The Things You Can Do with Lemon Peels and Juice

This is a comprehensive fact sheet on using lemon around your house. 

In the US, lemons have been grown since the 16th century in Florida, after being brought to the New World by Christopher Columbus. With their high vitamin C content, lemons (along with limes) were valued to protect against the development of scurvy.

During the California Gold Rush, lemons were in such high demand that people paid up to $1 per lemon, which would still be considered pricey today (so it was extremely expensive during the 1800s).

The vitamin C content alone provides a good reason to keep a steady supply of lemons on hand, but these bright citrus fruits also contain additional antioxidants known as flavonoids that may play a beneficial role in fighting heart disease, cancer, and inflammation. As noted in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry:

"The anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Citrus flavonoids can play a key role in their activity against several degenerative diseases and particularly brain diseases."

Lemons are simple to add to your diet; they can be incorporated into vegetable juice, used in salad dressings, squeezed over veggies, or used to make lemon water, for starters. In addition, you'll be amazed at just how many uses lemons have outside of the kitchen.

Around your home, lemons can be veritable superstars for cleaning, skin care, and much, much more. Business Insider compiled more than five dozen ways to use lemons in all, which you can browse through below.

61 Ways to Use Lemons Around Your Home

Deodorizing

Garbage disposal: Freeze lemon slices and vinegar in ice cube trays. Place a few frozen cubes down your disposal for cleaning and freshening.	Refrigerator: Soak a sponge in lemon juice and let it sit in your fridge for a few hours; it works better than baking soda to remove odours.	Room freshener: Simmer a pot of water and add lemon peels, cloves, and cinnamon sticks.
Humidifier: Add lemon juice to the water in your humidifier, then let the machine run for deodorizing.	Breath: Drinking lemon water helps freshen your breath (rinse your mouth with plain water afterwards since lemon juice may erode your teeth).	Trash cans: A few lemon peels added to your garbage can will help with odours.
Fireplace: Dried citrus peels can act as kindling in your fireplace, adding a wonderful smell and acting as a flame starter. Simply let the peels sit out for a few days before using.	Hands: Add lemon juice while washing your hands with soap to help remove stubborn odours like garlic.	Cat box: Place lemon slices in a bowl near your cat box to help freshen the air.

Cleaning

Furniture polish: Combine lemon oil, lemon juice, and olive or jojoba oil to make a homemade furniture polish. Simply buff with a cloth.	Microwave: While I don't recommend microwave cooking, I realize many people use one. If you caked on food, microwave a bowl of water, lemon juice, and lemon slices for three minutes. The food will wipe right off.	Windows: Lemon juice cuts through grease and grime on windows and glass. Try combining it with cornstarch, vinegar, and water for a phenomenal window cleaner.
Hard water stains: Rub a cut lemon on your faucets and shower fixtures. It will remove hard water stains and leave fixtures shiny.	Cutting boards: Sprinkle coarse salt on your cutting board then rub with a cut lemon to freshen and remove grease. This trick also works for wooden salad bowls and rolling pins.	Coffee maker: Run a cycle with plain water, then add a mixture of lemon juice and water to the water tank. Let it sit then run the cycle through. Repeat this process once more, then run another plain water cycle (you'll want to wash the coffee pot and filter afterwards to remove any lemon taste).
Rust stains on marble: Sprinkle baking soda on the stains then add lemon juice. Scrub and repeat as necessary, then wipe clean with a wet rag.	Brass and copper polish: Combine lemon juice and vinegar (equal parts) then apply with a paper towel to brass or copper. Polish with a soft cloth until dry. Lemon juice can also be combined with baking soda to make a paste that will remove tarnish.	Silverware polish: Combine one tablespoon lemon juice, 1.5 cups of water and 0.5 cut instant dry milk. Soak your silverware in the mixture overnight, then rinse and dry. In a pinch, you can apply lemon juice to tarnished silverware and buff with a clean cloth.
Dish soap booster: A teaspoon of lemon juice added to dish soap helps cut through grease and increases effectiveness.	Plastic containers: I recommend glass containers to store your food, but if you have plastic containers with food stains, rubbing them with lemon juice and letting them dry in the sun will help remove the stains.	Toilet: Adding half a cup of lemon juice to your toilet, then letting it sit prior to scrubbing, will help remove stains. Add half a cup of borax for stubborn stains.
Drains: To unclog a drain, pour a pot of boiling water down the drain followed by half a box of baking soda and 8-12 ounces of lemon juice. The lemon juice and baking soda will react, creating a foam. Follow this up with another pot of boiling water to flush away the clog.	Shower doors: Dip the cut half of a lemon in baking soda, then rub into on the glass to remove water stains. Rinse and towel dry.	All-purpose cleaner: Combine water, baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and lemon essential oil for a wonderful kitchen or bathroom cleaner.
Cheese graters: Rub half a lemon over your grates to remove grease without ruining your sponge.	Hardwood floors: Combine lemon and vinegar to make a grime-fighting non-toxic floor cleaner.

