We know by now that citric acid can do a lot of great stuff, but here is something that will seem a bit silly: Cut a lemon in half and rub it on your faucet to get rid of mineral build-up.
This will work whether you have chrome or brass faucets since it is the mineral build-up from the water that is to blame. Be careful not to let the lemon sit for too long since the acidity can corrode the metal. After you’ve rubbed off the minerals, rinse and dry the faucet to get any remaining lemon juice off.
Protecting Vinyl Surfaces
If you don’t take good care of your vinyl upholstery and hard surfaces in your vehicle, they can be easily open to cracking. And that's just going to cost you an arm and a leg if you take it to a garage to get fixed. Why not find an easy hack to do it for absolutely nothing? And amazingly, lemons will get you over the line here.
In order to avoid this problem and keep the vinyl shiny and safe, just use a mix in a solution of olive oil and lemon juice. Afterward, you can gently massage the surface with a dampened cloth.
Scented All-Purpose Cleaner
Common household ingredients for cooking like vinegar and salt can clean your house even better than store-bought cleaners. Before you start, here's an important tip: do not combine chlorine-containing products with ammonia-based cleaners because it will cause a chemical reaction that will create hazardous fumes.
All you need for this cleaner is some lemon rind, rosemary sprigs, one part white vinegar, one part water, and a tablespoon of salt. This solution can remove water strains, wall smudges, clean trash cans, and the list goes on. The lemon's acidity will add extra cleaning strength that can remove even the most stubborn stains.
Relieve a Sore Throat
Sore throats can be really aggravating, not to mention a nightmare to get rid of. Taking too many antibiotics can start harming your body after a while, so you might want to resort to home remedies before you contact the nearest pharmacy.
To help ease the pain and irritation of a sore throat, try gargling a mix of warm water and sea salt. For an extra kick, add some lemon juice into the mix. And, of course, making a nice cup of green tea with a splash of lemon and some ginger can also work wonders for a sore throat.
Brass Cleaner
Cleaning brass doesn't have to be the chore you think it is. Sure, even the word brass sounds like the kind of material you'd only need to take care of during the time of the Great Depression. But hey, there's still lots of typical household items made from it. With some table salt and lemon juice, you're already halfway there! Now all you need is a tenacious will to clean and you're ready to get started.
Dampen a sponge using lemon juice or white vinegar with some salt sprinkled on top as you lightly rub the surface of non-lacquered cabinet pulls. Thoroughly rinse with water and dry with a clean, soft cloth immediately.
Heavy-Duty Scrub
You would think that using fruit to clean the house with would just make things messier. But on the contrary, lemons can actually be a vital component in a sensible spring clean. You just need to know how to use it. For this heavy-duty scrub, all the ingredients you'll need are 1/2 cup sea salt and 1/2 lemon. It's that simple!
Dip the sliced lemon into the sea salt mix and scrub the surface to remove rust stains on the enamel or porcelain sinks and tubs. But beware, do not use this for granite or marble, as it will damage your pretty surfaces and leave you questioning everything you've ever known.
Better Nails and Soften Cuticles
Believe it or not, lemons can even assist in a self-manicure! There is literally nothing that our citrus friends can't help out with. Revive your manicure and bring out your best nails with just these three ingredients. Mix two teaspoons of salt, baking soda, and a splash of lemon juice in half a cup of hot water.
Soak your fingernails in this solution for a few days to see a difference. This helps soften your cuticles while building up our nail beds with just ten minutes of soaking time. Rinse away the solution to show off your shiny new nails!
Microwave Cleaning Hack
Don't you just hate it when your microwave's insides are covered with splats from that spaghetti you heated up the other night? Have no fear because lemons will make your microwave spring clean in no time whatsoever.
All you have to do is put a cup of water and a slice of lemon in the microwave and set it for two minutes. The lemon/water condensation makes wiping away food particles quick and easy. Of course, you can keep doing it the old-fashioned way—scrub and scrub until your arm gives out. Or save yourself time and energy and just do it this way.
Help Your Sink Drain With a Toothbrush
If your kitchen sink doesn’t drain quite as well as it used to, you can scrub it clean with an old toothbrush and then drop sliced lemons in the garbage disposal to freshen everything up.
It should go without saying, of course, that this should only be done with a toothbrush that you don’t plan on ever using again…at least, not on your teeth. Luckily, though, this is a great excuse to get rid of that old brush you needed to replace anyway. Besides, it’s not healthy to go too long using the same toothbrush. Even if you did use a new toothbrush for this method, though, it really wouldn’t be such a big deal.
When Life Gives You Lemons
Have you ever had a recipe that called for a lot of lemon juice, and it felt like a waste to buy so many lemons? Well, there’s a way to get more juice for your money! And all it takes is using the most easy-to-use machine in your house. That's right folks - the microwave.
Place your lemons in the microwave for twenty seconds on high. This will soften the citrus fruit, making it easier to squeeze and get nearly all of the juice out. So, when life gives you lemons, heat them up, and only then get to squeezing!
