Zest up your kitchen cleaning with lemon

Lemon-fresh cleaning just got easier.

Zest up your kitchen cleaning with lemon

Lemon-fresh cleaning just got easier.

Lemons are a natural wonder. Not only do they enhance cooking and baking, these little fresh fruits can also be used as a natural cleaner. The citric acid in lemons gives it antibacterial and antiseptic properties and can even work as a natural bleach. Get the tips on how to use it to freshen up your kitchen.

Considerations when cleaning with lemon

While the benefits of cleaning with lemon are commonly known, make sure you take these precautions to maximize your cleaning potential.

Not for everything. The cleaning effects of lemon can be enjoyed in any room in your home, but it’s still not a substitute for a proper disinfectant to eliminate germs and bacteria. Also, to avoid permanent damage, never use lemon juice on wood floors, natural stone or brass plated items.
Just the juice. Most DIY cleaning hacks with lemon only need the juice, so if you want to save some money or get more cleaning power for your dollar, skip the fresh lemons and buy lemon juice.
Avoid mixing with bleach. Lemon juice goes well with salt or baking powder to add some extra abrasive action, but never mix lemon with bleach since this combination makes chlorine gas.
Potential sunburn. The citric acid in lemon is sensitive to sunlight and can cause chemical burns on the skin. If using the whitening powers of lemon juice and the sun, be cautious!

Kitchen tools to clean with lemon

Since the kitchen is one of the germiest places in the house, it’s important to use a properly formulated surface cleaner. However, for many kitchen accessories and gadgets, lemon can be a great way to get your items clean and smelling fresh.

Wooden chopping board. To remove stains or smells from cutting boards or other butcher block surfaces, simply sprinkle the surface with salt, and scrub with the cut side of a lemon.
Cheese grater. Avoid shredding sponges and clean your cheese grater with a lemon. Use a lemon wedge or lemon half and simply grate the lemon. The lemon will degrease and unclog the holes. After grating, simply rinse with hot water and you’re good to go.
Refrigerator. Just like baking soda, lemon can be used to get rid of fridge odors. Simply cut some lemon and put let the lemons sit in the fridge cut side up.

Microwave. Steam clean your microwave with a bowl of water and the juice of a whole lemon. Microwave the bowl with water/lemon for 3-5 minutes to get the water boiling. After this, let the bowl sit in the closed microwave for another 5 minutes. Then, simply open and wipe the inside clean.
Blender/garbage disposal. Blender blades and garbage disposals can be tough to clean, leaving funky smells. Cut a lemon into wedges, run cold tap water and start the garbage disposal. This will cut through grease and grime and rid of unwanted odors.
Brass/copper/stainless steel/silver. Just like with cutting boards, the combination of salt/baking soda and a cut lemon will help remove tarnished spots from the metal surfaces of many pots and pans. Be sure to avoid using lemon on brass plated items!
Plastic food containers. Remove stains left by tomato sauce and other foods from your storage containers. Just rub some lemon juice on the stain and let sit for at least 15 minutes and then rinse. For tougher stains, add a few tablespoons of lemon juice and water (enough to cover the stain) and let sit for a few hours/overnight. You can also let your containers sit in the sun for an extra boost.
Dishwasher. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to your dishwasher detergent for extra cleaning power or deodorize your machine by filling the liquid cleaner tray with lemon juice and running an empty load.