My secret household weapon
If there was one household product you couldn’t live without, what would it be? If you knew there was one product that could effectively clean and disinfect even the most precious objects in your house without toxins, including toys a baby chews on, but was also capable of tackling the most challenging jobs you could throw at it, would you want it? 😃
Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Usually when something sounds too good to be true, it is, but this product really does exist. So what is this miracle product you ask?
Enzymes. Not the kind you take digestively, although I have immense gratitude for those kind of enzymes too!
Environmental enzymes. Maybe there is another, more technical term for them, but “environmental” encompasses the true essence of how broadly they can be used. Just about anywhere and everywhere, not kidding! Keep reading.
You generally won’t find them on your traditional grocery store shelves, not the kind I am referring to anyway, but most health food stores carry some form of enzyme cleaners. You may have seen the drain clearing or dishwasher kind. Maybe you even use some of those products already. Not really the type of enzymes I am referring to, although I love these as well. In fact, my laundry detergent is an enzyme product and so is my dishwasher detergent. The struggle to find a good chemical-free dishwasher detergent is real, nothing works like an enzyme-based detergent though! It certainly took me long enough to find something that works, but again, enzymes to the rescue! Whenever possible, I look for cleaning products that contain enzymes, for everything I want…clean. The kind of clean you can lick, after all, everything we surround ourselves with should ideally be edible. If it’s not, it shouldn’t be around you for long or frequently!
On that note, it’s important to look for non-toxic environmental enzymes, which literally only contains enzymes, filtered water and a natural surfactant (soap), at most. Anything else might add toxicity, therefore, some of the uses listed below would be considered unsafe so please either do thorough research or purchase the brand I recommend.
Enzymes are truly miraculous. They are nature’s answer to gunk, all kinds of gunk, from mold, biofilm and food stains to blood, pet accidents and well…feces! I know, gross, but to give you the true scope of their reach, imagine a sewer backup or an overflowing toilet. That effective!! But still safe enough to use on baby’s skin. Hard to believe, right?
Nature has all the solutions we need, we just need to know where to find them. Too bad the Universe didn’t come with a handy little how-to guide. 😏
Enzymes are produced by beneficial microbes (aren’t all great things - ok, that’s the microbiome nerd in me squeezing out) and they serve so many absolutely amazing purposes. I only wish I found them sooner.
I’ve been on the environmental enzyme (and probiotic) bandwagon for a good ten years now, but not before we had experience with major mold remediation in our home. Only over the past two years have I really begun to enzymes more broadly, to their fullest capabilities. Why? Probably because I was so focused on their ability to deal with mold, that I forgot about the other miraculous uses they are good for. When you buy a high quality, clean enzyme product, it can even be used on the body! So yep, there is actually a household cleaner you can use ON your body! Never thought you would read that, did you? The owner of Zyme Away does a presentation where he cleans the siding on a house and then sprays his toothbrush and brushes his teeth with the same product. 😳 This is my kind of product and efficacy isn’t sacrificed one bit. Read on.
I’m sure you can’t wait to hear more about these enzyme uses!
MOLD and MILDEW - these are actually the same, both are fungal, but many separate them out of pure confusion over the terms, assuming “mildew” means it’s less harmful. If there is any form of organic matter growth in a humid or moist environment, you might as well call it what it is, mold. This happens to be my favorite use for enzymes, because killing mold inappropriately has disastrous health effects like increasing the mycotoxin production which is neurotoxic and more dangerous than the mold itself. Enzymes use nature to destroy mold AND their toxic byproducts which means it is a safe way to deal with visible mold!! You can clean, scrub, prevent and fog anything moldy with enzymes and because enzymes are safe for humans and pets, you can fog inside of your home to clean up the air, as well as using them for prevention. I know of a women who is so sensitive to mold in her environment that she fogs her home (and husband when he arrives home from work) with enzymes every single day. I know that sounds extreme, but it works for her, it cuts down on her sensitivities and makes life bearable for her.
