast
2-liter plastic bottle
1 liter water

Start by pouring the brown sugar into the 2-liter plastic bottle. I used a straw to get the brown sugar through a funnel.

Cut the lemon and orange scraps into pieces small enough to fit the mouth of the bottle. Put them in the bottle and then add the yeast.

Homemade Citrus Enzyme Cleaner and Scrub

Next, add one liter of tap water into the bottle. Tightly screw the cap and dissolve the sugar by shaking the bottle for about 30 seconds. For the next couple of weeks, you’ll give the bottle a shake once a day, making sure to leave the bottle cap loosely fastened to avoid gas build-up (ie. Explosions!) from the fermentation process.

When you’ve finished adding and dissolving the ingredients, write the date on the bottle. It will take two weeks for the ingredients to ferment (or three months if you leave out the yeast).

When the cleaner is ready, start by straining the liquid enzyme cleaner into a bowl and set it aside for later. After straining, take the pulpy stuff left over, throw it in the Blendtec, and pulse until it’s nice and slushy (you could also use a food processor) to make your cleaning scrub.

Next add some baking soda and continue to pulse the Blendtec until it forms a nice, thick paste. I ended up adding about 1 1/2 cups of baking soda total, but that amount will depend on how much slush you have in the first place. Just add about a half cup at a time until it’s a good consistency. Then put the concoction in a lidded container and start cleaning!

This scrub worked so well on my kitchen sink! The baking soda and citrus enzyme combination not only made my sink clean as a whistle, but made it smell SO clean and fresh at the same time!

Here are some ideas for using the leftover liquid and the scrub:

as a multipurpose cleaner (add 1/2 cup of enzyme cleaner to 1 liter of water and mix)
for dishes and laundry (use 1/4 cup of enzyme in the machine)
for washing bathrooms and toilets (1 part enzyme to 10 parts water)
for removing stubborn stains and odors (colored fabrics and floors) (use undiluted)
to clean vegetables and fruits (1 part enzyme to 10 parts water)
clear blockages in kitchen sinks and drains (use undiluted)
as a natural insect repellent for ants and cockroaches (use undiluted)
for mopping floors (1 part enzyme to 20 parts water)
as fertilizer for plants (use 1 part enzyme to 20 parts water, or use the leftover mop water)
as a skincare product, e.g. facial cleanser or toner (1 part enzyme to 2 parts water)
wash cars – cars will look as if they have just been polished! (1 part enzyme to 20 parts water)
to clean a dirty kitchen sink (enzyme scrub)
clean the oven (enzyme scrub)
clean house siding (enzyme scrub)
bathtub rings (enzyme scrub)