Laundry

Gentle bleach: Add lemon juice to hot water and soak white linens, then rinse and wash as normal. You can also add one-half cup of lemon juice to your washing cycle in lieu of bleach.	Spot treatment: Pour lemon juice on fabric stains followed by salt. Rub the stain and rinse. This works well for underarm stains. Dry in the sun if possible for even more stain-fighting power.	Mildew stains: Apply a paste of lemon juice and salt to the stain, then let dry in the sun. Repeat as needed.
Grease stains: Mix lemon juice with vinegar and apply to the stain. Let it sit and then rinse.	Whiten tennis shoes: Spray lemon juice onto white sneakers then dry them in the sun for whitening and freshening.

Cooking

Prevent browning on fruits and veggies: Soak cut-up apples, cauliflower, bananas, pears, potatoes, and avocados in a bowl of cold lemon water to prevent browning.	Revive limp lettuce: Add the juice of half a lemon to a bowl of cold water, then soak soggy lettuce leaves. Refrigerate for one hour then dry the now-crisp leaves.	Clumpy rice: To keep rice from sticking, add a spoonful of lemon juice to the water while the rice is cooking. Simply fluff with a fork when it's done.
Ice cubes: Add lemon slices to your ice cube trays to add some flavour to your beverages.	Marinade: Combine lemon juice with your favourite oils and herbs to marinate meats. The acidic lemon juice helps break down the meat so the flavour of the marinade can infuse it.	Buttermilk substitute: Two tablespoons of lemon juice added to a cup of milk, and left to sit for 15 minutes, makes a fine substitute for buttermilk in recipes.
Sour cream substitute: For a sour cream alternative, add lemon juice to whipped cream and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Beauty

Hair lightener: Mix lemon juice with almond or coconut oil, then apply it to your hair before heading out in the sun. The lemon will lighten your hair while the oil will keep it from drying out.	Age spots and freckles: Apply lemon juice with a cotton swab to help fade age spots and freckles.	Brightening moisturizer: A few drops of lemon juice mixed with coconut oil and applied as a moisturizer will help to hydrate and brighten your skin.
Whiten nails: Soak your nails in a mixture of lemon juice and olive oil. While the lemon juice brightens your nails, the olive oil will help strengthen them.	Dandruff: Massage two tablespoons of lemon juice into your scalp then rinse with lemon water. Repeat as necessary until dandruff resolves.	Acne: Lemon juice, a natural astringent, can help fight acne when applied to your face twice a day. Let it sit for 10 minutes each time, then rinse with cool water.
Exfoliator: A combination of lemon juice, sugar, olive oil, and honey makes a nourishing exfoliating scrub for your face and body.

Health

Lemon water: Lemon water provides you with vitamin C and potassium while helping with digestion and immune system health.	Sore throat: Lemon is both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Gargling with lemon water may soothe a sore throat while consuming lemon water provides vitamin C for your immune system.	Canker sores: Lemon juice has antifungal and antibacterial properties, so gargling with a cup of hot lemon water may help speed the healing of canker sores.
Skin rashes: Soak a cotton ball in lemon juice and apply it to rashes, such as poison ivy, for relief.	Insect bites: Lemon juice can help to relieve the swelling and itching of insect bites.	Coughs: Sip hot lemon water with honey to help reduce mucous buildup and relieve coughs.
Warts: Coating warts with lemon juice may help break them down and speed recovery.

