The Great Enzyme Cleaner Shootout
Early on in our experience with the mysterious bugs we found out about Kleen-Free enzyme cleaner and ordered it. It didn’t solve our problem, (see this post to see what did), but it did provide a lot of relief by giving us a product we could spray on our skin to relieve the creepy-crawly feeling for a while. When we used it in a bath and it gave us one of the best night’s sleep we had experienced since the problem had started. The problem is that Kleen-Free is expensive, very expensive in the quantities you need to combat this problem. This has lead us to search for alternatives and to try several different products. I’d like to summarize our results for the benefit of others and to this end, I have ranked the products in my order of preference based on four criteria – effectiveness, cost, versatility, and odor.
- Bug Arrest – At $40 per gallon of concentrate this product is approximately 1/2 the cost of the next closest alternative. This low cost, combined with its good effectiveness make it the overall winner for dealing with invisible (unseen) biting bugs. This is not to say that Bug Arrest is a perfect product, it has one glaring problem that is hard to ignore – odor. However, the odor fades rapidly which makes it bearable and allows Bug Arrest to win this shootout. Effectiveness (5 out of 10 points) – None of the enzyme solutions are cures which is what I would require for a 10 point rating, however they do help and 5 out of 10 means that Bug Arrest ties for first place in the effectiveness category. Not too soapy, stops creepy-crawlies in their tracks, and seems to work for baths as well.
Cost (6 out of 10 points) – Relatively cheap, nearly 1/2 the cost of Kleen-Free and it is used in identical concentrations, Bug Arrest wins first place in this category.
Versatility (7 out of 10 points) – It sprays on clear and can be used as a cleaner with respectable results. We use it on fresh stains such as coffee, oil, etc since we keep it easily accessable.
Odor (3 out of 10 points) – Imagine some fish, no, make that fish that has been dead for a day or two. Now add a wet dog and have it roll in the dead fish. Now relax and take in the resulting aroma. Congratulations, you have now experienced Bug Arrest. It smells that bad. The good news is that it isn’t the worst product, and that the smell fades quickly so that you can use it without worry provided there will be some time before you see anyone else.
- Kleen-Free – A very good product that works well against the bugs and doubles as an excellent cleaner that doesn’t smell too bad. Unfortunately it is quite expensive at $75 / gallon, especially when you consider how much you will use with a cup per bath and the rest at an 8 to 1 mix with water for spraying it on yourself. Effectiveness (5 out of 10 points) – Very good for an enzyme cleaner, tied with Bug Arrest. Be careful though, we found anything less then an 8 to 1 mix seemed to be ineffective.
Cost (3 out of 10 points) – Quite expensive when you consider how much you will be using, though still the second best cleaner from a cost and concentration standpoint.
Versatility (9 out of 10 points) – Kleen-Free is a fantastic cleaner. My daughter spilled some (cold) coffee on a fairly new white shirt she was wearing. Not having anything at my disposal I decided to spray Kleen-Free on it and hope for the best. Within minutes (5-10) the stain was gone, completely gone. We were amazed and have continued to be very pleased with the cleaning ability of this product.
Odor (6 out of 10 points) – Kleen-Free has a unique odor that is not exactly unpleasent, but not something you would want to smell like either. Fortunately the odor is pretty mild and dissipates quickly. If you leave it mixed for a few days it starts to get a fermented smell though that grows stronger over time, so only mix up what you need for the next day or two.
- EcoVie – We had high hopes for this product when we ordered it, having read good things from others about its effectiveness. It is quite expensive at nearly $110/gallon after currency and metric conversions. The product is a rather noxious looking brown liquid that smells like a plywood factory (very unpleasent). It can and does stain things, so spot spraying with clothes on is difficult. The one bright spot is that it seems to help when you use it in a bath, and is relatively cost-effective when used that way since you put in only a small quantity per bath. Effectiveness (3 out of 10 points) – It helps when used in a bath, though it didn’t seem to work as well for us as Kleen-Free. Use as a spritz is very limited since it stains things.
