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There are a million cleaners on the market today but the fumes alone are enough to make your head spin, not to mention the fact that I’m allergic to most of them and they send me into a sneezing fit, or give me a raging headache! When I’m at the store I like to skip the cleaning isle all together whenever I can! I would rather head over to the produce section and grab a bag of lemons! Lemons are acidic and jam packed with antibacterial properties. They are great for you to eat, or drink (I love lemon infused waters.) but you can also clean the kitchen naturally with lemons!
Here are just a few great ways to clean your kitchen with lemons:
1. You can clean the microwave naturally with lemon and it leaves it smelling great! Place 1 cup water in a microwave safe bowl. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze it into the water. Go ahead and drop the lemon peels into the water and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Do not open the door yet you will want to leave it rest in the microwave for 5 minutes. Carefully remove bowl and wipe clean with a damp cloth.
2. The oven can be a dirty smelly mess between stuck on food and fishy odors. Instead of using harsh chemicals to clean you oven try mixing 1 cup white vinegar with 1/2 cup lemon juice. Place into a spray bottle and spray onto the walls of you oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with baking soda and let rest for about 15 minutes and scrub clean. Make sure you rinse well. You should be left with a clean oven that smells great!
3. Lemons can be used to remove stains from a laminate counter top by cutting the lemon in half and squeezing the juice onto the counter top. Use the cut end of the lemon and rub over the stain. Continue letting the lemon juice sit on the stain until it has disappeared.
4. You can make your stainless steel sink sparkle like it never has before by sprinkling the bottom of the slink with baking soda and squeezing the juice from 1 lemon over the top. Let stand for 5 minutes then take a sponge and rub over mixture to make a paste (if you have trouble making a paste try adding a small amount of water). Scrub entire sink and let sit another 5 minutes. Pour 1 cup of HOT vinegar over the paste and scrub again. Rinse well.
5. You can make your own citrus spray cleaner to use on your counter tops and floor. All you need to do is cut 12 lemons in half and squeeze the lemon juice out. Use the juice to make some homemade lemonade for yourself. Place the leftover lemon rinds in a large jar (you can use oranges or limes for this also). Pour white vinegar over the rinds until they are covered. Place your lid on your jar and allow to sit for approximately 2 weeks. Remove the rinds and strain the liquid and place in a spray bottle. This also works well if you place it in a plastic Zip-lock bag and attach to your shower head to remove buildup. You can use a hair tie to attach it and let it soak for an hour.
Commercial chemical based cleaners can cause long term health conditions and are horrible for our environment. Making your own homemade cleaners is better for you and your pocket book. Learning how to use lemons to clean your kitchen naturally is much better for your family and the environment.
So the next time the universe gives you lemons…. make lemon cleaners! Do you have any other DIY natural cleaning products that have worked well in your home?