Soften Calluses
If you’re an active individual, you may have calluses on your feet or hands. And, though they don’t pose serious health risks, they can be both unsightly and uncomfortable. It has been shown that soaking callused areas in a baking soda bath can help soften the skin, eliminate scabbing, and improve the appearance of calluses.
Pour warm water into a bowl with a few tbsps of lemon or lime juice and some baking soda. Allow your feet or hands to soak for a few minutes, and then rinse them. Repeat as necessary until you notice the improvement in their appearance.
Your Very Own Sour Patch
Sour Patch candies might not be everyone's favorite, but there are plenty of people who wouldn't mind enjoying a nice sour treat every once in a while. Instead of buying them from the store, you can just make your own!
You take a small fruit – grapes are the obvious choice – and a mixture of lemon juice and your favorite flavors of gelatin mix, and chill or freeze them to create something that will taste great and might even be a little healthy, too. Another option is Kool-Aid powder, which is just flavored citric acid and really does do the trick.
Help Get a Handle on Body Odor
There are lots of reasons why we as people stink, physically, from the food we eat to how we work, even going so far as to include the kind of clothes we wear. If you want to get rid of the funk without using a deodorizer, grab a lemon and cut it down the middle.
Rub the lemon under your arms – or anywhere else that might stink – and let the citric acid work its magic. It's not recommended you do this right after shaving or waxing, or you're going to be in a good amount of pain. It won't totally remove the smell, but it should help.
Clean Up That Dirty Cutting Board
You should be washing your cutting board every time you use it, but even if you're hitting it hard with soap and water, it can sometimes still retain a funk. Since you're reading this article, you can bet you need to reach for a lemon or lime, but there's a little more to this tactic than just chopping up fruit.
Add a little bit of salt, and the chemicals involved will help get rid of the smell entirely. After hitting it with this fun combo, wash it the normal way, and you should have a cutting board that is as fresh and clean as the first use.
Get Your Toilet Really, Really Clean
We're sure that you give your family pot a weekly cleaning to make sure there are no marks or stains left in the bowl, but have you ever wanted to get it extra fresh? Take a tip from this picture, which will have you lining the rim with lemon slices and filling the center with more.
Sure, it looks a little goofy, and you can't really use the toilet until it's had a while to sit, but after a little while, the toilet will be smelling fresh and clean. Great for having special guests over or keeping the bathroom smelling good if you're going to be gone for a few days.
Get Rid of Rust Stains on Cloth
Clothes don't generally accumulate rust stains since they don't usually have much metal, but it can still happen. Old zippers, while working on the car, or any number of other things can happen to stain your clothes.
Thankfully, the citric acid in lemons helps to lift these stains – and many others – from the material, which means you can then wash them and get the gunk out for good. Be sure not to use too much, or you might end up with a different kind of stain, which no one wants. But a little bit might just be the ticket.
Get Odors Out of Food Containers
Food storage containers get a lot of use no matter what your life looks like. Maybe you're packing a lunch every day, maybe you are saving leftovers until the next meal, or maybe you work in a food-prep workplace. Even after regular cleanings, those containers can start to seem a little funky.
Use lemons or limes and a little bit of salt to remove odors and other kinds of funkiness from these containers, from the sandwich-sized boxes to the bigger versions. Just leave the salt and fruit inside, cover all the surfaces, and wash with soap and hot water. And voila!
Make Your Own Bathroom Cleanser
If you're all jazzed up to apply a little bit of elbow grease to the bathroom, but you're out of cleanser, that's a big letdown. Don't stop the cleaning frenzy, though – all you have to do is have a few special items in your kitchen.
Make some lemon water and add it to vinegar to make a natural, fresh cleanser that is perfect for all kinds of surfaces. You'll have to wait a little while for it to prepare, but it's easy, it's pretty cheap, and there's always more vacuuming to do. The bathroom will be there once you're done.
Make Your Own Candles
There are tons and tons of ways to create something that will help your house smell good with lemons, but a candle? It's true! In fact, it's pretty easy! Cut a lemon in half, longways, remove the pulp (save for a snack or something), microwave some candle wax, and stir until fully dissolved.
Add dried lavender, lavender oil, and food coloring to the wax, set the candle in the center of the lemon, and add the wax. Let it cool, and then you're ready to go! It will smell great, it looks fun, and it's a simple addition to your home.
A Simple, Sweet Air Freshener
If you want your home – or even the office – to smell like fresh lemon, there's a simple way to do it. Add some baking soda and hot water into a bowl and stir to get it all dissolved.
Next, you'll need to add some lemon juice and lemon oils, but you can mess around the mixture or add some lemon peels to get the desired strength. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, add it to a spray bottle, and you're ready to go. You'll just need to make sure you give it a good shake whenever you want to use it.
Create a Fabulous Table Centerpiece
Getting ready for a fancy event? Or, maybe you just want to spruce up the dinner table a little bit, and you're out of ideas. Here's something you can do that only requires a glass container and a bunch of lemons. As we can see from the picture, it's as simple as one, two, three.
