Who knew one lemon could change your life? We’re always on the hunt for a new Macguyverism for household items. It’s a great feeling to know that you can get so much done with only one item. When life gives you lemons… do something useful around the house. Below are just a few tips and tricks on how using a natural product like lemons can make your life easy. Enjoy.
-In the Laundry-
Bleach Alternative:
Let your delicate whites soak in a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda for an effective bleach alternative. It will be mild but extremely effective. This works well on those unsightly pit stains as well. Not to mention leaving them smelling fresh.
Detergent Boost:
Add about 1 cup of lemon juice during your wash cycle to help remove stains and whiten whites. It also will help with removing mildew from clothes that have been packed away since last season.
-In the Kitchen-
Clean your cutting board:
After all your cutting board goes through, from meats to smashed garlic, it can get quite the pungent odour. You can refresh and sanitize your board by rubbing the open side of a freshly cut lemon over the cutting surface. Or wash the board in undiluted juice to bring it back from the dead.
Deodorizing your garbage disposal:
Sometimes that funk can linger. Get rid of it by regularly (once per month) throwing in your leftover lemon peels. It will disinfect and deodorize the disposal unit nicely. Adding the peels to your green bin will have a similar effect.
Clean your microwave with ease:
When that baked on caked on exploded pizza pocket grabs onto the walls of your microwave, it takes some serious scrubbing and/or harsh chemicals to get it off. Alternatively you can use lemon juice and some common sense. Put a few tablespoons of juice into water in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for five to ten minutes. The lemony vapour will do the hard work for you. Then simply wipe the excess off with a cloth and your microwave will be as good as new.
Food prep:
You can keep cauliflower and potatoes from browning up by squeezing a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice into your pot when boiling. This will also work to keep guacamole green longer. Just sprinkle a good amount over top of your mixture right after making it. It will not only add a complimentary flavour, but it will keep it looking freshly made.
-General around the house-
Stain Remover:
Lemons are great natural stain removers. A half cut lemon dipped in salt will easily remove stains from marble (possibly too easily as the acid can be harsh on the marble. Use with caution). They can be used to polish chrome and clean tarnished brass. Mix lemon juice with baking soda or salt into a paste. Then apply to the affected areas and let it sit for about five minutes. When you’re done, rinse it off and polish to a shine.
Deodorizer:
You can add lemon peels to your fireplace to get a fresh scent and eliminate that smoldering odour. When your humidifier starts to get that old water stench just pour a few teaspoons into the water to get a fresh juicy scent. Repeat this every few weeks or as necessary.
When life gives you lemons, it’s not so bad. Not with these and many other uses to put them to. Keep thinking outside the box and add your own to the mix. Post your own solutions on our Facebook Page.