8 WAYS TO CLEAN YOUR HOME WITH LEMON

The citric acid in lemon juice is antibacterial and gives it powerful cleaning properties that can be harnessed to great effect in your home.

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What’s so special about lemons? Well… just about everything! They add fresh flavour to food and offer a host of health benefits, and they can be used to clean, disinfect and brighten just about anything in your home – without leaving traces of toxic chemicals in your living space.

Lemons are readily available – and affordable – almost everywhere, so take our tips on how to use this versatile fruit to make your home cleaner, fresher and healthier.

1. CLEAN YOUR MICROWAVE
Even if you use a food cover in the microwave, the inside of the oven will get splattered at some point. Leave your oats in a few seconds too long or take your eye off the coffee and boom – microwave explosion! But no sweat – just put about a quarter of a cup of lemon juice into a glass container (make sure it’s microwaveable), and heat in the microwave until it’s boiling and the oven’s full of steam. Let sit for about five minutes, then remove and wipe down the inside of the oven with a soft damp cloth.

2. CLEAN STAINED PLASTIC FOOD CONTAINERS AND CERAMICS
Certain foods – spicy tomato sauces in particular – leave stains on plastic containers and even ceramic plates or dishes. To remove stains, pour enough boiling water into the sink to cover the containers or dishes and add the juice and rinds of three lemons. Add the containers/dishes and soak for around four hours, then wash as usual. Or, for plastic, you can squeeze lemon juice directly onto the container and rub well with the cut side of the lemon, then leave to dry in the sun. Again, wash as usual.

3. POLISH TAPS, POTS & PANS, BRASS & COPPER
To polish chrome taps, rub with lemon rind, rinse with water and dry with a soft cloth. For stainless steel pots and pans or brassware and copper items, cut a lemon in half and dip the cut side in salt. Rub well over the metal, then rinse and dry.

4. DESCALE YOUR KETTLE
If the inside of your kettle is scaled up with mineral deposits it can make your tea and coffee taste funky. Add half a cup of lemon juice to the kettle and fill with water. Bring to the boil, then run another cycle with plain water.



5. MAKE A DEGREASING SPRAY

For a spray that will degrease any non-wooden hard surface, mix 2 cups of water with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, ½ teaspoon liquid castile (plant-based) soap and 1 tablespoon baking soda. Put into a spray bottle and shake well. Spray greasy surfaces then wipe with a clean cloth.

6. MAKE YOUR CLOTHING BRIGHTER
If the harsh chemicals in chlorine bleach don’t appeal to you, add a cup of lemon juice to your washing water when washing whites. To treat yellow underarm stains caused by antiperspirants interacting with body salts, mix one part lemon juice, one part water and one part baking soda. Rub into the fabric with a soft brush and leave for around half an hour before washing as usual. For rust or mildew stains on fabric, sprinkle with salt and add a squeeze of lemon juice, then lay out in the sun to dry.

Related article: Beauty treatments to try at home

7. SANITISE AND REMOVE STAINS FROM YOUR TOILET
A dirty toilet bowl is not a thing of beauty. Solve the problem by sprinkling ¾ cup of laundry borax into the bowl and scrubbing with a toilet brush. Leave for around an hour, then pour in three tablespoons of lemon juice. Scrub again, then flush.

8. CLEAN YOUR BATHTUB
Like a dirty toilet bowl, a stained bath can really lower the tone of your bathroom. Just mix cream of tartar and baking soda in equal parts, then add a good squeeze of lemon juice. Rub the paste well into the stains with a scrubbing sponge and leave for around half an hour before rinsing off.

Related article: DIY Household cleaner solutions

LEMONS HAVE AMAZING HEALTH BENEFITS TOO
Aside from their cleansing and disinfecting properties, lemons also pack a powerful health punch. They are full of vitamin C, so they help protect against immune system deficiencies, support heart health, help protect against anaemia, reduce our risk of developing certain cancers and help in the prevention of kidney stones. And they help control weight. Need any more reasons to love the lemon?



EXPERT TIP: HOW TO GET MAXIMUM JUICE FROM A LEMON
There are three ways to do this: put the lemon on a hard countertop and roll it back and forth under the palm of your hand until it feels soft; put it in the microwave and nuke for 10 to 15 seconds – or throw it (not too violently) against a wall, like a tennis ball, until the skin has softened. Whichever way you choose, it’ll be much easier to juice the little gem.

Related article: How to grow a lemon tree

SOURCES: thenibble.com, realsimple.com, thespruce.com, healthline.com, thekitchn.com


BY LYNNE CLEMENT STAFFORD