46 uses of lemon to clean the house

Asha Bogenfuerst Asha Bogenfuerst
homify Kitchen
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Everyone likes the scent of lemon, which leaves a refreshing trace in the air. And the taste may be liked even more, in a parade of delicacies: mousse, pie, juice – and the unbeatable caipirinha. Anyway, the lemon is a delicious and fragrant fruit. But it goes far beyond cooking, lending its qualities also to  cleaning the house and food and even to personal care. In the kitchen and bathroom, everything is clean and fresh with no effort. In the laundry, the clothes become whiter and smell fresh. And  in the preparation of food, lemon has a thousand and one amazing utilities. In this book of ideas, you will find out a small part of the uses of lemon in cleaning the house and much more – and will want to know much more!

1. Kitchen – Cleaning

1. Refrigerator – To deodorize the refrigerator and leave a fresh smell inside it, it is recommended to put half a lemon up on a small plate or a wad of cotton soaked in the lemon juice, remembering to change it once a week. 

2. Microwaves – To clean even the toughest spots on the inside of the microwave, place a container of juice or half lemon and water slices in it. Allow three to five minutes at maximum power and, after switching off, leave the appliance closed for five minutes. Finally, wipe the inside of the microwave with a damp cloth or paper towel. The result is the appliance will be left with a scent.  

3. Blender – To clean and sharpen blender blades, place frozen lemon slices in the appliance and turn it on for a few minutes. 

4. Dishes and Pans – To remove grease from dishes and pots, put two tablespoons of lemon juice in the dish detergent and wash dishes normally.  

5. Cutting board – To sanitize it, rub half a lemon on the surface of the board, let the juice act overnight and wash it the next morning. Already to remove grease stains from the board, rub salt and then half lemon.  

6. Plastic Pots – Soak the containers in a mixture of water and lemon juice to remove odors and stains. You can also add baking soda and rub the items, which should then be rinsed and left to dry.  

7. Grater – Grater is a difficult-to-clean utensil, but you can have the waste and fat removed if half a lemon is wiped inside and outside the attachment.  

8. Kettle – To clean the kettle, boil the juice of half a lemon and two glasses of water, allowing the liquid to cool before rinsing it.   

9. Sink – To clean the metal part of the sink, make a paste consisting of salt and lemon juice, apply it on it, rub with a vegetable wad and rinse the area.  

10. Drain – To unclog and facilitate the flow of water, pour a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda into it.  

11. Wastebasket – To neutralize the bad odors of these containers, simply put lemon peels inside them. Other areas where there is garbage accumulation may have the bad smell removed with the application of a mixture of the juice of a lemon with a few teaspoons of baking soda in the affected places, preferably with the help of a cloth.   

12. Trash Crusher – To easily clean and deodorize the trash crusher, throw in the remains of lemons used in the kitchen. Another possibility is to pour a quart of hot water with a half cup of lemon juice down the plumbing. 

13. Oven – To clean the oven, rub in a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda, let stand for 15 minutes and then wipe with a clean cloth. The recipe also serves the toilet.  

14. Faucets – To clean the faucets (from the kitchen and other places in the house), soak a cotton cloth in lime juice and pour it into them. Leave on for 10 minutes and then remove the liquid with warm water or a damp cloth.  

15. Hand Cleaning – A blend of lemon and vinegar is sure to remove fruit stains from the hands, but after application and before going outdoors they should be washed with soap because of the lemon's reaction with the sun. 

16. Pan in a water bath – To avoid darkening the pan, in a water bath, place lemon slices in the water. The same principle works for dark, stained pots and kettles: boil the juice of half a lemon and a few slices with two glasses of water, allow them to cool completely, empty and finally rinse.  

17. Marble sink – The porous marble sink, which is so hard to clean, can be easily cleaned by rubbing it in half with salt and then rinsing it. But only use the lemon as the last resort, because the acid of the lemon can damage the marble.

2. Kitchen – Food

18. Scent of cabbage and fat – To avoid the strong smell of cabbage when cooking, put a few slices of lemon in the water as the lemon will take the smell of fat from the air. 

19. Food Preservation – The lemon is  a very good food preservative. Just put a few droplets in avocado and other fruits, as well as salads, especially when there is lettuce. A lemon peel changed whenever it dries is also perfect for preserving without thickening or pounding the brown sugar in a tightly sealed container.   

20. Darkening of potatoes and cauliflower – When cooking these foods, add a teaspoon of lemon juice. 

21. Loose rice – For the rice to be very loose and not stick to the bottom of the pan, put some cold water with lemon drops when the first cooking water is drying. Another tip for a good rice preparation is to wash the grains with lemon and salt before bringing them to the fire.  

22. Remove salt from the beans – If the beans are very salty, add a few drops of lemon to the pan and let the beans boil.  

23. Oil reuse – If you want to reuse the oil used in frying the fish, remove the oil from the oil: let it cool and then chop the lemon into the pan, heating it again.  

