Open Accessibility Menu
Hide
Quick Tips

Cleaning With Lemon

Your cardigans and winter coats are packed away and your spring clean is complete. Now all you need is a way to clean while making your home smell bright and fresh, just like a spring or summer day. Have you ever tried cleaning with lemon?

Get ready to be wowed by five of the many household cleaning uses for lemon.

Cleaning the microwave

Lemons are great for attacking the stains in your microwave. Simply cut a lemon in half and squeeze each half of the lemon in a bowl and place the lemon into a bowl filled halfway with water.

You’ll need:
  • A lemon
  • Bowl
  • Water
  1. Place the bowl into the microwave and set the timer for up to 2-3 minutes on high.
  2. When finished, let the microwave cool down for a couple minutes and then wipe it down with a clean damp cloth or paper towel.

Scrubbing Sinks

When kitchen sinks start to stink or look dull, cleaning with lemon can restore their shine.

You’ll need:
  • Two lemons
  • Salt
  1. Slice the lemons in half.
  2. Sprinkle salt on the sides and bottom of your sink basin.
  3. Clean the basin using the lemon halves. The citric acid will cut grime, while the salt will help with the scouring process.
  4. When you’ve finished, rinse the sink with warm water.

Cleaning the fridge

Lemons are an excellent alternative to using baking soda to keep your refrigerator smelling fresh.

You’ll need:
  • Two lemons
  • Bowl
  1. Squeeze some lemon juice in a small bowl and simply place it in the refrigerator. Or slice a lemon and put it in a small bowl flesh up. Just remember to replace it every week to maintain that fresh lemony scent!”

Cleaning Cutting Boards

If your wooden cutting board is looking dingy, brighten up the surface with a little bit of lemon.

You’ll need:
 
  1. Liberally sprinkle the salt over the cutting board.
  2. Use the lemon half to scour the surface of the board. As you work, gently squeeze the lemon so that the juice is released.
  3. After scrubbing, let the salt and lemon juice sit for about five minutes.
  4. Use the spatula to scrape the remaining salt from the surface of the cutting board.
  5. Rinse the cutting board under the sink tap. Wipe it dry with a microfiber cloth before returning it to your cupboard.

De-Griming Glass Coffee Pots

The combination of coffee and heat can leave your coffee pot with some nasty stains and streaks. Wipe those away with the help of some lemons.

You’ll need:
  • 4 tablespoons of Kosher salt
  • A quartered lemon
  • 1 ½ cups of crushed ice
  • 1 cup of cool water
  1. Make sure the coffee pot is empty and has cooled completely. Adding ice to a hot coffee pot can cause the glass to shatter.
  2. Squeeze the lemons juice into the coffee pot and toss in the rinds, too.
  3. Add the salt, ice and water.
  4. Swirl the coffee pot clockwise for about 15 seconds. Then switch it up and swirl the solution counterclockwise. Repeat this several times until the pot is clean.
  5. Empty the pot and rinse it with cool water. Make sure the water is cool and not hot. Again, an extreme temperature fluctuation could cause the coffee pot to crack or shatter.
  6. Let the pot come to room temperature before brewing any coffee.

Cleaning Glass

Like vinegar, lemons are great for cleaning mirrors and windows, but smell so much better

You’ll need:
  • Two lemons
  • Spray bottle
  • Water
  • Microfiber cloth
  1. To make your own lemon based cleaning solution, squeeze about 3 tablespoons of lemon juice into a spray bottle and add a cup of water. Shake and spray! Then wipe down with a microfiber cloth.

Shining Bathroom Fixtures

Is the chrome in your bathroom looking dull? Bring it back the shite with a lemon and some elbow grease. You’ll need:
  • A lemon
  • Microfiber cloth
  1. Cut the lemon in half.
  2. Rub the lemon on your bathroom fixtures until the chrome starts to shine again.
  3. Use the microfiber cloth to buff your fixtures and to remove any streaks or leftover pith.

Cleaning Grout

If your grout is looking a litte dirty, look no further than lemons. You’ll need:
  • Two lemons
  • Cream of tartar
  • Toothbrush
  • Water
  1. Make a paste from lemon juice and cream of tartar, which is a natural bleaching agent.
  2. Then apply to the stained grout area with a toothbrush. Once the stain is gone, rinse with water.
Looking for more DIY solutions? Check out these recipes for kitchen countertop cleaners. And if you need help keeping your kitchen — or any other room in your house — clean, contact your local Merry Maids.

Quick Tips