At Lemonbrook Cleaning Company, we love lemons! (Obviously.) But lemons aren’t just for adorning your tall glasses of lemonade and sweet tea. Not only does freshly squeezed lemon juice smell clean and refreshing, but it’s also a natural disinfectant, which is why it’s a cleaning miracle worker. Read on for 7 miraculous ways to clean with lemons!
1. Clean wooden surfaces like cutting boards, wooden utensils, salad bowls, etc.
Wooden kitchen surfaces can get “yucky” and become a breeding ground for germs fairly quickly. Problem is, how do you safely clean and disinfect a surface you also use to serve food or chop vegetables? Lemons are perfect for the job! They kill odors and bacteria. First, wash your cutting board, then cut a lemon in half and rub one half over the surface of your cutting board or wooden spoon. Let sit for about 30 minutes and then rinse the juice off and leave to dry.
2. Say “bye” to grease.
Sometimes our countertops and stove tops can get caked with grease and cooking spills. No worries! Just cut a lemon in half, sprinkle the cut side with a course salt like sea salt or kosher salt, and rub the lemon all over the dirty surface. Who knew a lemon could act like a scrubby sponge? Wipe with a damp towel. Voila! Grease is gone. Make sure to test an area first, though. Just to make sure the surface responds well to the acid of the lemon.
3. Absorb odors.
Lemon peels are great at absorbing smells. Put a couple in the fridge to eliminate any odors (works better than baking soda!) or throw a peel in the bottom of your trash can to get rid of less than pleasant smells.
4. Keep chrome and stainless steel shining.
Who knew that lemon peels were so versatile? Take a lemon rind and scrub the metal of your sink or any other chrome or stainless steel surface. Rinse, dry with a towel and admire your work.
5. Replace toxic bleach.
Bleach is a tried-and-true way to make those whites the whitest, but it’s also completely toxic. Use lemons instead. Replace the bleach in your next load with a 1/2 cup of lemon juice.
6. Repel ants and other bugs.
Did you know that ants, roaches, moths, and even cats hate the smell of citrus? Put some lemon juice in a spray bottle and regularly spray window sills, the patio door, or anywhere else bugs like to gain entry. If you have an area you want your sweet kitty to stay away from (like the kitchen counter) spray it with lemon juice. You could also try diffusing lemon essential oil in the kitchen to keep the cat out. Not only does it eliminate paw prints on the counter, but it also smells amazing!
7. Wash fruits and veggies.
Even if you buy organic produce, all fruits and veggies need a good scrub. Just put 1 cup water, 1 cup white vinegar, 1 tablespoon baking soda, and the juice of half a lemon in a spray bottle. When you come back from the grocery store or farmer’s market, simply spray fruits and veggies, rinse and enjoy.
Do you have any other ways to clean with lemons? Leave us a comment!
