Lemon has long been used in an artificial way in cleaning products in an attempt to give off a fresh and clean scent. However, few people give much thought to the fact that lemon is actually an excellent cleaning product in itself. You will often find that you find ways to clean the house without any normal cleaning products, and lemon is one of the things that you will find in the house that can be used for exactly this purpose. If in doubt, you can simply try one of the following methods out, and see whether they work for you. Some people love them, some really don’t get it at all, but if you can make it work, then it is considerably better for the environment, and sometimes your wallet, to avoid the chemicals in normal household cleaners. You can use a lemon in various ways, and one of the lesser tried ways is in the washing up process. You will find that half a lemon makes a very handy tool for rubbing down the plates, as it is comfortable and easy to hold, and will have a perfect open end to deal with the dirt. Lemon is a very capable acid, perfect for breaking down dirt, and degreasing things, which is exactly why it is great for cleaning. Mixed with a little salt for abrasion, the lemon halves make an excellent washing up tool, much like a sponge with washing up liquid on.As a surface cleaner it is similarly useful. The lemon halves can be rubbed across the surface, to break down the grease and grime that can collect on surfaces, and you will likely see that the oil is divided and collects as the lemon passes over it. You can then simply towel down the area that you have been cleaning, to ensure that the grime and lemon is all gone. The lemon will give a great scent, as well as killing a great deal of the bacteria. If you have mold in areas of the bathroom, or in the walls, or even in your clothes or upholstery, then lemon may be a useful tool. Applying lemon with a sponge and scrubbing away at a lightly moldy patch may well be the perfect way to ensure that you get rid of the mold that could easily multiply and become much more of an issue than you first anticipated. Lemon will bleach fabrics a little if left in the sun to dry, and this can help to prevent the staining that mold can leave, but may also leave discoloration in the fabric.If you combine lemon with baking soda, you can make a very effective cream cleaner, as the baking soda will fizz up nicely, bubbling away alongside the lemon’s acid to get rid of tough dirt and grime. You will find that this is very effective in the bathroom on the grouting and in areas where soap scum may well be an issue. If your fridge tends to get a bit smelly, then you should clean it! However, for lingering smells, you can use lemon, what else!? You will find that by scooping out a lemon rind (you can use the pulp for other cleaning purposes) you can use the halves as little fresh smelling bowls. If you fill these bowls with baking soda or salt, and place them upright in the fridge, the smells will be absorbed by the contents, and replaced by the fresh zesty scent!