You just need a bunch of fresh fruits and a nice, clean piece of glassware that will catch people's eyes as soon as they enter the room or sit down. It's a wonderful summer sight, but it wouldn't look too out of place during the spring or autumn months, either.
Keep the Pests Away
If you like to spend a lot of time outside, you're probably familiar with the most dangerous animal in the world – the mosquito. They carry diseases, they buzz in your ear, and they can give you oh so many itchy little bites.
There are a lot of ways to keep them away, but one of the easiest and cheapest ways to keep them away from your yard is to use lemon. Mix equal parts lemon dish soap, lemon ammonia, and lemon juice, and put it into a sprayer. Douse the yard, and the mosquitoes will stay away until it wears off – about two weeks.
Serve Dessert in Very Special Bowls
This next trick is a fun way to spruce up any warm-weather dinner party. Take a couple of lemons and slice them through the middle with one clean, straight slice. Then, scoop out all the pulp until you have a couple of limited-time-only dessert bowls.
A little bit of ice cream or some lemon sorbet will be a pleasant, cooling, and refreshing treat. You'll have to use them pretty much the same day, but it's bound to be a delight for all your guests. Spend a little bit of time finding the right fruits, and it's going to add some much-needed color to your next event.
Protect Cauliflower from Going Brown
For some reason, some people really like cauliflower. No, we don't understand it either, but there are a lot of people out there. One of the things about cauliflower is that it can start to brown. That doesn't mean it's gone bad, but it does mean it doesn't look as good.
Thankfully, there's an easy way to freshen up this particular vegetable. If you get some cauliflower, soak it in a mixture of super cold lemon water for about thirty minutes right after boiling it to make it cleaner and keep it from turning brown for a much longer period of time.
Bring Wilted Lettuce Back to Life
Lettuce is great in all kinds of dishes, from sandwiches to salads to much more complicated meals, but wilted lettuce is so depressing. And it looks bad. And it doesn't taste very good. But that does not mean it has to stay that way.
Take that sad lettuce and plunge it into some cold water to give it a shock of life. Adding some lemon juice is said to encourage cell turnover and thus absorb more water thanks to the acidity in the juice. You don't have to grind your way through mealy leaves anymore, thanks to this easy trick.
Get the Cooking Smell Off Your Hands
For a lot of people, the smell of freshly cooked food on their hands is a reward for their hard work. For others, it can get pretty annoying. We bet you can figure out what we're going to tell you is a good way to get rid of that smell.
Yes, once again, lemons come in handy freshening things up. If you've just spent some time chopping onion or garlic, wash your hands with soap and hot water and then finish up with some lemon juice. It's a lot more effective for getting rid of a stank that you don't want hanging around.
Make a Cheese Grater Shine
Cheese graters have a lot of different uses – most of them are self-explanatory – but cleaning them can turn into a big hassle. All those little holes! But there's a really easy way to make sure your grater is ready for the next block of cheddar. Cut a lemon in half and cover the cut side in dish soap – enough to get the entire grater clean.
Then, scrub the grater with the lemon. The pulp and rind will make sure the soap gets spread into all the little openings, while the lemon's acidity will loosen tough smudges and caked-on food. After everything's been scrubbed, give it a nice rinse, and that should be that.
Lemon and Mint Ice Cubes
Ice cubes keep any drink nice and cold, but if you REALLY want to take things up a notch, make some of these bad Larrys. Stock each little ice cube spot with a small piece of lemon and a sprig of mint before pouring the water in, and once the water freezes into ice, you'll have cubes that will provide a fresh flavor to any kind of drink.
Add them to mixed drinks, throw them into the water for a slow-release flavor, or add some pop to your favorite lemonade or any other classic summer drink. Let's face it; plain ice cubes are so out this summer.
Lemon Fish Straight from the Grill
Cooking some fresh seafood on the grill is one of life's greatest joys, but what if you want your main dish to be a little fruity at the same time? Take some advice from this pic and add a few slices of lemon – or any citrus fruit of your choice – in with the fish while it's cooking over the glowing embers.
The fish will absorb the flavor and the juices to give it a wonderful new taste and a great mouth feel. No, it's a thing, really. Look it up. Anyway, if it tastes good, that's enough, right?
A Lemon and Green Tea Face Mask
Want to get a healthy, natural glow that will have people wondering how on Earth you did it? The secret is lemons. Well, lemons, some non-flavored green tea, honey, and yogurt. Steep the tea leaves or bags, and then place the leaves or the contents of the bags in a bowl before adding honey, lemon juice, and yogurt until you get something you can spread on your face.
After that spread it on your skin in your preferred manner, and let it sit for fifteen minutes. Rinse it off with warm water before putting on your favorite moisturizer, and you'll be ready to face the day.
Make Your Complexion Clear
If you're after clearer skin, there are a lot of tips out there. What to do and what not to do. Here's an easy trick that is backed by science. Thanks to antimicrobial and acidic properties, lemons and other citrus fruits can help in treating things like simple acne, blackheads, or pimples.
