Lemons are the epitome of freshness. It’s the reason why so many commercial cleaning products usually feature the yellow fruit in their products.
But lemons actually pack a powerful cleaning punch.
Here are 5 ways to use this fresh fruit to your cleaning advantage.
Why Are Lemons Good For Cleaning?
Lemons have a low pH, as well as antibacterial properties, making them one of the best natural cleaners.
They smell fantastic and are both inexpensive and safe.
Avoid using them on carpets, upholstery, timber floors and surfaces like granite or marble as over time, lemon juice may cause bleaching, wear down timber polish and etch stone.
How Can I Use Lemons to Clean?
1
Cleaning a Cheese Grater
Getting gunk out of cheese graters can be a frustrating exercise. Not to mention that the sharp edges can be dangerous as well. Try this. Cut a lemon in half and rub it across the grater to get rid of any particles before giving it a good rinse with hot, soapy water. You may need to wipe the inside of the garter out as well.
2
Steam Clean Your Microwave
In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup of water and a tablespoon of lemon juice and place in your microwave. Heat for a couple of minutes and let it sit in there for ten minutes. Be careful when you take it out as it could still be hot. Give it a wipe down inside and you’re done.
3
Sanitise Earrings
Did you know that you can sanitise silver jewellery? Apply a lemon and water mixture (1/2 cup of water and a tablespoon of lemon juice) to the jewellery and give it a light scrub before rinsing. This will help remove tarnish and make your jewellery shine. Don't use this tip on gold or your pearls.
4
Keep Insects Out
This is a fantastic tip for the warmer months. You can prevent pests from entering your home by squeezing lemon juice along windowsills or doors. Spiders and ants are sensitive to smells and won’t like the lemon fragrance.
5
Deodorise Your Dishwasher
If your dishwasher is starting to smell a little funky, pop a cup of lemon juice on your bottom rack by itself and run a cycle. Your dishwasher will be sanitised and will smell amazing.
6
Clean Up Wood Cutting Boards
Sprinkle some coarse salt onto the wood board, squeeze half a lemon onto the board and use the lemon to scrub, scrub, scrub. Give it a good rinse and voila!
7
Rescue Plastic Food Containers
Stinky, stained food containers are history. Add the juice of half a lemon and a tablespoon of baking soda to the container and fill with water. Let it sit overnight and any stains should be gone.
8
Freshen Up Your Fridge
This is such an easy yet effective tip. Pop half a lemon on a small plate in your fridge to keep odours away – so simple!
9
Brighten Up Your Clothing
A mixture of lemon juice and water (1 tablespoon to a cup of water) can be used to bleach clothes or treat yellow stains that can occur due to sweating.
Soak cotton or polyester clothes for an hour or so then dry in the sunshine. Your clothes will look and smell fantastic.
10
Make Bathroom Fixtures Shine
Your silver bathroom fixtures could really benefit from lemons as well. All you need to do is rub the cut side of your lemon over fixtures to help get rid of mineral deposits.
Just make sure you rinse and wipe down thoroughly.
11
Lemon Juice Can Clean Windows, Too!
Combine two tablespoons of lemon juice and a tablespoon of white vinegar in a spray bottle and swirl around. Add a cup or so of hot water to the mix, give it a little shake and you’re good to go!
12
Descale Your Kettle
Lemon can make a really effective kettle cleaner as well. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice and a couple of cups of water in the kettle and boil away. You’ll need to pour the mixture out afterwards and give it a rinse out a couple of times so that your cups of tea don’t start tasting like lemons.
A couple of important notes:
If you need lemon juice for cleaning (not the rinds or peels), you don’t need to spend ages juicing them – plenty of stores stock pure lemon juice in bottles that you can use instead. Easy!
Lemon is great at cleaning, but it isn’t a disinfectant. Some jobs may require a stronger cleaning agent.
