When life gives you lemons, use them wisely!

Well i think it’s fair to say we’ve had a lot of sourness thrown our way since March last year and the bitter journey isn’t quite over yet.

Covid has taken its toll on us all in one way or another. Whether that’s affecting our mental health, losing a loved one to it, climbing the four walls of our homes and just generally not living life as we know it!

One thing’s for sure, when we come out the other end we will be grateful for so many little things we overlooked beforehand, and on that note let’s not take things for granted, like lemons! There are so many things they are good for and are also a fantastic substitute for plastic cleaning products.

1. Bling up that kitchen metal

Residual water causes rust spots on metal and lemon is the perfect remedy for these little creepers. Simply use the lemon juice by squeezing a little into a sponge and rub it onto the surface where the rusting shows, it’s as simple as that!

2. All purpose cleaner

Not only will this little lemon trick help you save money, it’ll also help you save on plastic consumption. Don’t throw your citrus peels away, freeze them up and when you’ve got enough, add them to a jar full of white vinegar. Once added, store in a dark place for around 2 weeks, the longer the better as the stronger the citrus smell. When the storage time is up, drain off and compost the peels, transfer to a spray bottle then clean away. You can also use other citrus peels such as orange, lime or grapefruit.

3. Freshen up the air in your home

Get rid of the plastic bottle of spray and go for it the lemon way! Not only do a lot of air fresheners come in some sort of plastic form, they also contain nasty chemicals that are hazardous to your health. Simmer up a handful of cloves and half a dozen lemon slices in a pan and smell that citrus freshness as it fills up your home.

4. Whiten up those clothes & remove stains

Lemon is a fantastic substitute for bleach or any shop bought stain removers. To get those whites whiter, fill a large pot with water, add lemon slices and then bring to the boil. Once bubbling away, turn off and submerge your whites, leave to soak for around an hour. For tough stains, soak them in lemon juice for again around an hour, then pop in the wash.

5. Clean your chopping board

When chopping garlic or onions on a chopping board an undesired smell can be left lingering, even after you’ve given it a good clean, the solution? Lemon juice of course! Take a cut lemon and rub it across the surface of the board, leave for 20 minutes and then rinse. The board will be beaming with lemony freshness!

Who knew lemons had so many amazing versatile uses? Life is tricky at the moment and we’re having to adapt in many ways. Our plastic consumption reduction and an increase in the natural use of products is also something we should be working and adapting towards. Hope you enjoy these tips and check some of them out, even better let us know how it goes in the comment box below!