What are Garbage Enzymes?
Garbage Enzymes are home-made cleaners which can also be used as effective natural fertilisers and pesticides. They have the potential to revolutionize our kitchens by converting our kitchen waste into something truly restorative. Not only is it useful, it is also natural, easy to make, and reduces the impact of food waste is on global warming.
Garbage Enzyme is nothing but a vinegar or alcohol taken from fermenting fresh kitchen waste such as vegetable and fruit dregs (peels or cuttings), sugar (brown sugar, jaggery or molasses sugar) and water.
The enzyme is derived after you filter and remove the residue. The key ingredient here is sugar, which the bacteria and microorganisms present in the waste metabolise into alcohol. This is then reduced in its final form to an acidic solution like vinegar. This solution, like vinegar, is well known for its all-round, non-toxic cleaning properties.
How do you make Garbage Enzymes?
Things you will need:
Sugar - preferably brown sugar, jaggery or molasses sugar
Food waste - fruit and vegetables peels, dregs or cuttings that are NOT COOKED (you can collect them easier by freezing it and using them when you want to make the garbage enzyme solution)
AIRTIGHT plastic container - do not use glass or any brittle containers as gas is produced during fermentation and will cause the container to “explode”
Weighing scale/measuring cup
The formula we will be using is: 1 part sugar : 3 parts fruits and vegetables : 10 parts water
Method:
Measure out your ingredients (eg. 100g of sugar, 300g of food waste, 1000g of water)
Add them all into the airtight container (please note: do not fill the container completely, we recommend filling only ⅔ of the container as it will be less likely to “explode” with less air pressure during fermentation)
Give it a good stir and screw the lid on tightly
For the first 1-2 months, unscrew the lid daily to let air pressure out. For the rest of the time, unscrew the lid at least once a week
Keep the fermentation of the mixture for at least 3 months for a good outcome
After at least 3 months, filter the residue and you should have a clear, orange-brown liquid that smells like vinegar.
How to use the Garbage Enzyme?
As Garbage Enzymes are highly concentrated, it works best diluted with water.
For gardening/farming use:
Below are some ratios you can roughly follow:
Fertiliser - 1:500
Insecticide - 1:1000
Pesticide - 1:100
Please DO NOT use the garbage enzyme directly on plants as the concentrated acidity can burn and corrode the plant and make the soil too acidic for plants to grow
For household use:
Below are some ratios you can roughly follow:
Extra notes:
- Store the container in a dry and cool area away from direct sunlight.
- Keep the garbage enzyme at room temperature and do not store inside a refrigerator.
- Do not use cooked food, meat or fish, or other non-food items like paper, metal, glass, plastic…
- Do not worry about the white, black or brown substance that forms as a layer on top of the enzyme. The white layer is yeast that is rich in Vitamin B complex and Vitamin C and can actually be used for making bread or roti
- If you see worms, add an extra ratio sugar and screw the lid on tightly to make it airtight. They will disappear by themselves.
- You may filter out the residue after 3 months using a sieve or even and cotton cloth or T-shirt. If you can wait for longer, it’s even better
- Reuse the residue, as a fertilizer in the garden by drying and mixing with the soil
The best part, there is no expiry date for the garbage enzymes once filtered! This is because it is so acidic, no bacteria or microorganisms can form.
Kommentare