21 Lemon Cleaning Hacks (#15 is Amazing)

If you are looking for a way to clean your home naturally and effectively, then, lemons could be your answer!

They are great at breaking down stains and grime buildup, making your cleaning routine so much simpler 

But why is that?

There are 3 key components in lemons that make them so powerful

1. Citric Acid: Dissolve hard water stain, break down stains and grime
2. Lemon Oil: A potent anti bacterial agent that create prevent bacterial growth
3. D-Limonene: Dissolves and break down grease, making it easy to clean. 

In today's post, i am going to share with you how you can combine lemon and other easily obtainable ingredients to create powerful cleaning agent so you'll save money and elbow grease!

Skip Ahead if You See Something of Interest:

• 1. Deodorize & Disinfect Wooden Utensils & Board
• 2. Create Your All Purpose Spray
• 3. Make Some Natural Toilet Bombs
• 4. Freshen Up Your Fridge
• 5. Remove Hard Water Stains
• 6. Shine Your Wooden Furniture
• 7. Freshen up The Trash Can
• 8. Clean Your Coffee Maker
• 9. Remove Strong Smells On Your Hands
• 10. Polish Your Brass
• 11. Eliminate Soap Scums
• 12. Remove Plastic Stain
• 13. Remove Rust From Metals
• 14. Makes a Bleach Substitute
• 15. Clean Out Your Microwave Oven
• 16. Make Your Glass Surfaces Sparkle
• 17. Freshen Up Your Carpet
• 18. Neutralize Odor in Cat Box
• 19. Descale Your Kettle
• 20. Natural Insect Repellent
• 21. Make a Natural Dishwasher Detergent

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1. Deodorize & Disinfect Wooden Utensils & Board

Have wooden cutting board or utensils that have started to smell despite being cleaned? 

Here's what you can do

Prepare half a lemon, coarse salt, bench warm water, dry cloth then follow the 4 simple steps below:

1. Sprinkle the coarse salt evenly on the wood surface
2. Squeeze the lemon slightly as you use it like a brush to scrub the cutting board or utensils. 
3. Leave it to sit for 6 minutes before rinsing off with warm water and dry clean

This method is safe for deep cleaning and disinfecting without toxic chemical hence, keeping your food safe.

 

2. Create Your All Purpose Spray

Don't throw away your lemon peels, they can be made into a natural cleaner that's effective and have a great fragrance.

Here's how you can make one:

You'll need as much lemon peels as possible, 1 glass jar with lid and a bottle of white vinegar

1. Fill the glass jar halfway full with the lemon peels
2. Fill the jar to the brim with white vinegar and cover the lid
3. Store the solution in a dark place for 3 weeks
4. Strain the peels and keep the store the citrus cleaner.

Combine equal parts of citrus cleaner and water into a spray bottle for your all purpose spray

 

3. Make Some Natural Toilet Bombs

Here's is a recipe that'll simplify your toilet cleaning routine.

No more gloves and holding your breath each time you can clean the bathroom!

Here's what you'll need for the natural toilet cleaner:

• 1 cup of Baking soda
• Quarter Cup Citric Acid
• 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 30 Drops of Tea tree essential oil
• 1 Tbsp hydrogen peroxide
• 1 Large Glass Bowl
• 1 Small Glass Bowl

Here are the steps to make them:

1. Add a cup of baking soda, 2 tbsp of lemon and quarter cup of citric acid into the large bowl and start whisking.
2. Add 30 drops of tea tree oil and 1 tbsp hydrogen peroxide into the small bowl and combine
3. Transfer the content in the small bowl over to the large one and whisk slowly, to prevent too much foaming.
4. At this point, you should test if the mixture is of the right moisture. If the mixture does not hold its shape, add more baking soda and if it's too dry, add more hydrogen peroxide.
5. If the moisture is right, add the mixture into a silicone mould or ice cube making mould and leave it to dry uncovered for 12 hrs.
6. Store in a cool, dry place for future use.

We recommend to drop a toilet bomb into the bowl and let is soak overnight before flushing it the next day.

Your toilet bowl will be freshen up, disinfected and you'll tell the difference.

 

4. Freshen Up Your Fridge

Is there a bad odor coming out of your refrigerator?

Ensure that you've thrown out the source of the odor then, grab a lemon.