Cost (4 out of 10 points) – Expensive to purchase, but you use less of it for bathing so it is less expensive per-bath then Kleen-Free.
Versatility (1 out of 10 points) – Forget about using this product to clean, though you will probably need a cleaner after you use it.
Odor (2 out of 10 points) – If you have never had the misfortune of smelling a paper or plywood factory then opening a bottle of EcoVie will let you experience it. The odor is strong, unpleasent, and manages to last for a while.
- Bi-O-Kleen Bac-Out – Literally a breath of fresh air in a category of products that smell unpleasent to varying degrees. Available in spray bottles at natural product stores or in a 5 gallon bucket for $20 / gallon. This product is not concentrated though, so you use it straight, making it the most expensive product of the group (you need 8 gallons to equal one bottle of Bug Arrest or Kleen-Free, which would cost $160 if you could buy it by the gallon). Given its limited effectiveness and high cost it should only be considered as a stopgap product until something else arrives. Effectiveness (2 out of 10 points) – It worked ok for the bugs, though less effective then either Bug Arrest or Kleen-Free, and soaped up into a lather which is very inconvienent when you are spraying it on your skin.
Cost (1 out of 10 points) – Since it is not concentrated it is very expensive when compared to the other products.
Versatility (7 out of 10 points) – Obviously since this product is sold as a cleaner it can be used for cleaning, however in our experience it seems less effective at cleaning then Kleen-Free, right about at the level of Bug Arrest, except that it foams up to aid in scrubbing.
Odor (10 out of 10 points) – Bac-Out smells great. It includes natural lime scent so it doesn’t smell like an artificial smelling cleaner, it smells like a key-lime pie.
We found enzyme cleaners to be best for spraying on yourself when you need relief from a crawling sensation. At the right concentrations you can mist it on your skin, let it sit for 30 – 60 seconds, then re-dress and enjoy relief for a while. They are also useful for bathing, though all of the products are expensive and might not be the best choice for everyday use. Some of the manufacturers recommend using them for laundry. We found Kleen-Free to be ineffective at getting rid of the bugs in the laundry. Amonnia and Borax work much better. We also tried Kleen-Free in our humidifier at about a 15 to 1 concentration and found that it did nothing, and that the humidity caused the bugs to multiply like crazy. Bad idea, don’t use your humidifier during this problem no matter what you put in it.
February 2nd, 2007 at 3:58 pm
We heard of another enzyme cleaner that sounds well worth trying. We still have Bug Arrest and haven’t tried this new one yet. But here’s what someone shared over at finding1cure:
“I have discovered a much cheaper enzyme alternative to Kleen Free that works as well and smells better. It is called PET FORCE by OP Products (note that there is also a Pet Force by another manufacturer – make sure it is OP Products). You can google them. It is about $22 per gallon.
“I originally found it in the hardware store – I had already searched the pet stores. Now I order it online from the manufacturer. (I think that it might also be sold on Amazon.com.) You dilute it 8:1 with water.
“It has almost gotten rid of the piercing bites I get from my carpet. I put it in a pump pressure garden sprayer I bought at Home Depot and just spray my carpets after I vacuum. It is about 1/3 the cost of kleen free.
“Their website has testimonials from people who use it professionally in carpet cleaning. I have been also spraying myself, my dog and putting it in the bathtub. I have plastic covers on my mattress and springs, which I spray between sheet launderings. I used to run out of Kleen free then wince at the price before finally ordering it but I keep a constant supply of Pet Force.”
I thought that was really helpful information. If anyone else has an enzyme cleaner review you could share, please do (even if you don’t have the same opinon of a product that we have – for example, one person told me she doesn’t think the smell of Bug Arrest is bad at all! and I mostly agree with her. My husband is the one who dislikes the smell).
I’ve been curious to know what other people’s experiences have been with these enzyme cleaners and look forward to hearing if anyone has results to share.
