Citrus fruits are popular around the world, some are sweet and others tangy, they’re all packed with vitamin C and fiber, and their peels are the source of some lovely oils.
Lemons are great in the kitchen, their juice is great as part of a salad dressing or drizzled over fried fish, but the fruit has many other uses. Here are 14 unexpected uses for lemons that are truly remarkable.
Disinfect your veggies and fruit
Veggies and fruits often come with nasty pesticides, herbicides, and whatnot, and you don’t want to eat that. Lemons are acidic, and citric acid is powerful against such chemicals.
Mix some lemon juice and water in a spray bottle and spray away over your fruits and vegetables before storing them, the lemon will also kill most of the bacteria.
Avoid oxidation
Many fruits, but also some veggies, oxidize fast when cut open and are exposed to oxygen. Just remember how your freshly sliced apple goes brown in a matter of minutes. Avocados get oxidized quickly too. Add lemon and prevent that oxidation. No more browned guacamole, only bright colors, and flavors.
Keep insects away
Lemon is actually an all-natural bug repellent. Add lemon juice and a few lemon peels to a spray bottle and spray the aromatic mixture around your kitchen, in all corners, crannies, and windowsills. Ants, roaches, and other bugs hate the fragrant, acidic juice. It might be a bit less potent than store-bought repellents, but at least it’s all-natural.
Clean your windows
Lemon can eliminate grease and fingerprints in windows with ease, and it’s thanks to the acid and the oils in the fruit. Spray some lime juice mixed with water to windows and even to your glassware and watch them turn crystal clear. For better results, dry the surface with newspaper.
Polish metal
Citric acid reacts with metal and can bring life back to even the most worn-out piece of silverware. Earrings and silver jewelry also benefit from a splash of lemon juice. To increase the lime’s polishing power, mix it with some salt to form a gritty paste.
Eliminate bad smells
Spray water and lime juice around the house to eliminate bad smells, including cigarette taint. You can also use dried lime peels to get rid of bad odors in your bathroom or fridge. You will fill your house with the loveliest citrus aromas in an all-natural air freshener.
Clean your sink
Even the hardest stains to eliminate will yield against the stain-removing properties of lime juice. Mix baking powder and lime juice and scrub away to bring your sink back to its former glory. This also works for tubs, metal fixtures, and pipes.
Clean your microwave
Here’s a neat trick. Slice a few lime wheels, place them in a shallow plate with a bit of water and microwave for thirty seconds. Remove the plate and clean the microwave with a dry, clean cloth. You’ll notice how the stains fall right off.
Start a fire
Dried lime peels are extraordinary to light up the grill without using those harmful chemicals and fuels. The oils in lemon peels are naturally flammable and will make starting a fire feel like a walk in the park. The smell is unbeatable too.
Make candles
Dehydrated lemon peels have lots of uses in the craft department, from artisan soap to candles. Lemon’s natural oils are also a fabulous way to scent a candle. Making your own candles could be a satisfying hobby, especially if you’re using natural ingredients.
Bake candied lemon wheels
Bake lemon wedges covered in sugar for luxurious sweet treats that have it all: flavor, aromatics, and an unbeatable crunch. When baked, lemon peels are totally edible and quite tasty. Candied citrus fruits are hot right now and are gorgeous over cakes.
Bake cakes and cupcakes
Nothing goes to waste when it comes to baking with lemons. The juice will add a lovely tang to pies and custards, and you can grate the peels over cakes and cupcakes to add color and intriguing aromatics.
Remove stains
If you’ve done your laundry before, you know some stains are quite tricky, especially on white clothes. Chlorine will undoubtedly do the trick, but the chemical is not only bad for the environment but your clothes. Lemon juice might be as powerful as chlorine and can eliminate some of the most stubborn food stains.
Make lemonade
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. This might sound obvious, but it’s not. We’re not eating enough fruit, and many people are not meeting their daily vitamin C intake. Buy lemons and keep them around the house. Make lemonade every other day and use them for everything!
Lemons are not alone.
All citrus fruits, and not just lemons, are quite handy to have around. Orange and lime peels have as many exciting uses as lemons.
Most importantly, citrus fruits are good for you at many levels, from strengthening your immune system to aiding digestion. It’s time to eat more fruits, so why not start with our favorite citrus fruits?