Dab lemon juice onto a cotton ball or a nice clean sponge and leave it in different sections of the fridge overnight

Tip: Place them near the vents to help clean out the bad smell faster

 

5. Remove Hard Water Stains 

Hard water are basically dissolved calcium and magnesium in higher concentration. 

They stain your sink, faucet shower glass and shower head and cannot be removed with soap and regular cleaner

To remove, firstly, make a spray

Simply combine a cup of lemon juice, 3 tablespoon baking soda and 3 tablespoon of table salt in a spray bottle and shake well.

Spray the affected areas and let it sit for 10 minutes (The solution dissolves the minerals making it easy to later clean) before scrubbing away with water

 

6. Shine Your Wooden Furniture

The next time you have leftover lemon peels, don't throw them away.

Instead, you can make a dust rag that helps freshen your wooden furnitures and help them shine.

Ingredients Needed:

• White Vinegar
• Cleaning rags
• Glass Jar airtight lid
• Lemon
• Water

Follow the steps to polish your wood

1. Combine equal parts of water and vinegar into a bowl
2. Soak as many rag as you can in the solution.
3. Squeeze the rag until it becomes damp
4. Fold lemon rinds into the rag and place into the airtight container
5. Store the rag in a cool place for future use.

After use, wash the rag and repeat the same steps to make them again.

 

7. Freshen up The Trash Can

If you garbage can is starting to smell and you can't seem to get rid of the stench even after cleaning it then it's time for lemons!

Simply squirt a tbsp worth of lemon juice and add 2 tbsp of baking soda into the disposal opening, allowing it to sit for 15-20 minutes before flushing with water.

This may be used for deodorizing new trash can with terrible odor.

 

8. Clean Your Coffee Maker

After extended use, your coffee maker needs a cleanse to get fresher, cleaner brew.

The good news is that it only takes 5 minutes!

Start by running a cycle with just water to flush out the coffee residues.

Next, add a cup of lemon juice and a cup of water into the pot turn on the coffee maker to let the mixture run through.

After the brew cycle is completed, flush the coffeemaker 2 more times with plain water to remove any remaining residue and lemon juice before use.

 

9. Remove Strong Smells On Your Hands

You've probably have garlic or onion smell on your hands that never seems to go away.

No worries!

Squeeze some lemon juice and add some baking soda to your hands and rub them together. 

Rinse with water and the smell should quickly disappear

 

10. Polish Your Brass

Have your brass lost their shininess?

Here's what you can do to get it sparkling again.

You'll need:

• Half a lemon
• 1 tsp of baking soda

Here are the steps:

1. Squeeze the lemon into a small bowl and combine 1 tsp of baking soda.
2. It should fizz up and form a nice smelling paste.
3. Apply the paste onto the brass and rub with a cloth until it starts to shine
4. Rinse the paste off and dry with a dry towel.

This should make your brass decor stand out again

 

11. Eliminate Soap Scums

Here's how to remove the unsightly and impossible to remove white layer that covers your shower tub, shower glass and bath tiles.

Start by covering applying some dawn dish soap onto the surface of your bathtub, then scrubbing with a half lemon while squeezing it.

Let it sit for 30 minutes before scrubbing with a sponge.

Rinse with warm water and leave it to dry.

This works on shower glass, tiles and mirror with soap stains.

 

12. Remove Plastic Stain

Plastic food containers can retain stain and food smells and are almost impossible to remove.

Simply Squeeze some lemon juice and add baking soda into the plastic container and let it sit for 5 minutes before flushing with water.

These 2 ingredients work together to break down stains, grease and odor quickly so you'll be able to reuse your containers.

 

13. Remove Rust From Metals

Do you have those little rust stains on your cutleries that you want to remove?

We've got you!

Simply soak your cutleries in lemon juice and wipe the rust away with a cloth or sponge.

If you're dealing with heavier stains, add some table salt onto your cleaning cloth and use it as an abrasive to clean the stains away.

You can use lemon juice for most stains, even the ones on your clothes.

 

14. Makes a Bleach Substitute

Bleach is a powerful cleaning and disinfecting agent, but, it is not safe for the human body and can cause environmental damage.

Here's a safer alternative that you can make with lemons.