It will tighten the pores, keeping them safe from oil, and it also helps make the oil easier to handle if it does get in. Mix some lemon juice into the water in a 2:3 ratio, dunk some cotton balls in it, and tackle those troublesome spots. However, don't go sunbathing after doing this. You could be burned way worse than normal.
Prepare Your Feet With a Lemon Scrub
If you want your feet to look perfect every time you step outside, here's a recipe for a foot scrub that you can make right at home. Combine a cup of coarse sea salt, half a cup of sweet almond oil, two teaspoons of lemon zest (about how much you would get from a single lemon), and eight drops of peppermint oil.
Mix it all together in a bowl and store it every time you want to use it. When you do, rub it into your wet feet with your hands or a pumice stone, and then rinse it off with warm water.
Get That Fresh Feeling With a Body Scrub
It's never been easier to make your very own sugar scrub with just the stuff that is inside your kitchen. You'll just need a cup of granulated sugar, juice from half of a fresh lemon, a fourth of a cup of coconut oil, and some lemon zest.
Mix it all until everybody gets to know each other, and then scrub away. If it's too runny or thick, add more sugar or juice respectively until it's just the way you like it. Don't wait too long to use it up – no preservatives means it might start to go bad after enough time.
Get More Juice Out Using a Skewer
This hack is less about using a lemon to do something else and more about using something else to get more from the lemon. If you're trying to get some of that good lemon juice for some of the other hacks on this page, try using a metal skewer. You could also use something like a knitting needle or chopsticks if you wanted.
Roll the lemon a little just to loosen the membranes and release the juices. After that, poke your skewer of choice into the non-stem end of the lemon. It's the side that extrudes a little. Go at least an inch in; just don't poke your hand. Then, squeeze and watch all that juice come right out.
Freeze Lemon Bites to Use Them Later
So you've made a lemon mixture that you like to add to your favorite baking recipes, but they always get used up so fast. Why not make a bunch of them in an ice cube tray, as we see here, and freeze them until you need them?
Or, maybe you just want to enjoy a cool, refreshing lemon treat when you get home from work without having to get too messy – another way these quick treats can become some of your favorites. Because let's face it, there's nothing quite like making something in bulk and knowing it's waiting for you to use when the time is right.
Get the Most Juice Out of Your Squeeze
Ever wanted to make sure that you can get as much juice as possible from fruits like lemons? Here are a couple of things you can try. The first thing, before you've even placed them in the juicer, is to roll the lemons on the counter, which loosens membranes and fibers and makes it much easier to juice.
Next, cut the lemon lengthwise to get maximum juice. Cutting the lemon lengthwise means you have a bigger surface area to grab, and the squeezing motion will push against more of the lemon. It reduces the amount of work and increases the amount of resulting juice.
Take Cocktails to the Next Level
Adding a wedge of lemon or lime to a mixed drink is pretty standard fare. But here's a new tip for you. If you want to do something extra special for your guests, try charring the lemon on the grill or frying pan before adding it. It can add a delicious smoky flavor to drinks.
Bourbon and gin drinks seem to gain the most benefit from this addition, but it's all up to taste. You can also try something like tequila. It has that nice char flavor, but it still contributes a sweet, sour, citric taste to anything that you add it to.
Roast Your Lemonade
Everybody knows lemonade as a classic and delicious summer drink – but what if there was a way to make it a wonderful cold-weather sipper as well? Let's try some roasted lemonade. You'll need lemons, sugar, vanilla beans or extract, sugar, ice, and mint leaves for a garnish.
There are plenty of different recipes, but try this one: Roast the lemons, sugar, vanilla, and water in a pan until the edges of the lemons caramelize – just barely. Cool, and then squeeze the juice from the lemons. De-seed and roughly chop two lemons, and process them with the juice until smooth. Use the result as a base to make lemonade.
Use Lemons to Polish Your Faucet
We know by now that citric acid can do a lot of great stuff, but here is something that will seem a bit silly: Cut a lemon in half and rub it on your faucet to get rid of mineral build-up.
This will work whether you have chrome or brass faucets since it is the mineral build-up from the water that is to blame. Be careful not to let the lemon sit for too long since the acidity can corrode the metal. After you've rubbed off the minerals, rinse and dry the faucet to get any remaining lemon juice off.
Special Cuts to Get More Juice
Tired of getting a cramp in your hand while you're trying to squeeze out some lemon juice? You could use a juicer, but not everybody has one. Here's a way to make it a little easier on yourself. Instead of just cutting down the middle, cut the edges off the lemons lengthwise.
This gives you smaller pieces that are easier to handle, and it cuts through more of the membranes that you'd have to power through if you were just cutting two big halves. It's a great way to give little helpers a chance to be useful while you're cutting the lemons.
Freshen Up Your Oven
How many times have you thought about cleaning the inside of your oven in the last year? We bet you could count it on one hand. If you think you should give it a nice sprucing up for spring cleaning, here's an easy way to do it. Slice a lemon into rings and place them in a bowl of water.