March 29th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
I printed out your tips for products to fight “biting mites”. I bought my DE from Wolf Creek Ranch. Julie is amazing. She is very interested about this particular issue. I bought the Bug Arrest from Heartland products for $40. I was afraid to smell it after reading your post about it. I was surprised thet it has no smell at all. I added Geranium oil to it, just because I like that smell. I also found the menthol crystals from Organic Creations for $22 a pound.
Thankyou for your tips!
April 7th, 2007 at 8:52 am
Marcie,
Thanks for telling us about a site for menthol cystals; that’s a better price than where I purchased them the last time (I had bought some from Mountain Rose Herbs – it cost me $10 more for a pound than what you paid, though I’ve got to say that Mountain Rose Herbs is a great company and I’ve been nothing but happy with them).
I’m glad you don’t notice any scent with the Bug Arrest; I don’t notice much either. It’s my husband who wrote the enzyme shootout post and even he concedes that whatever smell there is goes away quickly when it dries.
I agree with you about Julie. I also like the tip about Geranium oil as I have some and like the scent,too! Feel free to share more tips as you come across them and find what works best for you. I always appreciate it,
Shannon
April 18th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
Something I’ve been using for a flea problem I’ve had is tea tree oil. You can buy a large container pretty cheaply on the Internet ($20-30) and put just a teaspoon in a bath. It seems to work pretty well! But the cheap stuff does smell kind of strong, so I’m going to try the more expensive stuff next time. The first time, I used a tablespoon, but that was way too much. You certainly don’t need any cupful! Then, I buy some lotion and put several drops in the lotion and spread it on all over my body at night and in the morning again after my shower. It feels great! Bugs don’t seem to like it.
June 12th, 2007 at 12:54 am
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF KLEEN GREEN…S/B BETTER THAN KLEEN FREE…
DONT KNOW THE MANUFACTURER BUT SOLD BY GENISIS…I WOULD LIKE TO
KNOW WHO THE MANUFACTURER IS.
PLEASE RESPOND
THANKS
June 27th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
I don’t know anything about Kleen Green…
July 16th, 2007 at 10:57 am
I have been infected with Bird Mites for about a month now. Driving my wife and I crazy. Creepy, crawling things and I have bites kinda like chigger bites. Cannot see them at all. I have tried all kids of sprays and have fogged the place twice now, no results. They do not like germ-x, helps for awhile. Tried skintastic, also helps for a short while. We wash our sheets everyday in clorox along with borax. Last night we used a sulfur soap bar to wash with. This helped us sleep for once. My wife placed a new unwrapped bar between our pillows, during the night if I felt them I would rub the bar against the mattress and lay my face near the spot, seemed to help as well. We have just ordered Kleen Green and we pray it will help.Whatever this is it is destroying our lives. My wife is going to Nursing college and has to study and rest. These things are affecting her studies and I am tired all day at work. It all started when I picked up a dead Robin bird with my dustpan and a swarm of something flew all over me. Any suggestions would help. We have went to BirdMites.org and used the suggestions there. These pests must be really hard to get rid of for them to have their own website.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:03 am
Kleen Free is the same product as Kleen Green
July 16th, 2007 at 11:39 am
Suffering in Missouri,
I want tell you how sorry I am for what you are going through. The stress this can put on a marriage and family is almost unbelievable. My husband and I rarely talk to anyone else about the full intensity of all that we went through because very few people would ever understand unless they have gone through it themselves.
But in our experience, it is enormously stressful and affects more areas of your life than you ever imagined it could. I pray today that God will give you the answers you need for your particular situation.
As for suggestions, the sum of our best suggestions are in the post, “Help, I’m Being Bit by Something I Can’t See! What Do I Do?”
One idea that I don’t know if we included there, but that we highly recommend during the summer months is to have sachets of menthol crystals in your cars. We used dryer sheets to put the menthol crystals in, tied them up with a bit of twine, and left them in the car.
In the summer, the heat build-up in the car will cause the menthol crystals to melt and diffuse into the air. The car will smell strongly (unpleasantly so) of menthol when you get in each time, but in our experience, it is very effective in keeping any more mites from getting a foothold in your car and in helping rid the ones that are there.
