Using Lemons to Clean your Kitchen - 5 easy natural cleaning hacks

Lemons are the unsung heroes of the kitchen. Not only perfect for using to dress your favourite dishes, but they also offer a multitude of uses when it comes to their cleaning abilities.

With the citric acid in lemons offering both antibacterial and antiseptic properties, it means that they can kill bacteria, and their acidity, which is what gives them their cleaning power, makes them so effective as natural cleaners - perfect for cleaning your home.

Using lemons around the home, in the kitchen, and to clean bathrooms can also bring added health benefits. Reactions that can occur from the over exposure to harsh chemicals found in traditional cleaning products, can also aggravate allergies and skin sensitivities. By switching to a natural alternative this is avoided, being both better for you and for the environment.

The final benefit, if you weren’t convinced already, is that lemons are understandably much cheaper than traditional cleaning products, a huge positive and a great reason to incorporate them into your cleaning routine when price increases for other day-to-day necessities are happening more frequently.  

TOP 5 USES OF LEMONS AROUND THE HOME:

1. Deodorise your fridge with lemons. One of the busiest appliances in the kitchen is the fridge. Its door opens many times a day, but the build-up of nasty odours can occur if you’re storing different foods and not monitoring the freshness of your groceries! Slicing up a lemon to leave in the fridge to absorb odours is simple. It’s also a great hack to refresh your plastic food storage boxes - so simply rub lemon on the stains and let it sit for 15 minutes. Rinse clean to reveal sparkling and fresh food storage tubs!

2. Cleaning your sink with lemons – With constant use, the build-up of dirt and grime on your sink is inevitable. Ditch the harsh chemical cleaning products and clean your sink with the help of a lemon. Simply sprinkle your sink with baking soda and use half a lemon to scrub. Clean the sink and plug hole with a scrubbing action and rinse clean. Repeat where necessary.

Alternatively, your dishwasher can benefit from a deep clean by filling a small tub with a cup of lemon juice, or cut up a few lemon slices to place on the rack and run the dishwasher with a full load of washing as normal. This will enhance your wash and give perfectly shiny clean dishes as well as rinsing the dishwasher of it's grubby film. 

3. Clean and revive chopping boards – A simple but effective hack. Have you wondered why your chopping board smells, or why it has stains or unsightly marks on? This top tip will bring your boards back to looking as good as new and will help them to last for years to come. To clean, start with a dry chopping board and sprinkle over coarse salt, cut a lemon in half and squeeze half of the juice over the salt, use the same half to act as a scrubber and work the salt and lemon juice in circular motions around the board, focussing on any areas that need it the most. Rinse the board thoroughly when complete and leave to dry completely.

To really bring your wooden board looking back to new, use some fine sandpaper to lightly sand it down. Once complete wipe clean with a dry cloth and re-oil the board with a food safe oil and leave to dry fully before using. Repeat as necessary to maintain your board’s appearance over time.

4. Descale your kettle – Ensure your kettle stays free from limescale build-up with regular cleaning. In hard water areas, you may need to clean your kettle more frequently. To avoid purchasing descaling solutions, simply squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into your kettle and use one half of the lemon as a scrubber to rub any areas with additional limescale build-up. Top up the kettle with 500ml water, leave to stand for 15 minutes so the acidity of the lemon can get to work and then boil. Discard of the water and repeat as necessary with a stronger quantity of lemon to water if required. Once complete ensure to rinse the kettle thoroughly and re-boil a few times to remove the taste of lemon. Your tea will taste better. Trust us!

5. Using lemons to repel insects

In the summer months when ants and insects can enter the home, chemical insecticides and ant traps can be used, however, using a natural alternative of lemons is just as efficient and can be more affordable.

To keep insects at bay the natural way, simply squeeze lemon juice on doors and windowsills as well as into any holes or cracks that appear, this will act as a deterrent. Alternatively, creating a diluted solution of lemon and vinegar can be used to mop your floors, and will leave them sparkling in no time.