Friday, February 11, 2011

Using Lemon Instead of Chemicals to Freshen Your Home

To sanitize your dishwasher and remove mineral deposits and odors, remove all dishes.  Place 1/4 cup lemon juice in the soap dispenser and run through the normal cycle.

To freshen your garbage disposal, slice a medium sized lemon into it.  Run it with water until the lemon is gone.

To clean grout around tiles, apply lemon juice and water with a toothbrush.

To clean copper pots, cover the surface of a half lemon with salt and scrub. Rinse and buff with a soft cloth for a beautiful shine.  To clean silver, clean with lemon juice and buff with a soft cloth.  Lemon juice also cleans the tarnish off brass.

To freshen the air, squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into the vacuum cleaner bag before vacuuming.

To clean glass shower doors, apply lemon juice with a sponge. Dry with newspapers for a sparkling shine.

To remove the smell of garlic or onions from your hands, rub with a lemon slice and rinse.

To brighten whites that can't be bleached, pour a quarter of a cup of lemon juice into the washing machine.

To remove fruit, baby formula stains, or rust on colored clothing, mix a paste of cream of tartar and lemon juice. After checking the fabric for colorfastness, apply the mixture and let it set for 15-30 minutes. When stain is lifted, launder as usual.

To clean countertops and remove stains (including laminate and stone countertops), apply salt to the cut side of a lemon and scrub. Rinse and dry.

To freshen the microwave, place a few lemon slices covered with water in a small bowl and microwave on high for one minute.

To clean and disinfect cutting boards, wash with lemon juice and dry in the sun.

To freshen the air, place a teaspoon of cinnamon over lemon slices and cover with water. Simmer in a saucepan for 15 minutes on medium heat.

To make your own furniture polish, mix the juice of one lemon, one teaspoon olive oil and a teaspoon of water. Apply a thin coat to furniture and buff to a deep shine.

To remove ink from fabric, apply lemon juice liberally while the ink is still wet. Wash it on the normal cycle with regular detergent in cold water.

To remove fruit and berry stains on your hands, rinse hands with lemon juice. 

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