You'll need

• 0.75 gallon of water
• half cup of lemon juice
• 1 cup hydrogen peroxide
• Large Glass Jar

Combine all the ingredients into a large glass jar and stir.

How to use?

• For laundries, add 2.5 cups of the mixture to each laundry load and you'll get bright and fresh looking clothes and towel.
• For removal of mold and mildew, Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray liberally over the affected area,

 

15. Clean Out Your Microwave Oven

Want to get your microwave oven fresh and clean with no scrubbing or harsh chemicals?

All you need are 2-4 lemon slices, 2 tbsp of white vinegar and some water!

Add, 2 tbsp of white vinegar, a cup of water and 2-4 slices of lemon into a microwave safe bowl.

Place the bowl into the microwave oven and choose the high setting to cook for 4 minutes.

After it sit in the microwave oven for another 4 minutes before wiping clean with a damp cloth.

You'll notice that the grimes and stain has come off pretty effortlessly, leaving the microwave oven's interior bright and clean.

 

16. Make Your Glass Surfaces Sparkle

Do you have cloudy dull looking glass that you want to beautify but don't know how to clean?

Here's a natural glass cleaner spray that you can make with lemon.

You'll need:

• Half cup of Rubbing Alcohol
• 1/2 teaspoon dawn dish soap
• 4 Tbsp of Lemon Juice

You will want to combine all 3 ingredients into a spray bottle and fill the rest with regular water.

Spray, the glass with the glass cleaner you've made and wipe dry with a microfiber cloth or newspaper.

 

17. Freshen Up Your Carpet

You can freshen up your carpet simply with just 2 ingredients!

Combine 3 tbsp of lemon juice with a cup of baking soda then spread the mixture over your carpet.

Ensure that the mixture isn't too wet or it'll take a long time to dry.

Leave the mixture to dry overnight so that you can vacuum it up the next day

 

18. Neutralize Odor in Cat Box

Is your cat box making the room smell? It probably does!

Here's what you can do:

Cut up 6-8 slices of lemon and place them into a bowl. Then, place the bowl into the room where the box is.

The odor will disappear leaving a fresh lemony smell.

 

19. Descale Your Kettle

If you are affected by hard water stains then chances are your kettle has calcium deposit at the base and they look eeky.

Simply add 2 tbsp of lemon juice and vinegar into half a litre of water before leaving it to boil.

Pour out the mixture and boil again with plain water to get a clean and descaled kettle.

 

20. Natural Insect Repellent

You don't have to use those nasty bug spray to get rid of home pest.

Here's what you can do Instead

• Squirt lemon juice into ants hole or cracks
• Place pieces of lemon rinds in the corners where roaches hide
• Wash your floor with lemon infused water, simply add add lemon slices into 1/2 gallon of water and let it soak for an hour before cleaning the floor.

These pest really hate the smell of lemon and will leave your home as quickly as possible!

 

21. Make a Natural Dishwasher Detergent

Are you searching for an alternative to regular dishwasher detergent?

Then, i've got a recipe for you

This lemon made dishwasher detergent uses natural ingredients that are both effective and safe.

Here's what you will need:

• 5 small lemons (Remove All seeds)
• a cup of salt
• 8 Tbsp of White Vinegar
• 4 cups of water

 Follow the steps below to get your natural dishwasher:

1. Dice the lemons into thick pieces.
2. Boil the lemons with 2 cups of water gently for 15-25 minutes until it becomes slightly thick.
3. Add the cooked mixture and 2 cups of water to blend until smooth.
   
4. Filter out the rinds and pulps
   
5. Add a cup of salt and 8 tbsp of white vinegar to the filtered mixture and stir
6. Boil the mixture for another 20 minutes on slow head and you should end up with a starchy liquid like mixture
7. Pour the final mixture into a glass jar to store for future use.

Whenever you run the dishwasher, add 4 tablespoon of the detergent into the dispenser and run on high temperature wash.

This mixture is a powerful degreaser, antibacterial agent and helps to dissolve mineral deposits for a fresh and clean smelling dishwasher.

 

Now i'd like to Hear From You!

I truly hope that you've found value in today's post

Now i would like to hear what your opinions

Which one of these 21 lemon cleaning hacks is your favourite?

Which one are you most fascinated by?

Either way, let you thoughts go in the comment section below!

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