10 Everyday Uses for Lemons besides Lemonade

This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com

The old saying “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” rings true, but I say lemons can be used for a lot of things besides lemonade.  I include lemons in my grocery list on a regular basis and I use every part.

Here are my favorite uses for lemons:

Seasoning

Besides using in recipes that require lemons, I also use lemon juice on:

• Cucumber:  Add lemon juice and salt to taste and a bit of chili powder for a refreshing salad
• Popcorn:  I like lemon juice on plain popcorn with a bit of salt
• Potato chips and pork rinds:  Plain potato chips and pork rinds dipped in lemon juice
• Tomato or vegetable juice:  Add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice to a cup of tomato or vegetable juice.  Even kids will like it.

Keep fruit from browning

Use lemon juice to keep apples and avocados from browning.

De-greaser

Use fresh or bottled lemon juice directly on greasy pans and scrub as usual.

I also use the lemon rind as a scrubber on kitchen and bathroom fixtures

In a jar, mix lemon rind with white vinegar.  Allow to stand for a week, strain and pour into a spritzer bottle.  Label and use this mixture as a de-greaser.

Odor remover

Boil lemon rind in some water.  The steam will make the kitchen smell good.

Use lemon juice directly on fingertips to get rid of fish odor.  You can also rub lemon rind on cutting boards and sink surfaces to clean them up.

Freshen your garbage disposal with thin lemon slices.  Run water and turn on the garbage disposal.  Drop the lemon slices one by one, being careful not to overload it.

Mix lemon juice and water in a microwave safe cup.  Microwave for 30 seconds.   Wipe down the surfaces of your microwave.

Help digestion

Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to a cup of water and drink.

Sore throat reliever

Relieve a sore throat by drinking a mixture of a tablespoon of lemon juice with a cup of warm water.

Clean a kettle or coffee pot

I read the instructions to clean my kettle and remove hard water build-up by using citric acid.  Since I did not have any, I used 1/4 cup of bottled lemon juice mixed with 1/2 cup of water.  I left it overnight.  The next morning, the kettle was clean and free of hard water stains.

Similarly, you can use lemon juice instead of vinegar to clean your coffee pot.  I’d used bottled concentrate instead of fresh since I don’t want pulp to clog up the coffee pot.

Skin care

Rub lemon rind directly on elbows and knees to soften and exfoliate.  Rinse with plain water.

Mix lemon juice and honey for a facial mask.

Freshen breath

Gargle with a mixture of a teaspoon of lemon juice with a cup of water to freshen breath.

Bug repellent

Place bottled lemon juice in a spritzer and spray on window sills and corners to keep insects away.

There are many more uses for lemons, but I only included uses that I have actually tried.  If you have other great ideas for lemons or lemon juice, please share in the comments.

 

About the author:

Bernie Carr is the founder of Apartment Prepper. She has written several books including the best-selling Prepper’s Pocket Guide, Jake and Miller’s Big Adventure, The Penny-Pinching Prepper and How to Prepare for Most Emergencies on a $50 a Month Budget. Her work appears in sites such as the Allstate Blog and Clark.com, as well as print magazines such as Backwoods Survival Guide and Prepper Survival Guide. She has been featured in national publications such as Fox Business and Popular Mechanics. Learn more about Bernie here.