When life gives you lemons, you clean the house!
Yes, you read it right. You maybe familiar with the traditional uses of this tangy citrus fruit such as cooking or soothing sore throats. But, there are many more uses you can squeeze out of a lemon than you know!
And if you are a cleanliness freak, then rest assured, a lemon could be your best friend. I've tried it many times at home and it never leaves me disappointed.
In fact, if you use it right, a lemon will act as one of your home's hardest working and most flexible cleaning tools.
9 ways to use lemon around the house
#1 Freshen your fridge and microwave
Lemons can remove odours from your fridge and microwave. To clean your fridge, dab some lemon juice in a cotton ball and rub it all over the insides of the fridge and let it dry for a couple of hours. Make sure you toss out any left overs that may be causing that bad smell. Clean the fridge with sponge and water, and Voila!
To clean the microwave, heat a cup of water with lemon slices in them. Do this untill the microwave is filled with hot steam from the water and the lemon juice. Once done, let the bowl sit for 15 minutes, then open and clean the grease and grime off.
#2 Refresh your chopping board
After months of using and washing the chopping board, it starts to look dirty, even if it is not. But a small lemon can solve this problem. Use the cut side of the lemon and rub it onto the chopping board. This will remove any food stains or smells off it.
However, if you feel just the lemon will not work; then sprinkle some salt and baking soda onto the board. Rub the lemon on top of the board with these two ingredients and you will have yourself a clean chopping board.
#3 Deodourise your garbage
You may think this is unnecessary since you throw it out the next day, but the odour of the garbage still remains in the dustbin. You can use some lemon rind for this purpose. Just toss these rinds under the garbage bag and let them be for a day. This will refrain your garbage bag from smelling. You can repeat this process twice every one week.
Continue reading for more amazing uses of lemons around the house.
#4 Remove stains from linen clothes
All of us have that one piece of linen cloth that is stained by food or perfume spray or even oil. This tip is safe for vintage fabrics and even delicate wear. So to remove these rigid stains all you have to do is use a lemon. The process is simple. Use lemon juice and water on the set-in stain. Let it dry and then rinse the stain off with vinegar and some warm water.
#5 Get rid of tough stains from brass and marble
Lemons can also be used to remove tough stains off of your kitchen counters and brass utensils. Just sprinkle some salt on the affected area and rub a sponge dampened with lemon juice. Rinse the area with warm water and dry well.
To wash marble tops, cut a lemon in half. Now dip the exposed flesh into table salt, and rub it vigorously on the stain. Remember to do this only as the last resort; since acid can damage marble.
#6 Remove rust stains from fabrics
Lemons can also remove rust stains easily from fabrics. The trustworthy lemon juice and salt combination will come to your rescue for this purpose. Once you apply the mixture, let the fabric sit in the sun to dry. Once dried, if the stain still remains, dab the same mixture again and let it dry. Rinse the fabric after some time with warm water and your stain will vanish.
Continue reading for more amazing uses of lemons around the house.
#7 Refresh bathroom fixtures
After a few years, the bathroom fixtures such as taps or showers get grimy and dull. A lemon ca come in handy to clean them real nice. Just run the cut side of a lemon over the bathroom or kitchen faucets or drains. This will remove mineral deposits and lend them a sparkle. Rinse and dry thoroughly once you are through.
#8 Create a scented humidifier
You can freshen the air at home during winters or even during hot summer months with just a lemon. If you have a wood-burning stove, place an enameled cast-iron pot or bowl on top. Fill this bowl with some water, and add lemon peels, cloves, apple sins and cinnamon sticks. However, if you do not have a wood-burning stove, use your regular stovetop instead and simmer the water periodically.
#9 Rid your clothes off mildew
When you open the box of clothes meant for winter, you are often hit by the smell of mildew. To remove that smell, prepare a mixture of lemon juice and salt and rub it on the affected area. Follow this up by drying the clothes in sunlight. You can also use lemon in your washing machine to make your clothes smelling fresher and brighter.
Read: Working Mum Special: 20 smart cleaning hacks to make your lives simpler
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