The car is an important place be vigilant about because if they get in there, they go with you everywhere you go, as well as keeping on reinfecting your house every time you think you’re finally getting it better.
I hope this is helpful. The truth is I don’t think there is any one solution that would help everybody; but just knowing there is hope and that others have succeeded in equally awful situations can be such a comfort!
Sincerely,
Shannon
July 16th, 2007 at 11:45 am
P.S. Thanks for sharing the soap tip.
And to Lisa, who had shared the earlier tip about tea tree oil, thanks as well.
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Hello Shannon,
Would you be interested in trying two other enzyme solutions?
September 10th, 2007 at 11:38 pm
We live in Northern Alabama and our country house is being invaded by fire ants. They have really wrecked havoc on us. They have gotten in our beds several times. In our vehicles. I have yet to find one on my kitchen counters. Go figure! Just found out they are attracted to electrical currents and body oils. GREAT! Does anyone have a good recipe (cheap)for an enzyme cleaner that will wreck havoc on a fire ant? Needs to be safe. I have a crawling 1 year old daughter.
October 26th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
hi – i have the same problem. someone just told me to try eucalyptus oil – wash stuff inn it, spray it (diluted) onto furniture, bedding, etc – if you google “eucalyptus oil mites” it sounds pretty promising. then i found this site http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20020022043.html that lists a whole bunch of essential oils that kill mites quite effectively. i just found this stuff out tonight, so i haven’t tried it yet – but you can bet i’m going out in the morning to find some and give it a try!!!!
November 6th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
I stumbled across this site looking for something else, and was intrigued by your useage of enzymes to deal with biting mites. However if you find the cost of the cleaners to be extravegant, try a pool/spa store. My family recently moved into a home with a hot tub and this family of natural cleaners are very poplular for reducing/eliminating body oils and other bodily fluids from the water. I recently bought a 16 oz bottle of “Pool Perfect” (about $15 USD) which suggests a dilution rate of 30ml per 7500 liters of water (about .61 teaspoons per 180 gallons of water). If you are looking for concentrated enzymatic solution (with no discernable smell mind you) you might want to give this a shot. (I mix it up super strong and use it as a nice all around carpet cleaner.) Good luck.
December 10th, 2007 at 12:36 am
Hi, I’ve been battling body lice for the last 2 months. Is it possible that this biting mite is actually body lice? I read that they live in clothing. When I look at some of my t-shirts that I wear to sleep I saw some brown/tan specks around the under arm. I’m trying to find a way to kill the eggs on my cloths with the washing machine. I’ve tried washing in hot water and hot dryer (even taking it to the laundromat) where they have high heat and it seems to help but not completely. I’ve ordered some kleen free and it seems to be helping. Any suggestions?
January 31st, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Dave,
Thanks for the idea.
Kelly,
What people have described on this site (for the most part) could not be body lice. The bugs are not visible to the naked eye. Body lice are, I think. Also body lice are apparently much easier to kill. So if you really did have body lice, I think you’ll be successful in getting rid of them.
But if not and it is something else, there’s a lot of info on the site about what worked for us. I hope it works for you, too.
February 8th, 2008 at 12:09 am
Can I spray my Lovebird with Kleen Free? I think she has mites.
