Evey in My Tummy

2012 was a great year for me and Momon. Most of the year was spent enjoying our first pregnancy with doctor's appointments, my growing belly, childbirth class and all the daily adventures brought about by being pregnant. To cap off the year, Evey arrived on December 30, 2012.

Come 2013, and it's now six weeks since Evey's arrival. Needless to say, Momon and I couldn't be happier. Being a new parent is definitely a challenge but, as we always hear, very much worth it. There's too much to share about being a new parent, but let's save that for another post.

I am also happy to report that I am now back to my pre-pregnancy weight--actually even four pounds lighter. I still have my pregnancy pouch, though. I hope to get back to my Turbo Fire workouts when I get the go signal from my OB. For now, breastfeeding and taking care of my lovely Evey is enough of a workout. :-)

I love my Homemade Citrus Enzyme!

While pregnant with Evey, Momon and I grew quite concerned with the synthetic cleaning materials we use at home. Around 4 months into the pregnancy, Momon banned me from doing most of the cleaning, not because I am physically incapable, but because he felt Mr. Muscle, Cif, Greenex and all other products were too harsh for me.

Fortunately, finding a substitute natural cleaner is so easy. Recipes for homemade cleaners are actually all over the internet, waiting to be discovered! I came across the product called homemade citrus enzyme cleaner. The original post I followed is from "The Happy Homemaker".

Momon and I have been using the citrus enzyme since September 2011 and are fully satisfied with it's cleaning powers. It's so easy to produce and we love how we are using simple fruit peels that we get for free from the neighborhood fruit stand. I have completed over 20 batches! We no longer buy synthetic cleaning products, translating to savings for our humble household budget.

Here's how you can make your own:

CITRUS ENZYME CLEANER

Ingredients:
- 300 grams fruit peels
This can be dalandan, lemon, pomelo peels. We use pineapple peels because these are always available in the market. It also smells nicer once fermented.

- 100 grams sugar
Brown or white is fine.

- 1 liter water

- 1 teaspoon yeast

Materials:
- 2-liter wide-mouth bottle
- strainer
- funnel

Method:

Left: Freshly mixed cleaner

Right: After two weeks of fermentation

• Combine all the ingredients in a 2-liter wide-mouth bottle. Shake to mix thoroughly.
• Leave the cap slightly open. 
• Shake every once in a while. Remember to close the cap first.
• Ferment for 2 weeks. 
• Harvest by draining the liquid from the sludge. Use a funnel to store in your re-used PET bottles.

Harvested enzyme should be clear.

 We use the enzyme cleaner the following ways:

• GENERAL CLEANER (1 part enzyme, 10 parts water) - for wiping of surfaces, no need to rinse
• STAIN REMOVER (pure)
• FLOOR CLEANER (1 part enzyme, 10 or 15 parts water) - for wiping of floors, no need to rinse
• DISHWASHING LIQUID (pure, add squirts of dishwashing liquid for suds)
• BATHROOM CLEANER (1 cup enzyme, 1/2 cup liquid cleaner, 5 cups water) - spray and leave on surfaces first before scrubbing
• CLASS/MIRROR/STOVE CLEANER (1 part enzyme, 3 parts water) - great for those oily surfaces on your stove
• SINK and DRAIN BLOCKAGE CLEARER - use blended sludge of enzyme and leave overnight

Some additions, optional:

• 1 cup of white distilled vinger for every 1 liter enzyme for more cleaning power
• 1 cup orange/lemon-infused vinegar for a nicer scent. To make this, simply put peels on vinegar and leave for 2 weeks.

Enjoy cleaning!