5 Great Tips to Clean With a Lemon

When life hands you a lemon…clean with it!

We love lemons. They add zing to our food, zest to our drinks, and send a plethora of acidic goodness right up to our olfactory bulb telling us that THIS is what “fresh” smells like!

This vitamin-C boosting fruit is not only great squeezed on some salad, it has some wonderful cleaning properties that are sure to add some pizzazz to your cleaning routine.

Tip #1 : Natural Bleach Substitute for Your Whites

Not only is it harsh on clothes, bleach is not so fun when you accidentally spill it on yourself while trying to pour it into the cup of your washing machine! Adding a cup of lemon juice to your laundry not only makes your whites whiter and your clothes brighter, but it leaves a nice scent to your clothes. Let’s admit it…the smell of bleach isn’t exactly appealing!

Tip #2 : Shining Up Your Faucets

Overtime, hard water deposits can build up on your faucets and shower fixtures. Bringing them back to their original state can be easy as 1-2-3! Just cut a lemon in half and rub it directly onto your faucets and fixtures until stains and spots are removed. The acidic juice will cut straight through the stains and restore your chrome to shiny and bright!

Tip #3: Cleaning Copper, Brass & Aluminum

Need a good scrub down of your copper, brass and aluminum pots but don’t want to risk damaging them with harsh chemicals and scratchy scouring pads? Cut a lemon in half and rub it into sea salt. The salt will act as a scourer to get rid of any residue on your pots and pans while the acid from the lemon cuts through any grease and stains, bringing out the shine.

Tip #4: Natural Glass Cleaner

Conventional glass cleaners contain all sorts of chemicals that you can easily avoid by making your own glass cleaner. All you need is:

• 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol
• 24-ounce spray bottle

Simply mix the lemon juice and rubbing alcohol into the spray bottle and fill the rest with water. Spray directly onto your glass or mirrored surfaces and wipe away with a paper towel or microfiber cloth. You won’t even miss the store-bought stuff!

Tip #5: Clean Your Microwave

Have you ever been faced with a food explosion in your microwave, only to be followed by a rigorous session of elbow grease application to get those tiny caked-on bits cleared from the roof of this precious machine? Have no fear, the lemon is here! Just mix a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice with 1-1/2 cups of water in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 5-10 minutes. The steam from the water mixture will condense onto the walls of your microwave oven and make it easier for you to wipe down. You’ll be left with a squeaky clean oven that smells fresh and clean, too!

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