February 8th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I’ve suffered for 1 1/2 years. I’ve discovered the possible problem. In August of 2006, the FDA approved a “concoction of 5 viral strains” for the food industry to spray on deli meats and anything that is pre-cooked when you buy it. It is intented to destroy bacteria, e-coli., semonella, etc. It’s being spread everywhere. You will have it in your grocery bags, on your clothes, hair, car, pets, floors, body, appliances, etc. What is our gov’t. thinking? It’s possibly the cause of noro-virus, hepatitis, lyme disease, morgellons, and on and on. Cipro antibiotic is the only one that will help some. The gov’t has developed TOPO II antibiotic, but it isn’t available yet. The hospitals clean the infected patients room – floor to ceiling – and everything in between with HEPSTAT 256 manufactured by Coastal Labs, and available at Janitorial Supply for about $30. per gallon. It’s highly concentrated. READ LABEL IF USING IT, please! Hibiclens or Betadine work good in shower. 8 oz is $10. available at drugstores. Lemon is good. Add it to shampoo. Take cool, Not HOT, showers or baths. The bacteria reproduces in steamy areas. Staph-A-Septic Jel on bites before dressing helps. It kills bacteria (MRSA, etc.) for 6 hours after applied. It’s made by Tech Labs and is available at Rite Aid for $15. Baking soda kills them in the carpet. I also add it directly onto my clothes in the washing machine. I add vinegar and it seems to do the trick. It also kills the scabie mite. I sprinkle it on carpets and let it set 10 mins before vacuuming. Then I spray pure essential oil of eucylyptus on the clean carpets. I am going to get the enzyme cleaner. There is one with lemon, but I don’t know the name of it. I would like something that works in the washer consistently every time. You can NEVER rewear clothing that hasn’t been washed. They hide in the seams. I spray lysol on seams. These little buggers adapt readily to most cleaners and quickly become immune, but the above “recipe” has worked for me over time without fail. I have tried so many things and have been frustrated alot!!! For everyday cleaning, Lysol 4in1 lemon spray works great! I’ve discovered there are female and male microorganisms. Females are mostly black, males are aqua blue and red. They’re round specks (about the size of a speck of pepper”. Once they get on you, they morph into elongated splinter like beasts in order to pierce your skin. They lay eggs and emit a fiber which resembles hair for the babies to exit and do the same thing their mothers did. It’s seems to be a never ending process. Secret deoderant will sometimes pick them up from your skin. They don’t like the zinc, and it seems that they need oxygen to survive. I read the Hydrogen Peroxide was good, so I poured it on a lesion. It immediately turned white and hard. I peeled it off and the material was like a rubber band. GROSS !!! Anyway, I hope my experience will help some of you. Believe me, I can emphathize!
July 21st, 2008 at 4:59 am
My wife has been sfdfering from what we figure is Morgellon’s for over 2 years now. For us the stress is exacerbated greatly from the fact that the pepper mites prefer her to me. I get nearly no bites at all (in winter none, in summer, a few). And none of my bites get infected or grow the way hers do. It’s almost as if the mites are laying eggs in her.
We’ve seen a suspicious tiny insect that seems to have actually popped out of my partner’s skin (almost like Alien but in minature). It’s about 0.1 mm long and we’ve seen maybe 3 in 2 years! They’re not easy to see/find.
There seems to be a life cycle, with a larval stage where the mites are clear rice like shape (but much mch much smaller).
The mites seem to get much worse in Summer. Over winter (we’re now going through our 3rd winter with these) they die down but never quite dissappear.
Because it mainly affects her, the DOctors keep saying it’s psycosomatic!
we’ve had the Pest controllers spray, replaced our bed, clothes, etc.
Very frustrating – we’re trying kleen green now, I hoe it works!
July 25th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Well… I was beginning to think my mother was crazy until I found this website. Alot of what you guys are saying is similar to what my mother says. My mother has not slept in er bed in several months. She complains they are biting her when she is in her bed, sitting on the couch, and in her carpet. She has thrown out her rugs, most of her towels, and shower curtain because she said they have eaten these things up. She has sprayed numerous things in her house. I worry she has sprayed so much it’s going to affect her health. She tells me she see’s these bugs making figure 8’s in her carpet. At one point she told me she could she them swimming in the tub with her in it. She has cut her hair completely off and now she’s talking about shaving her head. I’ve had her house exterminated, but that didn’t help.
Anyway, I’ve ordered Kleen Green I sure hope this helps. These little b****have taken over her life.