Put the bowl into a preheated, approximately four-hundred-degree oven and wait a few minutes. Once the water gets warm but not boiling, take it out and clean the oven with warm lemon water. The citric loosens stains, and the warm lemon water will finish them off.
Zest a Lemon Without a Zester
Zesting a lemon is sometimes a critical step in baking dishes, mixed drinks, or dinner fare. If you don't have a zester, there are still plenty of ways to get through this task. The first and most obvious solution is to use a box or cheese grater, turning the lemon as you go to avoid shredding any of the bitter pith under the outer layer of the rind.
You can also use a vegetable peeler, carefully cutting off a twist of rind for a drink or main dish garnishes. Finally, grab a Julienne peeler if there are no other options.
Use Tongs to Squeeze Out More Juice
There are tons of tips out there for getting as much just as possible out of lemons without a juicer, and here's one of the best we've come across: just use tongs! Roll them out, cut them lengthwise, and then use tongs for more grasping power and leverage.
Lemons are often wet and slippery, so tongs – which are designed to grab things – will give you more control. You can also squeeze as hard as you can and not worry about straining your hands or hurting yourself on the lemon. Show those lemons who's boss using something already in your kitchen.
Fewer Sprays While Squeezing Lemons
If you spend enough time squeezing lemons – like, once, maybe – you've probably sprayed yourself or the person standing next to you. There are a couple of tips for squeezing more juice out, but what about keeping clean while doing it?
Take the advice offered here and cut off the pithy part in the center, which will control and redirect the juice in a direction that you can't anticipate. Instead, the lemon juice will just run down, thanks to gravity, and make far less of a mess. All it takes is a simple slice of the knife, and you can make everything much cleaner.
Add One of the Classic Garnishes
If you are getting into learning your mixed drinks, then there is a classic addition that you need to know about – the lemon peel. It adds a nice sour flavor to your favorite after-work beverage, and the citrus flavor is a nice boost to something that needs a little extra.
While you might not be able to get something as long and fancy as the one we see here, being able to peel your own garnish is a skill worth learning. Grab a knife and see what you can accomplish. Just make sure to keep your fingers safe; the goal is not to peel them.
Introduce New Flavors to Your Favorite Pizzas
Pizza is one of those foods that are hard to get away from. Millions or billions of people around the world love it, and even those that have health things like gluten allergies find ways to enjoy a slice.
Here is a way to take your pizzas to a new, tasty place. Sprinkle some lemon juice on them before or after going into the oven for a dash of citrus flavor, or add slices of peeled lemon straight to the pie itself. Like the ever-contentious pineapple, this will add a sweet, exotic flavor that you might just end up loving.
Make Your Own Lemon Paste
A little bit of lemon paste is a quick and easy way to spruce up a dinner dish that needs a dash of citrus flavor. There are places where you can buy it ready-made, but what about making your own?
It's not that hard as long as you have the proper ingredients. It takes cornstarch, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and limoncello. Whisk the sugar and starch in a pot, and add the juice and zest once it's combined. Keep stirring until it's thickened, making sure not to let the edges burn. Once it's thick, stir in the liquor, and you're good to go.
Keep Avocados and Guacamole Green
Avocados taste great on tons of foods, but the real star of the show is guacamole, the most wonderful paste that humans have yet to come up with. You might love making a big bowl of the green stuff, only to discover that it's turned brown after letting it sit out.
Once again, it's lemons to the rescue – specifically, the juice. The citric acid creates a barrier to keep oxygen out since that's what causes the brown coloring. If you're trying to keep guacamole ready for guests, cover it with some lemon juice in the fridge – just be sure to pour the juice off first.
Preserve Lemons and Make Astounding Lemonade
If you are a fan of Moroccan or Middle Eastern recipes, you might have noticed that they call for something called preserved lemons. Preserved lemons are just that – lemons that have been sitting in salt and a jar of their own juices for some time.
General knowledge tells us that three weeks should do it. You want to make sure the lemons are fully submerged in their own juices. For eight to ten lemons, use a half cup or full cup of salt. Then, you can use these flavor-packed fruits to make lemonade that will leave your guests wowed.
Keep Lemons Longer
There's nothing like fresh lemon, but are there any ways to keep them fresh for longer periods of time? You bet there are. The first rule is to keep them in your refrigerator's crisper, where lemons can last for a month without going bad – keep the air vents wide open to reduce the humidity.
Another tactic is to store them in a mason jar filled with water and sealed, where they could stay fresh for up to three months. Those are some do's, and here are some don'ts: don't store the lemons in plastic, which can trap moisture and cause them to spoil, and don't keep lemons near other fruits, which can speed up the ripening process.
Make Your Own Lemon Hair Products
If you love the smell of lemons, why not make something to add to your hair? Not only will it give you a fresh smell, but it can also keep your hair healthy and attractive.
There are a number of options out there if you are willing to look, like a natural hair spray using lemons and oranges, a lemon hair rinse, and even a lemon-scented dandruff conditioner. The recipes are simple and can even help you save money since you don't have to head to the store. All you need are some fruits and a few other simple items.
