(Psssssssst – you can use limes too!)

Take a long hard look at your fruit bowl and you’ll probably find a browning banana, discoloured apple and a slightly shrivelled lemon. Who’d have thought that little yellow fruit could be the solution to your household cleaning problems?! Learning how to start cleaning with lemons will help to replace some of your (potentially) harmful cleaning products; making your clean cheaper, eco-friendly and at the same time you’re doing your bit to help save the world!

10 Tips for Eco Friendly Cleaning with Lemons

Stained plastic and Tupperware? There is nothing worse than trying to remove dark food stains from your Tupperware, especially tomato based sauces such as Bolognese and chilli. Simply rub a little lemon juice on the stained area and these little stubborn stains will soon lift away. Greasy surfaces and pans? Apply straight lemon juice to the greasy area it is a great emulsifier and acts as a general degreaser. Apply straight lemon juice to the greasy area it is a great emulsifier and acts as a general degreaser. Dirty Microwave? There is nothing worse than a food-splattered microwave! The easiest solution is to add a slice of lemon to a small bowl of water, then microwave for 5 minutes and wipe clean. Make sure the bowl is microwave friendly and watch out when you remove it, it will be really hot! Make your own all-purpose cleaner! One of my favourite tips for those wishing to replace harmful products and who are starting to get to grips with cleaning with lemons instead: mix equal parts of lemon juice and water in a spray bottle. It’s great to have at hand and makes your kitchen smell clean and fresh (I like to add a few drops of essential oils for extra fragrance). Removing stains! Soak your stained dish clothes and chopping board with lemon juice and water, then rinse. Not only will stains disappear, the citric acid in lemons will remove a lot of the nasty bacteria that has made its way into the groves left by knives. Polish your home! Make your own furniture polish from 1 part lemon juice and 2 parts cooking oil (shake well). Once again add a little essential oil (such as pine) for extra freshness. Lime scale problems? Cut lemons into slices and leave on the lime scale stains (e.g. around taps) and leave for 10 minutes (or as long as overnight), you can even ‘smush’ them into hard to reach areas. After leaving for a few hours, scrub with an old toothbrush and rinse. Clear mirrors and windows! Mix 2 tbsp. of lemon juice with half a gallon of water- this is a great and effective glass cleaner. For maximum results clean the window with a newspaper and on a day that’s not too hot / sunny. Windows that have dried slowly will leave very few streaks! Mildew on clothes? Rub stained clothes with a lemon and leave in the sun for 12 hours or more. Want whiter whites? Soak your white laundry with lemon and water then wash as normal in the machine, this will make them extra white! For extra freshness add a tsp. of lemon juice to your wash. Soak your white laundry with lemon and water then wash as normal in the machine, this will make them extra white! For extra freshness add a tsp. of lemon juice to your wash.

Well I hope this has given you some food for thought! Always think before you throw out an unwanted lemon about how effective cleaning with lemons can be, even with very little effort and organisation, you can make a step towards a cleaner and greener home; doing your bit to save the world as you clean!

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