Rare Uses Of Lemon Juice

3 years ago

1. Brighten Your Dull Pans

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If your pans are looking a little dull, then lemon juice can help give them a makeover. All you need to do is cut a lemon in half and then rub it around the inside and outside of the pan. Then buff it away with a cloth (don't rinse) and it should be nice and shiny again!

2. Get Rid Of Stains On Your Kitchen Countertops

Image Source / Kitchen Bathroom CreationsIf you happen to have a marble countertop in particular, then stains are a pain. To rectify this, you can cut a lemon in half and mix it in salt. Then use the lemon wedge to rub against the stains and rinse away. Be sure to rinse thoroughly because the acidity in the lemon juice can damage the surface if left on!

3. Descale Your Coffee Machine

Image Source / Outwest Coffee GearYou don't want your crucial morning coffee to taste icky, which is why regular descaling is a must. Instead of paying high prices for brand descalers, you can use lemon juice instead. Add half a cup of lemon juice to the machine along with boiling water. Start a heat cycle and then run through with plain water afterwards.

4. Get Rid Of Those Stains Inside Tupperware

Image Source / Sorted By AnnaNo matter how hard you try, Tupperware containers always get stained. If you're dealing with dirty-looking containers then fill your sink with boiling water and add the juice of a few lemons to it. Put the containers in the lemon water and soak for a few hours before washing as normal.

5. Make Your Chopping Boards Hygienic Again

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Wooden chopping boards and utensils look and feel great but they aren't half hard to clean! Fortunately, you can use lemon juice. After you wash as normal, pour lemon juice onto the surface and let it sink in for up to 10 minutes. You can then rinse away with hot water and dry.

6. Avoid A Stinky Microwave

Image Source / So Yummy

Has your microwave seen too many reheats of a leftover curry? You can use a quarter cup of lemon juice mixed with two cups of water in a microwaveable container and place in your microwave. Put the microwave on a heat cycle and allow the mixture to steam so that your microwave should smell as fresh as new.

7. Freshen Up Your Drain

Image Source / Bren Did

Speaking of stinky - get that drain and garbage disposal unit smelling fresh again! Instead of throwing away your lemon peels, add them to the drain hole with lots of water. The lemon oil and juice will help to get rid of any stubborn grease and then be washed away as normal.

8. Get Rid Of Those Yellow Pit Stains On Your Clothes

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It's never fun when you make the effort to wash and put on deodorant only to still get yellow stains on your clothes under the arms. To help get rid of the stains, you can mix baking soda, lemon juice and water (in equal parts) and then use a bristled brush to mix the solution into the stain. Let it sit for half an hour then wash the garment as usual.

9. Get Rid Of Mildew Stains On Fabric

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Lemon juice mixed with salt can help to get rid of mildew stains; all you need to do is sprinkle the area in question with some salt and then squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the top. If you can, you should then try to hang the fabric out in natural air and sunlight to help get rid of the stain.

10. Brighten Up Your Whites

Image Source / This Bug's Life

Because lemon juice is a great natural bleach, you can use this is if you'd rather a natural alternative to store bought bleach. If you want to whiten up your whites, add one cup of lemon juice to your washing machine (or to your container of water if hand washing).

11. Make Your Own Air Freshener

Image Source / Wikipedia

If you're looking for a quick, easy and natural air freshener then you can add several lemon slices to a saucepan of water on your hob. Heat the lemon water and simmer for around an hour to let the fresh fumes fill your home.

12. Deter Insects

Image Source / Entomology Today

Tackle your pesky unwanted insect problem by using their high sensitivity to smell to your advantage. They don't like the smell of lemon at all, so you can either spray lemon juice or leave lemon peel on the problem areas (eg doorways or windowsills) to stop them from bothering you.

13. Make Your Glass Shine Nicely

Image Source / Alex & Chris Window CleaningYou can use this both for drinking glasses or glass windows. Make your own window cleaner with three tablespoons of lemon juice per one cup of water. You can put into a spray bottle for easy use. For glassware, dip a sponge or cloth in lemon juice and then use on your glass.

14. Get Rid Of Those Toilet Bowl Stains

Image Source / Home Guide Corner

If your toilet bowl is troubled with rusty stains or dirty water lines, you use borax salt mixed with lemon juice to make a paste. Put the paste onto the stains and let it sit for a few hours before scrubbing it clean.

15. Homemade Furniture Polish

Image Source / Missouri Poison Center

Mix one part lemon juice with two parts olive oil to make a handy DIY furniture polish! Mix in a spray bottle and shake well before spraying your furniture and then buff away with your usual polishing cloth.