Create a Window Garden Using Lemon Rinds
If you're looking for ways to reduce your waste footprint, here's something you can try with old lemon peels. Cut off the top third of a lemon with a thin skin, such as a Meyer variety, remove the juice and all the pulp, and get rid of as much of the white pith as you can.
Poke a drainage hole at the bottom and fill the rind with a high-quality planting mix, add a couple of seeds, pour in some water, and place the whole thing on the windowsill. Eventually, you'll want to move it to a garden or pot since the rind will break down.
Add Something Special to Your Lemon Juice
So you've followed the handy tips on this list, and you have a nice big jug of lemon juice for lemonade, lemon bars, and so many other things. You don't think you'll be able to use it that quickly, though – how do you keep it from going bad?
It's something that humans have been using to preserve their food for thousands of years: salt. You don't want to use too much, obviously, but using about a fourth of a teaspoon per two cups of juice won't change the flavor very much, and it will keep the juice ready to use for up to three months.
Substitute Preserved Lemons in Your Dishes
There are plenty of recipes that tell you to use lemons, but before you reach for the fresh variety, you should think about using some of the preserved fruits. This will take a little prep work on your part, of course, but preserved lemons have a much more mellow flavor than the fresh variety.
The peel and pith of fresh lemons will be far more bitter, and you might not want that in your food. The preserved variety will offer an edible peel, so you won't have to peel it. You can just drop an entire half a lemon into your soup or anything else that you're making.
Just Put an Entire Lemon in Your Dishwasher
Putting food into the dishwasher is usually what you want to avoid, but this isn't the normal kind of food. If you place some used lemon peels or even entire lemon wedges into the dishwasher, then your dishes might just come out looking spot or stain free after running it.
The citric acid that is always present in a lemon, or other citrus fruits, will help to break up tough stains. Plus, it gives your clean dishes a lemony scent. Even better, this will also help to keep the inside of your dishwasher fresh – which can be a big problem for some varieties.
Clean Your Garbage and Freshen the Kitchen
You might be used to throwing old lemon peels away or tossing them into the compost, but there's another option. If you've noticed a little bit of a smell coming from the garbage disposal, then throw your citrus peels inside and give them a grind. This accomplishes a number of things.
Firstly, the citric acid that comes from any of these fruits will get rid of some of the grime that can be hiding inside. Those things can get pretty darn nasty. Secondly, the smell of fresh fruit will suddenly fill your kitchen, meaning this easy tactic is a win-win.
Naturally, Lighten Your Hair
If you feel like you need a little bit of a change, go for the lemon juice. Yes, it turns out this lemon product is good for more than just making a cool summer drink. You can even use it to lighten your hair! Citric acid is a natural bleach and is often included in skincare and cleaning products.
However, you can't just dunk your head in a pool of juice – you also need to get outside. The sun naturally adjusts the melanin in your hair, and the citric acid increases that change. Finally, this works best on hair that is already somewhat light. Sandy or dark blonde hair will see the biggest change.
Increase Whitening Power on Your Clothes
If you want to make sure your clothes are as bright and white as possible, here's what you do. Measure out a quarter or half a cup of lemon juice to your wash cycle – instead of bleach – to whiten your clothing.
We recommend only doing this on cotton and polyester clothing, as other materials might be damaged by the citric acid. If it still doesn't work, try adding half a cup of juice to a gallon of hot water and soaking your clothes for a little while (anywhere from an hour to overnight) before putting them in the laundry as you normally would.
Create Refreshing Lemon-Infused Water
What do you do if you want a refreshing drink but you don't feel like having lemonade or something else with a lot of sugar? Making lemon-infused water is as easy as one, two, three. Thinly slice a pair of lemons and add them to half a gallon of water, and then let it refrigerate for a few hours.
Stir well, strain out the lemons, and then add some fresh slices before serving. You can also do this with seltzer water for something with a little more zing. The water will keep for a couple of days, but after it might start to get a little...rustic.
Keep Mosquitoes and Other Pests Out of the House
Mosquitoes are one of the most famous pests in the animal kingdom, and we don't want them in our homes. There are plenty of chemical options for keeping them away, but you can make your own low-impact mosquito spray out of little more than lemon eucalyptus oil and some coconut oil.
Add one teaspoon of the former and a fourth of a cup of the latter to a spray bottle, add the cap, and mix it up. Done and done. Mosquitoes do not like citric acid, which means this concoction will keep your home bug-free and provide a pleasant smell.
Make Your Own Weed Killer
Keep your lawn and garden weed-free without having to go to the store and big up some dangerous chemicals. You can make some in the comfort of your very own home.
Take two cups of distilled vinegar, three tablespoons of lemon juice concentrate, an ounce of rubbing alcohol, two teaspoons of dish soap, and a teaspoon of water (option, just to dilute it if you need it) and mix it all in a spray bottle. The mixture of acids and soap will get rid of weeds in a flash and might even make things smell a little better. Just like that.
Refresh Sterling Silver Jewelry
There might not be a ton of silver in your home, but the items you do have – fancy jewelry or real sterling silverware – is worth keeping fancy. It's simple to make your own silver cleanser, and it, of course, uses lemon juice.