Miscellaneous

Leather shoe polish: Combine one part lemon juice with two parts of olive oil, then apply to leather shoes. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then buff with a cloth.	Invisible ink: Dip a cotton swab into lemon juice and write a message on a piece of white paper. After it dries, hold it up to a lamp or light bulb to see your hidden message.	Jewellery sanitizer: Add one tablespoon of lemon juice to 1.5 cups of water. Use the solution to sanitize earrings and other jewellery, but do not use it on pearls or gold.
Insect repellant: Mopping floors with lemon juice and water will repel roaches and flees. Spray concentrated lemon juice on areas where ants are getting in. You can also place lemon peels near entryways to repel insects.	Stains on your pet's fur: To remove pink or red-colored stains from around your pet's eyes or mouth, apply a paste of baking soda and lemon juice and rub into the fur. Let it sit for about 10 minutes then rinse off. Be careful not to get the mixture into your pet's eyes.	Berry stains on hands: Rub a paste of cornmeal and lemon juice onto your hands, let sit, then rinse off to remove berry stains.
Kill weeds: Spray weeds with lemon juice for a non-toxic weed killer.	Dog and cat repellant: If you want to keep neighborhood dogs and cats out of your yard, sprinkle the perimeter with coffee grounds and lemon peels. Most dogs and cats dislike the scents and will go elsewhere.	Hardened paintbrushes: Bring lemon juice with a splash of water to a boil, then add in hardened paintbrushes. Let sit for 15 minutes, then wash with soap and water. The bristles will become soft again once they dry.

Lemon Aromatherapy May Ease Stress and Anxiety

Using lemon essential oil for aromatherapy is another way to harness the healing powers of lemons. Essential oils carry biologically active volatile compounds of flowers and plants in a highly concentrated form. They are, in many ways, the essence of the plant and can provide therapeutic benefits in very small amounts. The particles in essential oils, which come from flowers, twigs, leaves, or bark, can be inhaled, prompting various beneficial effects. Lemon essential oil, for instance, has been shown to have anti-stress and anti-anxiety effects.

Further, in one study when participants sniffed a blend of oils of lemon, lavender, and ylang ylang, it lowered systolic blood pressure and sympathetic nerve system activity. An aromatherapy massage using oils of lemon, rosemary, and peppermint was even found to relieve constipation in the elderly.

Meanwhile, the scent of lemon has been found to also reduce nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. So whether you use lemon for its flavor and vitamin C, its antioxidant and cleaning powers, as a part of your aromatherapy collection or all of the above, you really can't go wrong. One caveat: use fresh lemon juice over the pre-squeezed varieties you can purchase at grocery stores, as the latter will lose vitamin C content quite quickly. 

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/04/lemon-uses.aspx?utm_source=facebook-os&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ranart&utm_campaign=lemon-uses

How To Clean Your Bathroom Easy. A Candle Is All You Need!

It’s especially frustrating when after all that cleaning you see that discoloration takes place in between tiles. That ugly brown that seems impossible to get rid of. It turns out, there is a way to get those dirty looking crevices white again. All you need is a candle for this incredibly simple life hack for your grimy bathroom tiles.

http://cdn.hefty.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/bfd63c23a4bf7e9d48e717bca05e0d1e-800x400.jpg

After you have cleaned the tiles normally, take a normal wax candle that you can find in any store.

Press with the bottom end on one of the joints and rub the candle into it a few times back and forth. After just a couple seconds you’ll see how it’s already working.

Rub the candle back and forth on the discolored areas. You’ll quickly see how it is working.

Rub it in especially on the areas where it comes into contact with water. Not only does it turn white, but it is providing a protective film so the dirty brown won’t come back.

Afterwards, you’ll never have to deal with dirty grout lines again. Brilliant!
http://www.hefty.co/candle-clean/ 

You can also use car wax paste for the same purpose. First, clean the tiles, then cover with wax using a cloth, and finally, polish the surface with a dry cloth. You can go with the same procedure for the taps and shower cabin. Have you found any other ways of cleaning your bathroom? Of getting rid of mould for example? If it occurs around the bath I put a cloth soaked in bleach and leave it overnight. In the morning, you need to thoroughly ventilate the bathroom (chlorine is not healthy by the way, but in some cases only this does the work). You can use the car wax paste to polish the bathroom mirror to prevent it from steaming up. 
What tricks can you share with us? 

