Living Better With Lemons: 34 Amazing Uses for a Simple Citrus Fruit

Food Fix Uses:

15. Food Preservation. To prevent browning of your guacamole or pesto sauces, simply add a little lemon juice. Also works to keep apples, potatoes, pears, and cauliflower fresh and bright. 16. Lettuce Refresher. To keep wilting lettuce from ending up in the compost bin, simply set in a bowl of ice water and add the juice of half a lemon. Let soak for about an hour, then drain and let dry before refrigerating. 17. Produce Wash. To rid your purchased produce of dirt and pesticides, combine a tablespoon of lemon juice with a cup of water in a spray bottle and spray across your fruits and vegetables. Allow the mixture to work for about 10 minutes, then rinse and dry for naturally disinfected and freshened produce. 18. Prevent Sticky Rice. To avoid sticky, clumpy rice, add a teaspoon of lemon juice to the saucepan while your rice is simmering to achieve perfectly fluffy and stick-free rice! Home & Cleaning Uses: 19. Clean Cutting Boards & More. Cutting boards, rolling pins, salad bowls, mixing spoons, and other wooden kitchen utensils are sponges for odors and germs after working with onions, garlic, poultry, fish, etc. To clean and freshen, wash as normal, then rub a half of a lemon over the wood and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Rinse off the lemon juice and dry for a fresh and disinfected surface. 20. Cleaner/Degreaser. Counters, dishes, and other smooth surfaces can be cleaned and degreased by taking a half lemon and dipping it in salt. Scrub the area with the lemon and wipe clean with a towel. 21. Plastic Cleaner. To kill odors and greasy residue inside plastic food containers, soak for about 10 minutes in a mixture of equal parts of lemon juice and water before washing as normal. 22. Fridge Refresher. For a fridge refresher that works better than baking soda, either keep a few lemon peels in the fridge or dab a sponge or a few cotton balls in lemon juice and allow to sit in the fridge for a few hours. Also works great for the bottom of trash cans! 23. DIY Room Refresher/Humidifier. To freshen and moisturize your home on dry winter days, place a pot or bowl full of water on top of your stovetop and add lemon peels and other aromatic elements like cinnamon, cloves, and apple skins as desired. Simmer periodically to freshen and humidify the indoor air. 24. Humidifier Refresher. To deodorize a more traditional humidifier, just add 3-4 teaspoons of lemon juice to the water. This will not only remove the odor of the water reservoir, but also leave your room with a light and fresh lemon scent. Repeat every few weeks as needed.

25. Greater Grater Cleaner. Graters can be a bit difficult to clean, but to aid the effort, a half lemon rubbed over a cheese grater and letting it sit for a few minutes before cleaning as usual can take the pain away. 26. Purify Pit Stains. Equal parts of lemon juice and water can make a wonderful scrub to lighten and remove armpit stains from shirts, dresses, and jackets. Apply the mixture then allow to air dry before washing as normal. 27. Mildew Remover. To get rid of mildew from clothing that has been stored improperly, simply make a paste of lemon juice and salt, apply to mildew stains, and let dry in sunlight before washing as normal. Repeat if necessary. 28. Jewelry Cleaner/Sanitizer. You can clean and degrease metal jewelry in a mixture of 50/50 lemon juice and water. Best to avoid cleaning fancy gems and jewelry in this compound, however, to avoid damage. 29. Bleach Alternative. To avoid the harsh chemicals of chlorine bleach, try achieving whiter whites with a soak of lemon juice and baking soda for about 30 minutes before washing. 30. DIY Metal Polish. For chrome and stainless steel, use lemon rinds in place of sponges to scrub away stains and discoloration. For brass and copper, make a paste of lemon juice and salt (or baking soda) and coat the metal with the paste, scrubbing in gently and allowing it to set for 5 minutes. Wash with warm water and polish dry with a soft cloth. 31. Paint Brush Refresher. If your paint brushes have become a little crusty, you can soften the bristles by dropping the brushes in a pot of boiling hot lemon juice. Remove from heat and let set for about 15 minutes before washing in soapy water. Let air dry and reuse like new! 32. Kitten Repellent. To keep your cats away from areas and objects that are off-limits such as Christmas trees or kitchen counters, simply add lemon juice to a spray bottle and mist areas as needed. Cats are naturally repelled by the odor of lemon juice. 33. Pest Repellent. Ants, roaches, and moths are also repulsed by the smell of citrus. Misting door thresholds and window sills will keep bugs from getting in. 34. Natural Weed Killer. Soaking unwanted plants with lemon juice will effectively wipe them out without the harsh chemicals of commercial weed control products. page 2 0f 2