Fill a pot with three cups of water, then add two tablespoons of lemon juice and, oddly, a cup of powdered milk. Mix it all up, and leave your silver objects in the concoction to soak overnight. When you wake up, just rinse and dry the items, and there should be no tarnish left. At the very least, it should help.
Protect Other Fruit
The juice contained in lemons must-have miracle properties because being able to stop apples from turning brown is amazing. Even apples that have been sitting for just a few hours will start to look brown and gross, but lemon juice blocks the oxidation process.
Put the sliced apples in a bowl and top with lemon juice to keep them fresh, or throw everything into a bag and mix. You'll want to rinse the apples once you're ready to eat, of course. You can also do this with orange juice, which will be a little more palatable if you don't clean the apples off.
Clean and Freshen Blenders
Blenders and food processors are a bear to clean, but here's a way to make it a little easier on you. Cut up a lemon and add it to the blender. Throw in about half a cup of water, and then start blending.
The citric acid will remove tough stains, and the lemony scent will also help to get rid of lingering smells. Just be sure to rinse it really well and dry it thoroughly, or you'll get a similar problem in a little while. This also makes cleaning the blades a little easier if you're having trouble with that.
Get Rid of Coffee Pot Build Up
Coffee pots get a ton of use at home or in the office, and sometimes the coffee can boil away down to nothing, like in this picture. You think you might have to get the elbow grease out, but there are a few easy tips.
Squeeze a couple of lemon wedges inside, add the wedges, and then throw in water and ice. Swish it around for a little while, and you might just see the caked-on coffee dregs coming right off. You might still have to use your muscles a little bit, but this tactic should make things a lot easier.
Get Moths Away
If you're seeing holes in your clothes or curtains, you might have a couple of moths in the home. Moths – as well as a number of other insects – can't stand strong smells like lemon or lavender.
Mix up a little bit of essential oil or lemon juice and spray around the house to make it that much more difficult for moths to get inside or stay inside. However, it won't kill the moths; just repel them. If you already have moths hiding in your drapes, you'll have to try a different tactic to kill them off for good.
Reduce the Impact of Dandruff
Dandruff is embarrassing, it's gross, and it gets everywhere. There are some people who swear by lemon juice helping their dandruff, so here's a tactic to improve your scalp health if you're out of other ideas. Make a lemon and honey mask and apply it to your hair.
All you have to do is mix a tablespoon of lemon juice with three tablespoons of honey, apply it to your scalp, and leave it for about twenty minutes. Wash your hair out with a mild shampoo, and you might just be lucky enough to see an improvement. Repeat every few days for more improvement.
Sugar Away Body Hair
If you've ever gone for waxing, then you know just how shockingly painful it can be. However, some people have reported that using a lemon mixture will make it a lot easier on your skin. Create a mixture of sugar, lemon, and water that creates a sticky paste that clings to the hair but doesn't stick too much to the skin.
It's similar to waxing, but many say it's far gentler on the skin. The reason for this is the mixture works to loosen the skin's grip on the root of the hair. It's also biodegradable, hypoallergenic, and can be made easily in your own home.
A True Health Food
For a lot of people, lemon is an uncommon addition to a meal plan, but there are a lot of reasons why more people should be eating more of this yellow citrus. There are tons of benefits, such as a whole lot of vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and acidity.
That means you'll get a boost of energy, healthier skin, better brain functioning, a dose of hydration, and an immune system boost, and your liver is even supposed to have a better time eliminating toxins thanks to fresh lemon juice. Plus, the fiber in lemons keeps you full longer, meaning fewer hunger distractions and an easier time getting down to a healthy weight.
Bad Breath Begone
Just like you can use lemon and lemon juice to clean some things around the home, you can use it to clean yourself, too. The strong antimicrobial properties of the juice help to neutralize lemon, and there are a couple of ways to do it.
You could suck on a lemon wedge or mix a teaspoon of juice into a glass of water to help get rid of bad breath or lingering smells after particular meals. If you want, you can also add a pinch of salt and gargle to wreak havoc on bacteria that are sitting in your mouth and throat.
Keep Your Urinary Tract at the Proper pH
We bet you didn't expect THAT kind of benefit from lemons. If you've ever suffered from a UTI, you know how bad things can get in your urinary tract. Anything going on around that area is bound to sting like hell! But once again, it's lemon juice to the rescue.
Adding just half a cup of lemon juice to a glass of water in the morning has been shown to combat UTIs since lemon just so happens to have the correct pH level to keep bacteria from growing in the urinary tract. Now that sounds like something that we all want to avoid.
Keep Brown Sugar Soft
So you're baking some cookies, about to throw in some brown sugar to give the cookies a pop of molasses, but the sugar you've been using is as hard as stone. You could slowly chip chunks off until you have enough, or you could use nature's natural brown sugar softener.
