I‘m a big fan of lemons, and have been lucky enough to have a lemon tree for the last few years. Since I’m often faced with an abundance of lemons I have found lots of ways to use them in my home, (other than making lemonade, of course)!
In Cleaning
Lemon juice is the perfect addition to your cleaning supplies. It is a disinfectant, cuts through grease,removes stains, and leaves behind a clean, fresh scent. Try these uses for cleaning with lemon:
1. Wood Cleaner/Polisher
Mix 1 part olive oil with 1 part vinegar and add a squeeze of lemon. Shake well and use a cloth to rub into wood surfaces to clean and polish. I used this recently after moving into a home and finding lots of grime and grease all over the kitchen cabinets, and it left them shiny and clean.
2. Degreaser
Use straight lemon juice as a general degreaser, or as a way to get sticky residue off of jars.
3. All Purpose Cleaner
Infuse your vinegar with lemon peels to add a cleaning boost. Add lemon peels to a jar, cover with vinegar and wait for 2 weeks. Every couple of days give the jar a shake. After 2 weeks, strain out the lemon peels and use your vinegar as you regularly would in your cleaning routine.
4. Stain Remover Sink/Tub Scrub
Mix some baking soda and lemon juice together to form a paste and use to remove those tough stains in your sink. Or, sprinkle baking soda in your sink, squeeze some lemon juice over the baking soda, and let sit. Use the squeezed out lemon half sprinkled with salt as a scrubber and scrub the sink clean, then rinse.
5. Disposal Cleaner
Don’t toss your lemon peels! Cut up extra lemon peels and run through your disposal to clean the blades and remove any odors.
Personal Care
6. Lemon Hand Scrub
After handling strong smelling foods (like onion and garlic,) I like to use a lemon hand scrub to get rid of the smell and moisturize at the same time. To make, combine:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- Juice and zest from 1/2 a lemon
Stir together and keep in a jar near your kitchen sink. To use, add a small amount to hands, scrub, and rinse.
7. Natural Hair Lightener
I tried this a few times in high school, but haven’t done it recently, now that my hair is dark, but lemon juice + sun is a natural way to lighten your hair or add in some natural highlights in the summer. You can put the lemon juice right on your hair or dilute it with a bit of water and then head out into the sun.
Home Remedies
8. Sore Throat
Lemon is great for a sore throat and provides a needed Vitamin C boost when sick. I keep a jar filled with lemon slices covered in honey in my refrigerator to spoon into hot water or tea.
9. Lemon in Water
Lemons have many health benefits, and are helpful in boosting immunity, which is especially important during the Winter months. Squeeze half a lemon into a glass of water every morning to start your day off right.
In Your Decor
10. Lemons on Display
I love the sunny splash of color lemons can bring to a room. Arrange lemons in a vase, bowl, or on a cake stand for a simple decoration. Or slice lemons and add to a vase with flowers.
What are your favorite uses for lemons?
About Krissa
Love your ideas!
Before I use the used lemons to clean the garbage disposal, I also like to take advantage of their disinfecting qualities to rub down my kitchen cutting boards as well as removing stains on them.
Yes, cleaning cutting boards is another great way to use them! I like getting as much out of them as I can.
We have a lemon tree in our yard. This will be a good way to get them all off the ground!!
Very nice great so ncie psots o well!
Great uses! Someone is doing a seminar on making your own household cleaners at our next MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting so we will be making use of our extra citrus fruits.
I grew up in a latin american country and we never really got lemons, instead we used limes. To me they are the same
. I use them both the same way. The area where we lived had lime trees and I remember my mom never bought us deodorant to use. Instead she would hand me and my brothers a lime! That is as organic as you can get! To this day I have used lemon/lime as a deodorant, not everyday but every now and then. It worked wonders then and it works just as good now!
Wow…I’ll have to try that! Did you just cut it in half and rub it on?
I thought that lemon is just a fruit with a good source of alkaline vitamin C and use in an experiment as alternative battery. Now I found out that it is a very good cleaning agent.
That’s it… We are forever buying lemons, but I think it is time we planted a tree!!!
i love the idea of using lemons for table decor!
Lemon is a natural deodorizer and having anti bacterial properties. it definitely has many more uses!
Such a great information you have provided. Thanks a lot. I know some of them but today get some more uses of lemon. Thanks again..