24. Fruit browning – To prevent fruits like apple and pear from darken after being cut, place them in a container with water and a few drops of lemon or spray lemon directly on them. The lemon can also be placed directly on the cut part of fruits such as banana and avocado that will not be consumed soon. And if you want to get the fruit ready before dinner without it dimming, squeeze lemon in them, especially the avocado and the fruit salad. 

25. Keeping Lettuce – To prevent the lettuce from wilting, soak the leaves in cold water with lemon juice for one hour.  

26. Meat seasoning – Any type of fish, when ready, combines with the taste of lemon, as well as beef, preferably mixed with herbs. The chicken meat will be more tender and tasty if a lemon cut in half is placed inside it.  

27. Frozen Lemon Juice – A special touch can be given to a glass of water, lemonade or soda pop with ice pebbles made with lemon juice.

For more ideas, you can refer to our article titled 11 cleaning tips for a spotless kitchen.

3. Bathroom – Cleaning

28. Bathtub cleaning – To clean the bathtub efficiently and naturally, simply mix equal parts of water and lemon juice and rub the mixture into the dirt of the walls. The yellowish spots on the tub and white sink disappear if you rub lemon in the area, letting it act for 30 minutes. Then just soap and rinse well. 

29. Cleaning the toilet – To clean and disinfect the toilet inside and out, mix one cup of powdered borax and one cup of lemon juice. Another way to do the same thing is to pass on both sides of the pot a mixture of lemon with salt and, if you like, baking soda. 

30. Tile Cleaning – To clean and degrease tiles (in the bathroom, but also in the kitchen), apply lemon juice with a spray or sponge in the area to be cleaned, allow the liquid to cool, and then wipe with a clean, damp cloth.  

31. Soap stains – To remove soap stains that appear on faucets, showers, tubs and bathroom walls, squeeze lemon directly into them, allowing them to rest for a few minutes and then cleaning the area.  

32. Cleaning Grouts – To clean grouts on tiles or floors, make a thin paste with two teaspoons of cream of tartar and lemon juice, apply the paste to the grout, rub with an old toothbrush and rinse.  

33. Bathroom Boxing – Soap waste from the bathroom boxing can be eliminated by rubbing it in half a lemon and then wiping normally. If they are very difficult to remove, make a mixture of lemon, vinegar and water, applying in the area and cleaning it repeatedly until the stains are gone.  

34. Rust stain – If the problem is the rust spots, mix borax and lemon juice and apply this mixture on the rust spots, letting act for two hours and then rubbing the area.

For more ideas, you can refer to 6 bathroom cleaning ideas to make your life easy.

4. Bathroom – Personal Care

35. Shine in the hair – If you have light hair and want to give them more shine, you can put a small amount of lemon juice in them and stay an hour in the sun. Be careful not to leave traces of lemon on your face or hands.

36. Soft Hair – To make your hair softer and smoother, apply a mixture of lime juice and warm water, letting it act for a few minutes and then rinsing it with warm water.   

37. Natural deodorant – The lemon can be a natural deodorant, simply by passing the external face of half a lemon in the armpits. But do not expose yourself to the sun after using the lemon in this way.  

38. Elbows – To moisturize dry elbows, pass a half of lemon in the area.  

39. Nails – To clean your nails, immerse your fingers for five minutes in a container with half a cup of water and half a lemon.  

40. Skin – To clean, stains and exfoliate the skin of the face, wash it with a glass of lemon juice before bed. In the morning, wash your face thoroughly to remove any trace of lemon.

For more ideas, please have a look at 6 simple bathroom cleaning tips.

5. Laundry service

41. Clothes Bleach – To make clothes look whiter and more fragrant, add half to a cup of lemon juice to the water in the washing machine. If it is delicate clothing, including old linen, you can also put half a cup of lemon juice in a bucket with four liters of hot water, put on the white clothes and soak them for two hours. Afterwards, the clothes should be transferred to the washing machine, where they undergo a basic washing cycle. After washing, hang them on the clothesline.

42. Rust stains – Lemon juice can remove rust stains from polyester or cotton clothing. Just make a paste with lemon juice and tartar cream, rub it over the stain, let it act for half an hour and then wash as usual.  

43. Fat stains – To remove grease stains from clothes, rub lemon juice into the area and let stand overnight.  

44. Varicose stains – For the most varied stains, you can rub the lemon in the affected area of the clothing, leave to act for 30 minutes and then wash normally.  

45. Mold Smear – If a piece of clothing has a mildew stain, rub it with a lemon and let it dry in the sun. 

46. Stains on delicate fabrics – In delicate pieces, the ideal is to soak them for half an hour in a mixture of lemon and baking soda and then wash them normally.

We hope this idea book was helpful. For more related articles like this, have a look at 47 ways to use vinegar for cleaning your home.

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