I hope you are drinking your structured lemon water ever morning (where you squeeze 2 lemons into filtered water with a pinch of sea salt and allow it to sit overnight and to get "structured" so that it is easier for your body to use).
After you make your water you are left with the lemon rind, but don't throw it away! Lemons have powerful cleaning properties like being anti-bacterial. Citric acid is also a reducing agent to unravel proteins that allow you to wipe them away easily. It also adds a positive charge to stain molecules which help to loosen them up.
So, what can you clean with your lemon rinds? Let me tell you!
- Microwaves- get a microwave-safe bowl and add 1-2 cups of water to it. Add half of a lemon rind to the water and microwave on high for 3-5 minutes until it is boiling. Wait 5 minutes and wipe clean.
- Wooden Cutting Board- take your lemon wedge, sprinkle it with salt and use it to scrub your board
- Deodorize your drain- add a lemon wedge with a sprinkle of baking soda on it to your drain with a handful of ice cubes. Turn on the disposal until crunching stops. Then turn on the water and flush the drain.
- Polish Furniture- Add 2 parts of olive oil and 1 part of lemon just (make sure to test this first before adding to all of your furniture).
- Stained Plastics- (you know what happens when you add spaghetti sauce to plastic). Just rub lemon juice directly on the plastic and wait 15 minutes before cleaning.
- Freshen Fridge- place 1/2 a lemon inside the fridge. Let it sit in there for 30 minutes before removing.
- Cheese Grater- use the lemon to scrub the grater. Wash
- Dishwasher Boost- toss 2 wedges on the top rack of the dishwasher and fun a cycle.
- Faucets- rub the faucets with lemon juice. Wait 15 minutes and wipe off
- Pots and Pans- Degrease and shine up with salt and lemon to scrub the pans. Test a small area first.
- Air Freshener- Fill a pot with a few cups of water. Add a few slices of lemons or limes and boil. Turn down heat and simmer for an hour.
- Floors- Add 1 part lemon juice, 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water in a bowl. Mix and get scrubbing!
- Grill Grates- Clean while the grates are hot, so use heat resistant gloves. Take your lemon wedge, add salt to it and scrub all of the grates.
- Insects- Rub lemon juice on your windowsills and entryways.
- Grout- Add salt to a lemon wedge and and scrub the grout. Let it sit for 10 minutes before cleaning off.
- Rust- scrub with lemon and salt
- Counters- rub with lemon juice and salt.
- Oven- Fill an oven-safe pan with water and 2-4 slices of lemon. Bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes. Let it cool and wipe down.
- Windows- Just add water and lemon juice (or lemon essential oils) to a spray bottle and clean.
- Knives- Use salt and a lemon wedge to scrub your knives.