What Can You Do With Leftover Lemon Peels?

 

Lemons are bright, refreshing and smell divine. They have a huge number of benefits for health, hair and skin too. But did you know lemon peels are nutritional powerhouses? Lemon Peels contain a spectrum of vitamins, minerals and fiber (calcium, potassium, and vitamin C) that can give you a nutritional boost. Here are a number of ways you could make use of your leftover lemon peels. 

Amazing uses of Lemon Peels:

1. Lemon Olive Oil: Firstly, zest some of your peel and use or freeze it for later use. Next, add one cup of olive oil to three cups of your lemon zest to give your olive oil a nice lemon flavour. Let the mixture set for two weeks before straining it (to remove the peel bits) and use the oil with a new makeover!

2. Lemon Ice cubes: Give your drinks a new twist by adding lemon ice cubes! Just add some lemon zest to your ice cubes and let the flavor release into your drink when the cubes melt. You could also add long strips of the peel to your ice cubes.

3. Trash Can Odor Remover: Throw a few lemon peels at the bottom of your can. This will help absorb all the odor and keep your can smelling fresh.

4. Microwave cleaner: Throw in a few lemon peels into a microwave-safe bowl and fill it with water. Heat the bowl on high for about 5 minutes, and let the steam do its job. It will stick to the walls of the microwave, and after a quick wipe down with a towel, your microwave will be squeaky clean.

5. Get Rid of Ants: Yes, lemon peels can also be great ant repellents. Throw some peels by the crack of a door, or any small spaces where ants can enter into your home. If you’re having problems with ants in your kitchen because of the sugar, add some peel to your sugar jar as well.

6. Skin Brightening scrub: You could use the lemon peel to brighten your skin and make it smoother. You would need epsom salts and lemon infused oil for the same.

7. Vitamin C powder: Cut the peels into small squares and place them on a clean cloth. Leave them in the sun for a few days , and once they’re completely dried, add them to a coffee grinder to turn them into powder.  You can add a teaspoon to a smoothie, or just eat it plain to get filled with a great source of Vitamin C.

8. Cutting board Sanitizer: Lemon’s natural acidity provides great antibacterial properties to home cleaning. After properly cleaning your cutting boards, rub the surface with half a lemon. Let it sit for a couple of minutes before rinsing.

If you’ve come across some more interesting uses of lemon peels, please share in the comments section below.

Edited by Pragya Sharoff

http://www.curejoy.com/content/can-leftover-lemon-peels/

Before You Buy Green Cleaning Supplies

Cleaners can claim to be green, great for the environment, or natural. But how do we make sure of what we are buying? What exactly does 100% natural mean? These tips can help you decide which cleaning products are really green.

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Check for full disclosure of ingredients.

Ingredient lists on cleaning supplies are not quite the same as ingredients lists on food labels. On a food label, if wheat is first and cinnamon is last, we know that there is more wheat in the product than cinnamon.

Ingredients on cleaning supply labels are not listed in order of how much of the ingredient is included. It's important to keep in mind that there are no requirements for manufacturers to even list ingredients for cleaning supplies unless they contain disinfectants or items that are known to be hazardous.

Look for manufacturers that list their ingredients either on the label or on their websites. To be sure what you are getting is green, you need to know exactly what is in it.

Know about risky ingredients.

Educate yourself about common ingredients in today's cleaners. Take the time to understand what all of those indecipherable letters mean. Knowing what exactly is in your cleaners will allow you to find out about the risks associated with those cleaners. This will allow you to make a confident choice. Check out the National Institute of Health's database to search for information about your household cleaners, how they should be handled, and their potential hazards.

Check the cleaner's environmental claims.

Catch-phrases like "environmentally friendly", "environmentally safe", and "biodegradable" all sound really great. But they are not as great as very specific claims that can be checked. Something that is made from 100% plant based ingredients is better than a cleaner that claims to be made from just natural ingredients.

Look closely at the claims from your cleaners and, if needed, investigate further by contacting the company and asking more questions.

Don't be dazzled by some claims.