All you have to do is take a peel from a lemon (or any other kind of citrus), make sure all the pulp is removed, rinse and dry it, and add it to your brown sugar. You'll have to wait a few hours, but the little bit of citric acid the peel releases will soften the sugar right up.
Make Peeling Shells Easier
It turns out that the acidity lemon juice gives things is helpful in plenty of places around the home. Here's yet another application that can make your life a little easier. Before hard-boiling eggs, brush them with lemon juice and then add them to the cold water for boiling.
The acidity of the juice will help the shells stay intact once you start peeling, so it will be far easier to peel the entire shell in a few smooth motions instead of picking each little piece off. It not only means you can enjoy your meal quicker but it gets rid of a ton of frustration.
Create a Puppy Cleanser
Those dogs can get all kinds of stinky. Even if you're giving your pooch regular washes, it can accumulate smells that are hard to get rid of. Create a cleanser out of lemon juice and a little bit of apple cider vinegar or green tea.
And you can make a natural cleanser that will not only get rid of doggy stank, but the citrus smell from the lemon is a good way to repel fleas. Lots of bugs can't stand the intense smell of citrus, and that includes dangerous fleas. Even better, your dog will smell like fresh lemon instead of...well, dog.
Keep Nails White and Clean
During this list, we talk at length about how lemon juice is a natural cleanser for lots of things, and that list includes your nails, too. All you need to take advantage of this is a cotton pad and some lemon juice – just swipe some of the juice over each nail and let it dry.
You could also do this with a slice of lemon if you wanted. Add some moisturizer, and you're ready to go. Not only does this whiten the nails and remove stains, but the vitamin C keeps the nails strong. Hard to beat such an easy combination.
Create Secret Spy Ink
We think you might be familiar with this one. You might have even done it as a kid. Yes, the stories are true – you can use lemon juice to create an invisible ink for secret messages. Once the juice dries, the message will disappear, but you can easily get it to reappear by applying heat.
This can be something like a clothes iron, a candle, or a hair dryer. Just be careful. The reason this works is that lemon juice has carbon compounds that are invisible at room temperature. Well, colorless, technically. The carbon oxidizes when it warms up, becoming visible again.
Reduce Spiciness Using Lemon Juice
So you're making a pot of warm chili, some homemade salsa, or another kind of spicy dish. You love that spicy feeling, but your latest concoction is a little too close to five alarms for your taste. How can you reduce the spicy flavor? Go ahead and take a wild guess.
Yes, all you have to do is add some lemon juice to take the burn down a few notches. But it's not just lemon juice. You can use anything acidic, such as vinegar, wine, tomatoes, and even pineapple. This reduces the intense pH level in your dish and can even add a fun new flavor.
Make a Lemon Peel Marmalade
You've probably had orange marmalade at least once in your life, but there are some other flavors to try, too. There are just a few steps to this simple process, mostly involving prepping the lemons and boiling them until they're at the right tenderness.
After that, there are a few more steps involved in making the mixture, but before too long, you can have a couple of jars of lemon marmalade ready to spread on toast or bagels or to feed to small stuffed bears. Paddington might be more fond of orange marmalade, but we bet he's a connoisseur of every flavor that gets offered to him.
Remove Stains From Your Mattress
They are pretty much one hundred percent disgusting, but stains on mattresses are a fact of life. And it's not like you can put a mattress in the washing machine, now can you? There are some cleaner options out there, but if you want to get rid of stains and keep your mattress smelling fresh, here's what you should do.
Create a paste that is a mixture of lemon juice and salt, and apply the mixture to the stains. Let them stand for thirty to sixty minutes, and then wipe the mixture off using a clean cloth. Be sure to get all of it, or it will just stain again.
Make a Quick, Fresh-Smelling Window Cleanser
Everyone's place needs a spring clean every once in a while. Need to tackle your spring cleaning but all out of cleanser? You can make your own and get the inside and outside of your home smelling fresh in a snap. All you need is a mixture of two tablespoons of lemon juice and a cup of hot water.
Mix it together, and start cleaning. The hot water and citric acid in the juice will cut through stains, while the lemon juice will give your windows that fresh spring scent. We think everybody can agree, a lot better than the bleach and chemical smell that so many cleaners have.
Keep Rice From Sticking Together
Reaching a spoon into a rice cooker and pulling out a big clump of rice is a satisfying moment, but what if you want to have a little more control over the amount of rice you get? There's a simple, particularly lemony solution.
All you really have to do is add a few drops of lemon juice to your cooking water to keep the rice from sticking together, which makes it easier to dish the rice out during dinner or use it in a more complicated recipe. This is just another way that lemon juice can elevate your culinary skills.
Easily Clean Your Microwave
When you cook things like soup in the microwave, pops, and splatters can leave the inside looking more than a little messy. To clean it without much scrubbing, just nuke a bowl full of vinegar or a sliced lemon, then wipe it down with a wet sponge!
This is definitely going to be a lot of help for any microwave owner because cleaning it thoroughly can be quite difficult. Plus, many of us live with people who don’t clean up after themselves properly, so the grime and grease can get dry and hard to clean. No longer! Nice and clean forever!