VIRUSES - This is a hot topic currently with the scare of CoVID-19. This blurb was taken from Zyme Away’s website regarding enzymes and Coronavirus:
Stop the Spread of Viruses on Hands and Surfaces
All Mold, Bacteria and Viruses are quickly cleaned away from all washable surfaces including your hands and clothing. ZymeAway has a detergent, enzymes and water making it the safest and most effective cleaner you can buy.
It is safe to People, Pets and our Environment.
Here's How ZymeAway's Protease Enzyme Destroys the Corona VirusDue to a virus’s physical structure, all influenza virus strains are susceptible to disinfectants, including oxidizing agents such as chlorine, as well as specific enzymes called Proteases.
The virus has a protective coating formed of protein matter and ZymeAway’s protease enzymes instantly target the “Protective” protein coating and digests it. Once digestion occurs, the virus immediately becomes deactivated and incapable of attaching to a human “host cell” which the virus needs to reproduce, infect and cause damage to the body’s immune system.
Remember, the virus must have its protective coating so it can attach to a human cell, if this coating is gone… so is the virus’s harmful life cycle.
Always wash your hands, reusable cloth face masks, all washable surfaces, and other objects you suspect with ZymeAway’s Enzyme Cleaning Soap! It is Completely Safe and Highly Effective.
ZymeAway is the Safest and Most Effective Alternative to harmful toxic chemical cleaners.
DECONTAMINATION OF AIR AND SURFACES - Bacteria, fungus and even viruses don’t stand a chance against enzymes, and they won’t develop resistance to them either! Enzymes are a part of the microbial food chain that ensures a healthy environment, both in your body and in the outside environment. Don’t eat these though! If you want a good digestive enzyme that incorporates probiotics, probiotics, enzymes for the top allergens AND prevents the autoimmune cascade from cross contamination, I recommend these.
You can use enzymes to clean anything that could transmit illness-causing microbes, including viruses and flus!!
Here is a list of things I like to disinfect regularly with enzymes (note - allow the enzymes to sit on surfaces for 5 minutes, if you are truly looking for full disinfection):
Doorknobs and handles of all kinds
Steering wheel and all interior surfaces of cars, including the carpets
Cell phones
House phones
Remote controls
Any and all high-contact surfaces
Countertops
Floors - great for use around crawling babies or children who live barefoot (like mine).
Walls - especially where little hands like to touch.
Toilets - I love how you can just spray inside the bowl and tank and just let it sit, flushing does all the work for you!
Tubs and shower stalls - especially grout! Combine with some baking soda and you have a powerful grout cleaner. It works best when you let the products sit on the grout for a little bit before using a brush to scrub it off. I recommend using it preventatively along with your regular cleaning routine.
Drains - regular use will keep your drains free from build up. Pour down the drain at night, let it sit in the pipes overnight, then run hot water through the drains in the morning to release the gunk out with the enzymes.
Septic systems - when you regularly clean your drains and toilets, this is a natural occurrence. It’s great for septic systems!
Holding tanks of any kind - boats, RVs, etc.
Sump pumps that are accessible.
Refrigerators and freezers, inside and out - I once had a recurrent problem with mold growth on our deep freezer in the garage due to the condensation caused by two different converging temperatures in the summer months. I’d wipe it off with a cleaner and it would return, until one day I remembered my enzymes. I wiped it off once with the enzymes, over two years ago, and it still hasn’t returned! Now, I will probably use it preventatively periodically.
Stoves and ovens, inside and out.
Garbage cans - spray inside periodically to prevent odors from organic produce, also clean the inside of the can before putting your bag in, and don’t forget to clean the lid, where people touch repeatedly.
Laundry and washing machines - you can toss a little in with each load or even use it to clean the basin of the washer, in place of bleach (bleh, hate bleach which is so caustic and dangerous to the lungs). If you have soiled or moldy fabrics, soak them in the enzymes in your washer before washing. I like to use enzymes in every load of laundry with the presoak option. That horrid smell that is often retained in polyester clothing is nonexistent with the use of enzyme soaks. 😁 You’re welcome!