July 31st, 2008 at 6:39 am
i have mites in my house and i cant get rid of them .my indoor cat and i are infested with them. i have tried safesolutions. its a enzyme cleaner with pepperment scent .i spent about 70 dollars with shipping. the lady told me it would work but it didnt. i had an exterminator come and carpet cleaner and neither worked. went to a dermatologist and used very leathal creams and a strong solution on my hair and they didnt work. he acted like i was nuts. now i am trying cedarcide and so far ive spent about 400 dollars. im getting a fogging machine and i must leave my house for 4 hours. he said i may very well have to do this 3 or 4 times but he said it will get rid of them. if it doesnt work i think i will surely go mad. i have had these mites for a year and im on the verge of losing my mind. my husband is not getting any bites and i dont think he can understand what im going through. right now i am feelng the pinching so bad. ihave poured mineral oil all over my head and face,it helps for a little while and then hey just come right back. god help me i really want to die. its affecting my whole life. im up every night. i work for the school system as a foodservice worker and have to go back to work in 2 weeks its an exhausting job and i will not be able to do t with no sleep
September 9th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Hello, my fello infested friends… I live in So East Oklahoma and have been dealing with this torment for exactly one year now. have seen 3 Dr. and a dermatologist to no avail or ounce of help. First thought it was Scabies, then Bird mites. Was finally able to capture some on tape and those mouse glue traps, was able to identify as “spring tails” or collembollan. at least I know what I am partially fighting. The etomologist (bug Dr.) said that they do not affect humans… I believe that study was done in the 1950’s… I have spent so much money and time on the internet trying to find a cure. Thank the Lord my son is not affected, just me. Have no Idea how I came into contact with them.. was flat on my back after the 3rd surgery from a car wreck, had not been anywhere for months except to the Dr and hospital. began itching a week after last Labor Day and have not stopped yet. What I have found out that works/helps is…. Azure soap ..contains 10% sulfur ($1.00 on the mexican isle at the dollar store) Generic Windex ..$0.97 at Wal-mart. I spray everything down with this. even my plastic dollar store shoes. They do not like gold bond powder ( the menthol?) I use arrid extra dry spray deoderant… this keeps them out from under my arm pits… I wash my sheets every day, use a plastic cover over my mattress and spray it down with a disolved mixture of 2cups epsom salt in 1-2qt of water.. had my first night of sleep for mo. after that trick…..and I use cheep shampoo/conditioner with liquid zinc mixed into it. I spray down my shower with bleach water, my car is sprayed every time I exit with the windex or salt mixture, every thing is placed into plastic bags… my (3rd) cell phone is placed into a sm sandwhich bag (after nuking the bag @ 20 sec in the microwave) I put a descant pouch from one of my vitamin bottles in to keep out the moisture. This has helped with the itching @ the ears. I microwave my clothes before I put them on….. really a big dif. noticed here… word to the wise.. not for the bra – ha. I use an enzyme cleaner for the bra.. and for work.. really helps but it does not get rid of them for good. WILL add each and every one of you to my PRAYER LIST !!! GOD BLESS C. Ann
January 3rd, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Hi,
I have 3 birds and 3 cats and one of the cats brought fleas into the house. Since I did not discover this in time all 3 cats have fleas and they are apparently throughtout the house. Since I have the birds I did extensive research on organic/pet safe solutions. Kleen Green came up on almost every article I found. Has anyone used this solution for fleas? does it works? I am going crazy trying to find something safe for the animals. I did not want to call in exterminator if i did not have to due to the birds. I am not crazy about the idea of bringing them out in this weather and actually would have a difficult time finding somewhere for them to stay over night. Any suggestions?
April 11th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Buy a container of Fleabusters from your local veternarian or pet supply store. Buy a good painters respirator mask from your local hardware store. Wearing the painters mask, sprinkle the Fleabusters liberally all over everything in your house and leave it there for a week. After a weeks time, vacuum everything thoroughly, wait a day and do it again. I believe if you do this twice, you’ll catch both ends of the growth cycle. Do it a third time if you’re in doubt. Also, for birds, wrap menthol crystals in a used fabric softener sheet and a rubber band or twine and leave it in the bottom of the bird’s cage. It’ll diffuse over time and the vapors should be more than any flea or mite can handle. Good luck!