Eco-Friendly Cleaning Company
Nature has blessed us with many natural cleaners which make it possible to drop the chemicals in our homes. One of these is the good old lemon. A natural disinfectant, lemons are high in citric acid, are antibacterial and have a low pH making them great candidates for many clean up jobs.
These cheery citrus fruits are one of your home's hardest working, most flexible cleaning tools. Just look at what they can do:
• Freshen your microwave
Make the interior easier to wipe down by heating a cup of water and a chopped-up lemon on high until the microwave's window is steamy. Let the bowl sit for 15 minutes before you open the door, and clean away any grime and grease with ease.
• De-stink the garbage disposal
Run a few lemon rinds through the disposal and follow with cold water to dispel any sour odors.
• Remove stains from linens
This tip is safe for even delicate or vintage fabrics: Treat a set-in stain with lemon juice and salt. Let the mixture sit for a half hour, then rinse with vinegar and warm water.
• Get stains out of a cutting board or butcher block
Run the cut side of a lemon over the board to remove food stains and smells. For extra cleaning power, sprinkle it with salt or baking soda first. If your stains are particularly stubborn, let everything sit overnight before you rinse with water. Wipe wooden boards with mineral oil to seal.
• Get rid of tarnish on brass
Sprinkle tarnished spots with salt, and then lightly rub with a sponge dampened with lemon juice. Rinse with water and dry well.
• Remove a rust stain from fabric
Try the trusty lemon juice-and-salt combo to fight these tricky stains. Let the item sit in the sun as it dries, and reapply the mixture as needed until the spot disappears.
• Shine chrome bathroom fixtures
Run the cut side of a lemon over faucets, drains, and more to remove mineral deposits and make 'em sparkle. Rinse and dry thoroughly when you're done.
• Remove T-shirt sweat stains
Fight those troublesome set-in stains by rubbing them with lemon juice (vinegar works well, too) before you toss the clothing in the wash.
• Kill weeds
Spray any garden offenders with a little lemon juice to banish them from your yard. But keep the juice away from the plants you want to keep — the acidity could damage or kill flowers and bushes, too.
• Create a makeshift scented humidifier
Simmer a saucepan of water and some lemon slices (and other aromatics, if you like) to combat dry indoor air, and make your home smell nice in one punch.
• Clean a cheese grater
Can't free the last bits of cheddar from your grater's holes? Run the flesh side of cut lemon over the tool to help cut through and free the residue.
Comment
Related Discussions
What's the most eco-friendly product you own?
Q
POLL: How healthy is your home?
Q
Poll: Faux, Meadow, Clean-Cut?
Q
Cleaning patio stones
Q