I was cleaning out some files of my home office and came across an article on uses for lemons I had pulled out of a magazine years ago. WOW! Lemons are a “super fruit” in so many ways. As an acid and a natural disinfectant, it’s completely safe to use on your person, around your house and pets. And, it can replace harsh chemical based ingredients.
Here’s a list of just some of the wonderful uses for lemons. The first one I am trying when I get home is cleaning a carpet stain I couldn’t get out with the most recommended carpet cleaner I purchased recently (that included chemicals :-/ ).
* Keep Moths Away – Wrap the peels from one lemon in cheesecloth and suspend it from your clothing rod to prevent holes in your coats and sweaters. Better smelling then moth balls, and totally “green”. Replace when you can no longer smell the scent or they begin to absorb moisture.
*Repel Insects – Place lemon juice in a spray bottle and mist door thresholds, window sills and anywhere else bugs might creep in to repel pests.
*Remove Sweat Stains – Lemons have a natural bleaching effect and can remove discolorations from the underarms of your shirts. Spray lemon juice on the stain and let it sit 20 minutes then launder in COLD water.
*Whiten Your Socks – Boil grimy socks in water and a slice of lemon.
*Clean Your Garbage Disposal – Toss used lemons into your disposal to keep it clean and smelling fresh.
*De-grease Your Microwave – To remove stuck on grime, sprinkle lemon juice and let the acids work their magic or for tough jobs, mix coarse salt or baking soda with lemon juice and scrub.
*Remove Odors on wooden rolling pins, bowls or cutting boards – Rub with lemon and let the wood absorb the juice. Don’t rinse.
*Preserve Your Produce – Coat apple slices or spritz on guacamole to keep them from browning.
*Detox Your Dishwasher – Place a lemon wedge on the top rack of your dishwasher and run it with a few dishes to freshen the dishwasher.
*Clean Your Household Items – Mix lemon juice with water to clean utensils, copper pots, cheese graters, faucets, ovens, refrigerators, soap scum on bathtubs & showers.
*Remove Carpet Stains – Mix lemon juice with salt to make a scrub.
*Make Furniture Polish – Mix one part lemon juice and two parts olive oil.
*Refresh the Air – Simmer sliced lemons in a pot covered with water for about an hour. And, add a few drops of lemon juice to your vacuum dust bag to make the house smell fresh after you vacuum.
*Kill Weeds – Spray weed roots with lemon juice and they will be gone in a few days. (Dawn dish soap mixed with water also works on weeds. Here’s what else it can do!).
*Deter Animals from Digging in Your Garden – Store lemon rinds in the freezer during the winter, then bury them just under the surface of your garden or potted plants to deter squirrels and cats from digging.
*Exfoliate Your Elbows and Knees – Cut a lemon in half and rub the pulp sides onto elbows and knees. Their natural alpha hydroxy acids will remove dead skin cells.
*Remove Nail polish Stains on Nails – Soak your fingernails in a bowl of lemon juice.
These are just a few uses – Do you have a favorite use for lemons?
-S.O.
Sources: Women’s Day February 2014; MarthaStewart.com; DoctorOz.com; Women’s Health Magazine March 2014; The Old Farmer’s Almanac