Many companies make claims that, while true, aren't exactly impressive. While you might be impressed that your cleaner contains no CFCs in order to protect the environment, what the company isn't telling you is that CFCs have been banned from aerosol products since the late 70s. Likewise phosphate-free may sound great, but with the exception of dishwasher detergent, most household products have been phosphate free for the last 2 decades. Don't be dazzled by claims that are really only the bare minimum of what the law requires.

Check the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet).

Still worried about the impact of the cleaning products you've chosen? Take a moment to search online for the products MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet). This sheet will probably give you more than you bargained for. But along with the very specific information about the cleaning products flash and boiling points, you can find a lot of useful information, including potential hazards. More and more companies are creating online libraries of their MSDS product information. A quick search may give you even more information than you ever wanted to know.

By Sarah Aguirre

Housekeeping Expert

http://housekeeping.about.com/od/environment/bb/Buy-Green-Cleaning-Supplies.htm

Make Your Own All Natural Cleaning Products

Homemade and Natural Cleaning Products

One of my earliest memories is of my mother cleaning with what looked to me like cooking ingredients. She would be listening to the radio as she poured baking soda, lemon, and vinegar combinations on the surfaces of our home. Here are a few basic household ingredients and items you can use to clean your home.

Vinegar Uses:

Vinegar actually cleans much like an all-purpose cleaner. All you need is to mix a solution of equal parts of water and vinegar in a spray bottle and you have a solution that will clean most areas of your home. Vinegar is a great natural cleaning product as well as a disinfectant and deodorizer. It's always best to test any cleaner on a hidden area first to make sure no color change or damage occurs. Be aware that improperly diluted vinegar is acidic and can eat away at tile grout. Vinegar isn't a good idea to use on marble surfaces, either. And, don't worry about your home smelling like vinegar. The smell disappears when it dries. Some common uses for vinegar in the rooms of your house are...

Bathroom: Clean the bathtub, toilet, sink, and counter-tops. Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of unsightly rings. Flush the toilet to allow the water level to go down before pouring the undiluted vinegar around the inside of the rim. Scrub down the bowl. You can also mop the floor in the bathroom with a vinegar/water solution. Vinegar will also eat away the soap scum and hard water stains on your fixtures and tile leaving them shiny and beautiful.

Kitchen: Clean the top of the stove with equal parts vinegar and water. Most appliances can be cleaned with this same all purpose mix of vinegar and water. Counter-top surfaces can be cleaned and disinfected with the same spray. Use vinegar to clean floors and be amazed at the fresh shiny results.

 Laundry Room: You can use vinegar as a natural fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families with sensitive skin issues. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively. I like to use vinegar to clean my washing machine as well.

Lemon Juice Uses

Lemon juice is another natural substance that can be used to clean your home. Lemon juice can be used to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits. Lemon is a great substance to clean and shine brass and copper. Try mixing lemon juice with vinegar or baking soda to make cleaning pastes. Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section of the lemon. Use the lemon to scrub dishes, surfaces, and stains. Be aware that lemon juice can act as a natural bleach. It's a good idea to test it out on a hidden area first. Mix 1 cup olive oil with ½ cup lemon juice and you have a furniture polish for hardwood furniture. One of my favorite uses for the fruit is to put a whole lemon peel through the garbage disposal. It freshens the drain and the kitchen. Orange peels can be used with the same results. Lemon juice can also be used to treat stains because of its natural bleaching qualities.

Baking Soda Uses

Baking soda can be used to scrub surfaces in much the same way as commercial non-abrasive cleansers. Baking soda is great as a deodorizer. Place a box in the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odors. Put it anywhere you need deodorizing action. I've used it in trash cans, laundry, and even my sons super smelly sneakers. Baking soda makes a great addition in the laundry room as well. Baking soda is actually one of the most versatile cleaners on the planet.

Other Natural Cleaners

There are quite a few other options for natural cleaners. You might be surprised to learn that things like ketchup, rice, coffee grounds, and other kitchen ingredients can actually do a fantastic job at cleaning house.

You can also always buy commercially available natural cleaners, but be aware of what you need to look for in a green cleaning product before you buy. Be sure to learn about how to read labels on the products you are shopping for. Many of these commercial products use natural ingredients that you may have in your home, but not all green cleaners are created equal.

By Sarah Aguirre

Housekeeping Expert

http://housekeeping.about.com/