Things You Could Do with Lemon
They say when life gives you lemon, turn them into lemonades — and other stuff maybe?
I was listening to ‘Lemon’ by Kenshi Yonezu (if you haven’t heard that song yet, go ahead and listen to that masterpiece) and realized, why not write something about lemons?
And so, here we are. Today we’ll be looking at all the amazing stuff you can do with this fruit. From cleaning, gourmet, baking, home cleaning, and even personal hygiene, you can do a lot of stuff with this little sour fruit!
Knowing Lemon
Before we head on to the amazing uses of lemon, let’s know this sour fruit for a bit. Its scientific name is Citrus Limon and is native to Asia, primarily in Northeast India, Northern Myanmar, and China.
Lemon contains high amount of bioflavonoids, a type of antioxidant known to treat inflammatory conditions, aids in blood circulation, and boost the power of Vitamin C. Lemon is also good for your digestive health and helps prevent anemia and scurvy.
Ways to Use Lemons
Shine and brighten
Some of your aluminum cookware might have lost their shine due to repeated use and washing. Bring back the luster by rubbing half of a sliced lemon to these pots and pans. Buff it with a piece of dry cloth and you’ll be seeing your own reflection in no time!
The same thing can be done with your dull-looking door knobs. Remove hard water stains and soap scums by dipping a sliced lemon into kosher salt and rub it into the door knob.
Likewise, you can also even out discolorations in your plastic containers by rubbing some lemon juice onto it and letting it dry out in the sun.
Sanitize and Clean
Aside from its health benefits, lemon is also commonly used as a cleaning agent ingredient due to its cleaning and sanitizing powers. Here are some ways you can use lemon to clean your household.
· Get rid of any lingering or hiding germs and bacteria from your cutting boards and graters by simply rubbing a sliced lemon onto them.
· Polish and brighten hardwood floors with a mop or microfiber cloth dipped in lemon-vinegar solution. Not only that it will make your floors sparkly and squeaky clean but will also ward off pests and insects such as roaches, fleas, and mites and kill off any harboring germs and bacteria.
· To soften and help you remove toilet bowl stains easily, pour half a cup of lemon juice into your toilet bowl and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
· Can’t seem to remove permanent marker stains from your upholstery or clothes? Let our dear friend lemon do the job for you! Simply mix lemon juice and cream of tartar and you’ll be saying good bye to these stains!
· Likewise, you can also pair this citrus fruit with hydrogen peroxides and remove even the toughest stains on your clothes and whiten your whites!
· Hate to see ants crawling around, especially on your walls and windowsills? Simply squeeze lemon onto those holes and cracks that serves as the ants’ entryways. They’ll soon avoid these areas, effectively repelling way pests and insects from your abode!
Get Rid of Odors
Are you greeted by a foul odor when you open your fridge? Remove that unpleasant stench by dipping a sponge or some cotton balls into lemon juice and leaving them inside your fridge for a couple of hours. It will absorb any lingering foul odor, leaving your fridge smelling fresh and clean the next time you open it!
You can also do this trick for your garbage cans and disposals. You can either throw lemon peels into your garbage can or freeze white vinegar with lemon chunks and put the ice cubes in the garbage disposal.
As an effective deodorizer, you can also leave bowls of lemon cut ups around your house, effectively making it smell fresh and clean! Can’t get rid of the smell and garlic and fish from your hands? Just wash them with lemon juice and soap!
For Personal Hygiene
Here are some ways to make lemon a part of your personal hygiene!
· Looking for natural ways to get rid of itchy dandruff? Our dear friend also got your scalp covered! First off, apply two tablespoons of lemon juice onto your scalp. Rinse with water. Then, make a concoction of 1 teaspoon lemon juice mixed with one cup of water and apply it to your scalp as well. Repeat this routine until you say good bye to those dandruff!
· Dealing with scaly elbows? Just mix lemon juice with baking soda until it resembles a paste-like consistency. Apply the paste to your elbows to relieve dry and scaly skin!
· Likewise, you can also use lemon juice to soothe rough hands and sore feet by mixing equal parts of lemon juiced and water. Rinse your hands and feet with the solution and massage them with olive oil after drying.
· Lemon juice is also effective when it comes to removing warts! Dab a piece of cotton with lemon juice and apply it to your warts on a daily basis until it dissolves.
· Let lemon do magic tricks on your skin! First off, it can help you remove pesky blackheads while at the same time lightening darks sports and evens out your skin tone! Simply mix lemon juice, baking soda, and honey. Apply the mixture to your face and then steam it using a warm towel. This process will soften the pores on your face, allowing the mixture to seep deep and unclog your pores!
Other surprising uses of lemon
· Homemade shoe polish- mix two teaspoons of lemon juice and one teaspoon olive oil.
· Prevents the browning of fruits and vegetables- Fruits like apple turn brown after being exposed into air due to enzymes reacting to the oxygen. Prevent such browning by soaking apple slices in a solution of one teaspoon lemon juice per one cup of water.
· Fluffy rice- to prevent rice from sticking, mix in a spoonful of lemon juice into the water and you’ll have a fluffy rice to eat for lunch or dinner!
· Humidifier cleaner- This trick hits two birds with one stone. By pouring lemon juice into your humidifier, it essential cleans and sanitizes the equipment while at the same time, releases a fresh, citrus scent into your living space!
· Homemade mouthwash- Just mix lemon juice and water and gargle it like your typical mouthwash. Your breath will be smelling fresh (and citrusy) in an instant!
Lemons are indeed very versatile with its endless list of uses and benefits! It’s important to store these citrus properly to maximize the benefits! Here’s a tip: store them in a jar of water inside the fridge. It will prolong the shelf life a week longer!