Upholstery - it’s amazing at getting discoloration and stains from organic sources out of fabric. I spray a Norwex towel and wipe down our porch furniture cushions regularly and it makes them look brand new again! Also great for outdoor furniture and cushions that grow mold where the sun can’t reach!
Carpets - Either spot treatments or in carpet cleaners. Great for pet stains!! Spot test for colorfastness first, but I haven’t had any problems with color bleeding or fading. The oxygen powder we’ve used on our carpets did however pull some of the color out during spot treatment.
HVAC systems - This is one place mold can hide and continue to seed the home environment with spores. I like to occasionally fog into the intake vents, but don’t overdo it, you don’t want moisture build up in the ductwork. If your HVAC technician is going to clean the internal workings of the system during servicing, give them this product to use in place of their chemical-laden products. If you have a condensation pump, pour a little of the enzymes into the tank periodically.
Split system ductless units - I clean our washable filters and the reachable points of the insides of our ductless units. I also leave the unit fans on during light fogging so the smaller molecules can reach the inner workings of the units. They can handle humid air, so I imagine light fogging nearby would allow the product to reach even the drain tube that removes humidity from the air!
Dehumidifiers - wipe out the catch bins, if you let water accumulate in them, and clean washable filters with enzymes to control microbial growth. I even spray a small mist into the front side of my dehumidifiers occasionally, so it will reach the drain tubes. If they get really bad, I disconnect them and run enzymes into them, let the sit for a while, then rinse with a hose.
Decking and concrete - Here is where the term mildew is often used, regardless, this is great at easily lifting the growth out of crevices! Let it sit, brush it with a scrub brush, then rinse and repeat if necessary.
Siding - it’s amazing at taking the green growth off of siding and making it look brand new again. The trick is to be able to reach it. 😆 One section of our house in the back is three stories tall….soooo, yeah. Not reaching that.
Windowsills - inside and out.
Children’s toys - especially the kind that often end up in the mouth. You can soak them in an enzyme bath, clean with a soft brush or sponge and rinse. Now, they are disinfected and safe to put in the mouth and they won’t spread viruses and bacteria if the toys are shared by other children. I like to periodically wash legos in a big bucket this way.
Pets, their bedding and toys - Yes, you can even wash your pets with a preservative-free enzyme product. Spray and wash their bedding and toys, just like you would for children.
Vehicles like cars, trucks, RVs, motorcycles and boats
Smelly shoes - 😯 wash with enzymes in a washer or surface spray to remove odor-causing bacteria.
Retainer cleaner - I spray a small squirt in my oral retainer soak (I use a dental appliance probiotic product) which removes the biofilm that can build up around oral bacteria.
You can even use enzymes as a hand sanitizer!
And last but certainly not least, one of my favorite uses, and I know I’ve mentioned this a few times, but it’s worth repeating - fogging! There is nothing like clearing up the air in the house (or any building) by using a fine mist fogger with enzymes!! The air will feel crisp and fresh afterwards and the ultra-fine mist won’t get anything wet with the product. I recommend wiping down surfaces and vacuuming about thirty minutes afterwards just to remove the dead microbes from the environment. NOTE - always avoid fogging electronics, oil paintings and anything valuable unless you’ve tested it on a small spot of the item first. We cover these types of items during fogging. I love how fogging allows the fine molecules to penetrate upholstery and get into porous materials like wood and wicker. It’s GREAT for fogging basements and attics to help reduce mold growth!
So when I said you can use these enzymes anywhere and everywhere, I really meant it! Remember to let them sit on surfaces that you want disinfected for a good 5 minutes.
I keep bottles and sprayers of enzymes on each floor of the house and near the washing machine for easy access. If you’d like a larger supply than the one bottle sprayer I supplied in links above, you can order two bottles of the concentrate or a bulk supply of four bottles.