There’s a plethora of handy uses for lemons. So, when you next visit the local farmers’ market, grab some. Girlfriend, lemons are a staple in my everyday use. I’m slowly building a successful cleaning business and as a result, I have learned many secrets.
‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade’ is a proverbial phrase used to encourage optimism and a positive can-do attitude in the face of adversity or misfortune. Lemons suggest sourness or difficulty in life; making lemonade is turning them into something positive or desirable.
I’m a giver, therefore, I’m happy to reveal some of those secrets. One such trade secret is the many uses for lemons.
What Are Lemons?
The lemon is a small tree (Citrus limon) that is green even in the winter. It came from Asia, and is also the name of the tree’s oval-shaped yellow fruit. The fruit is used for cooking and other things in the world – usually for its juice.
People do not know for sure where lemons have come from. However, most people think that lemons first grew in India, northern Burma, and China. The lemon is the common name for Citrus limon.
A lemon is a yellow citrus fruit. It is related to the orange. Lemon juice is about 5% citric acid, and has a pH of 2 to 3. Lemon plants vary in size yet stay generally small. The tallest height they can get is about 6 meters tall.
Lemons taste sour. The juice, zest, and pulp are often used in cooking, often on fish and other meat for better taste. Lemon is also used to flavor drinks, such as lemonade or soft drinks. (Source: Wikipedia)
10 Extra Handy Uses for Lemons
Lemons are one of the most versatile foods in the world. They can be used for many purposes, including eating, cleaning, and healing certain health conditions. Lemons are something that you should always have on hand, and here are some of the reasons why.
“When life gives you lemons, squirt someone in the eye.”
Cathy Guiswite
Lemon Health Benefits
Lemon Water Upon Waking
Squeezing a half a lemon into a glass of water first thing in the morning is an excellent way to begin your day. It balances your body pH and helps to clean your liver. It is a great tasting way to give a kick-start to your digestion.
Drinking lemon water helps promote hydration, supports weight loss, and is a great source of vitamin C. It not only aids digestion but also helps freshens breath and prevent kidney stones.
Kick a Cold
If you feel yourself coming down with a cold or other common virus, grab a lemon and mix it with equal parts apple cider vinegar and honey. Mix in some cinnamon, stir the mixture into hot water and drink. Do this several times a day and your cold will soon take a hike.
Organic Skin Care
Taking care of your body both inside and out has become one of the most talked about and read about topics in the news nowadays. There are so many products on the market that a person could go crazy trying to figure out which one is the best. When it comes to organic skin care, this is regarded as one of the most popular uses for lemons.
Lemons provide a dose of the free radical fighting antioxidant vitamin C, which helps keep skin even-toned and helps boost the body’s immune system. Lemon can be used as a skin astringent as it helps motivate your pores to close and your face to tighten resulting in smoother skin.
Many women have inquired whether or not lemons can remove dark spots. Well, when used over time, lemon juice can slowly reduce dark spots by breaking down the melanin pigmentation and curbing the overproduction of it.
Dark spots on your skin can be caused by exposure to the sun, harsh chemicals, and pollution. Lemon juice contains citric acid, which has some gentle bleaching qualities.
Combat Pimples
Who knew lemons could even help you when applied topically? If you have pimples, simply apply fresh lemon juice to them to draw them out. Your good complexion will return in no time.
Lemon Juice Uses for Cleaning
Clean Your Cutting Board
Think lemons are only for consuming? Think again. If your cutting board doesn’t smell fresh, or if it is retaining flavor from past foods, cut a lemon in half and rub it down vigorously. This will remove odors and help to sanitize it.
Here’s what you need:
Equipment
- Half of a lemon
- Coarse salt
- Bench scraper
- Warm water
- Sponge or cloth
Instructions
- Apply salt: Sprinkle the cutting board with coarse salt.
- Scour the surface: Using a lemon half with the cut side down, scour the surface, squeezing slightly to release the lemon juice as you go.
- Let sit, then scrape off: Let sit for 5 minutes, and then scrape the gray, dirty liquid into a small bowl using a bench scraper, and discard.
- Rinse: Give the surface a final rinse with a clean wet sponge.
(Source: The Kitchn)
in my family, cleaning the cutting board has become one of the most common uses for lemons, second only to making fresh lemonade. Let Dani help you to keep yours in mint condition:
Mirror Cleaner
If you are looking for a more natural solution to clean your mirrors with, try lemon juice. Squeeze about 3 tablespoons of lemon juice into a spray bottle and then add about a cup of water.
Next, you’ll shake the bottle and spray your mirror down. Then wipe away using a clean microfiber clothto achieve a sparkle with no chemicals involved.
Microwave Cleaner
If your microwave is looking like it has years of food built up in it, lemons are your best friend. Cut a lemon in half and place both halves into a bowl of water. Microwave this bowl for 30 seconds and then wipe the inside of the microwave. You will be amazed at how easily you can wipe off all the grime that has previously insisted on sticking around.
Lemon Uses for Cooking
Easy, Tasty Food Topping
In a rush and not sure what topping to put on your chicken, fish, or vegetables? Try a squeeze of lemon before cooking. It is great with just the lemon, or along with a small shake of salt or a few drops of olive oil. Lemon as a topping is simple, delicious, and healthy.
Keeps Fruit Salad from Oxidization
If you have cut up a beautiful bowl of fruit salad and you want it to continue looking fresh, squeeze a lemon over it and stir until all the fruit is coated. Lemon prevents oxidation from happening. Instead of turning brown, the fruit will retain its nice, bright colors.
Uses for Bottled Lemon Juice
Need to clean jewelry, add a shine to your pots and pan, polish your dining room table, or remove a rust stain? Just grab some lemons! The acidic quality and fresh scent can work wonders around the house. From the kitchen to the laundry room, to every other part of your home, explore all the ways to use lemons outside of cooking.
- Polish Pots, Pans, and Hardware.
- Remove Stains from Marble Countertops.
- Descale Coffee Makers and Tea Kettles.
- Remove Stains from Dishes and Storage Containers.
- Kill Bacteria on Cutting Boards and Wooden Utensils.
- Clean and Remove Odors from Microwave.
- Deodorize the Garbage Disposal.
- Get Rid of Yellow Underarm Stains
- Remove Rust or Mildew Stains
- Brighten Whites
- Natural Air Freshener
- Shoo Away Insects
- Make Glass Sparkle
- Remove Tough Toilet Bowl Stains
- Make Your Own Furniture Polish
- Salvage Hardened Paint Brushes
(Source: The Spruce)
The Bottom Line
There are many lemon uses in the kitchen to the laundry room, to every other part of your home. Many persons use lemons to improve their skin quality or as a green cleaning product.
Others use lemons as a basic method for home teeth whitening. Particularly, the application of a paste of lemon juice and salt in the yellowish tint of the teeth is a wonderful way of eradicating that dull color of the teeth.
Surely, you’ll agree that lemons are one of nature’s most versatile creations, right? Furthermore, you can eat, drink, wear and clean with lemons. Accordingly, if you have any problem in need of being solved, perhaps the first question you should ask yourself is whether a lemon could take care of it for you.
Now if you’re still looking for more uses for lemons, particularly, more unique ways to turn a lemon into a life hack, then check this out.