16. Get Those Clogged-Up Paint Brushes Back To Normal

Image Source / Artist Run WebsiteIf you've got a bunch of paintbrushes which have gone hard and dry after being filled with paint, you can put lemon juice in a microwaveable bowl and then heat in the microwave. Put enough juice in so that the brush's bristles can be fully submerged. Soak the bristles for about 15 minutes then wash away.

17. Make Your Rice Nice And Fluffy

Image Source / RedditCooking rice perfectly can feel like an impossible task sometimes, but if you want nice and fluffy rice, you can squeeze a bit of lemon juice into your rice water when on the job. This helps the rice to stop sticking together.

18. Stop Moths Getting To Your Clothes

Image Source / Total Wardrobe Care

If you want to keep moths out of your closet and keep them away from your clothes, you can use dry lemon peels to do so. Simply put them into something that can be hung in your closet, such as a rope bag that can be tied, and hang with your clothes. Once the smell of lemon fades, replace with a new one!

19. Stop Your Cut Fruit From Going Brown

Image Source / InsiderIf you're a fan of buying lots of fruit for your healthy diet (and we salute you for that) there might be many times you have cut fruit you need to store for the next day. To stop it from turning brown, you can add a bit of lemon juice to the slices.

20. Keep Your Cauliflower Fresh & White

Image Source / ForbesSpeaking of a healthy diet - if you enjoy cauliflower, then you'll know that, a lot of the time, it can go brown and weird. If you want to keep your cauliflower florets nice and white, then you can add a teaspoon of lemon juice to them while you're cooking them.

21. Keep Your Outdoor Meal Fly-Free

Image Source / WikipediaWant to enjoy a picnic outside? Or a nice lunch in the garden? To keep flies away from you while you eat, slice a lemon in half and then put whole cloves into it (stick about 10 of them into the slice). You can then leave the lemon wedge facing up on your table (or wherever you're eating) to stop flies from bothering you.

22. Clean Hard Water Stains From Your Stuff

Image Source / Action PlumbingKettles, vases or kitchen sinks - anything can get hard water stains, and it's really annoying . You can scrub them clean using a lemon wedge that's been dipped in some salt. Once you've scrubbed, let the lemon juice sit for a few minutes before you rinse away. You can repeat as many times as you like.

23. Tackle Dark Skin Spots Or Scars

Image Source / WikipediaUse lemon juice as part of your skincare routine by mixing lemon juice and aloe vera gel in equal parts and then applying to any dark spots or scars you have. Use every other day until you're happy with the way your skin looks. Don't apply lemon juice directly to your skin, though, without aloe vera - it won't be pleasant!

24. Fix Your Salty Soup

Image Source / PinterestIf you've made some soup that tastes a bit too salty and not how you'd hoped, don't throw it out! It can be fixed. Simply add some lemon juice to it in small doses and taste until you're happy.

25. Make Your Baked Goodies A Little Fluffier

Image Source / Post- Creating with NicoleThere's nothing like a soft, fluffy cake. If you're an avid baker, then lemon juice can help you to make fluffier creations. When you're mixing butter and sugar for your recipes, add a small amount of lemon juice to get a softer finish (and don't worry, it won't taste like lemon! Unless you're making a lemon drizzle cake, of course).

26. Get That Horrid Bleach Smell Off Your Hands

Image Source / Bello's CleaningIf you've been doing some deep cleaning and have that awful smell of chlorine bleach on your hands, you can rub some lemon juice on them and then rinse away with cold water before patting dry. Make sure to moisturize your hands after to keep them nice and soft.

27. Clean Ink Stains Out Of Your Carpet Or Rug

Image Source / HOMEPALETTEYou can make a cleaning paste using lemon juice and cream of tartar and then apply to any ink stains on your carpet. Let it sink in for around 10 minutes before blotting away the excess with a damp cloth. Once the area has dried, give it a good hoovering.

28. Burned Your Coffee Pot? No Problem

Image Source / RedditIf you've burned your beloved coffee pot, don't worry - you can clean away the burned bits by mixing the juice of half a lemon, ice and some salt and then sloshing it around inside your pot. Let the mixture sit in the pot for about an hour and then rinse away.

29. Fix Your Fake Tan Disaster

Image Source / Teen VogueIf you're suffering with a botched self-tanning job with random blotches and dark streaks, you can create a paste from baking soda and lemon juice (in equal parts) and then dampen the problem areas before applying the mixture. Buff away at your skin and then rinse.

30. DIY Face Mask

Image Source / Yahoo LifestyleYou can combine the power of lemon juice and green tea to make your own DIY facial. Mix together lemon, yogurt and matcha green tea powder to make a paste you can use as a face mask. Apply to your face once a week so it can help to ease redness and clear blemishes.