Fresh, aromatic, tart and tasty — lemons are an extremely versatile fruit that is great for cooking, baking, and making a refreshing summer drink. But, they can be used for so much more than that.
Cleaning product, hangover cure, and dandruff treatments are just a few of the amazing things that lemon juice can be used for — keep reading for more.
Stop limiting your lemons to their typical uses; these 20 unusual uses for lemon juice are a household game-changer.
Preserve Fruits and Veggies
To keep apples, avocados, or potatoes from going brown after cutting them, just squeeze a bit of lemon juice on them. You can also help perk up wilted lettuce by soaking it in cold water for an hour then squeezing the juice of one lemon over the leaves.
Lighten Freckles and Age Spots
Lemon juice is known as a natural lightener. Although using lemon juice for reducing the appearance of age spots and freckles will be minimal, it’s a natural and organic skincare regimen. Simply place a bit of lemon juice on a cotton ball and apply daily. The juice may dry your skin so be sure to moisturize.
Clean Your Toilet
Make a paste of household borax and lemon juice to create a super-powered toilet cleaner that will remove stubborn stains. Apply the mixture to the stains and give them a scrub. Let the mixture sit in the toilet for two hours and scrub once more for a sparkling shine.
Keep Rice From Sticking
Cooking rice can leave you with grains of rice stuck to the bottom of the pot or pan. Prevent this sticky mess by adding a few drops of lemon juice to the rice while it’s simmering. Easy clean-up!
Soothe Poison Ivy Itchiness
Soak a washcloth in lemon juice and place it on irritated, itchy skin from rashes like poison ivy or poison oak. It will also keep the rash and itchiness from spreading.
Brighten Your Fingernails
As we get older or if we wear dark fingernail polish, our nails can become yellowed and dull. Brighten them up by placing a bit of lemon juice in a small bowl and soaking your fingernails. Let them soak for about a minute or two. You can also add a drop or two of olive oil for some extra moisturization.
Deter Insects
Insects like ants, fleas, spiders, and even cockroaches are sensitive to intense smells. Squirt a bit of lemon juice in your window sills, along baseboards, door thresholds, and around your patio to prevent and creepy crawlies from entering your home.
Help Soothe a Sore Throat
A sore throat can leave you feeling miserable. Soothe your ailing throat by gargling with a teaspoon of lemon juice in 1/8 cup of water. This will help kill bacteria and shrink swollen tissues. Make it a point to drink hot tea with lots of lemon and honey throughout the day as well.
Homemade Dandruff Treatment
Although lemon juice can’t prevent dandruff, it can help control and get rid of existing flakes. Massage a bit of lemon juice into your scalp and let sit for 10-15 minutes before you get in the shower. Shampoo and condition as usual.
Bleach Alternative for Laundry
Add 1/4 cup of lemon juice to your wash while cleaning your white clothes. The lemon juice is a natural lightener that is non-toxic and natural. If you hang your laundry to dry in the sun after using the lemon juice, this will aid in the brightening and stain-removing process.
Hangover Assistant
Maybe someday in the future, there will be a 100%, fail-proof hangover cure, but until then? There’s lemon juice. Drink lemon juice squeezed into warm water when you’re feeling a bit under the weather after imbibing. It will help you rehydrate, balance out your pH levels, and replace the vitamin C that was depleted from the alcohol.
In-A-Pinch Deodorant
If you’re about to head out the door and realize you don’t have any deodorant, you can use a lemon in a pinch. Cut a lemon in half and rub it under your arms. The acidic fruit juice will kill bacteria and help prevent any unwanted body odor.
Remove Tough Stains
Wine, olive oil, and berry spills can leave you thinking that’s the end of that garment or rug. But these stains can be removed with a lemon juice paste! If the fabric is durable, scrub the stain with lemon juice and salt until the stain is removed. Delicate fabrics will require a light scrub and a rinse with water.
Boost Your Metabolism
This claim hasn’t necessarily had any hard proof to it, however, it is said that people tend to drink more water if it’s flavored. Drinking more water helps lead to weight loss! So, add a bit of lemon to your water throughout your day to help shed the pounds.
Add Highlights to Hair
People have been using this old trick for decades. Depending on your hair color and texture, results will vary. Just add a bit of lemon juice to the strands you’d like to highlight, leave on for about an hour or two before rinsing. You can also speed up the process by spending a bit of time in the natural sunlight.
Homemade Facial Toner
A bit of lemon juice applied on the face with a cotton ball acts as a natural astringent. It will help remove oil and tighten pores. Mix some lemon juice with a bit of salt for a homemade DIY facial scrub.
Destroy Odors
Fish, garlic, garbage that hasn’t been taken out for a while; all of these things can make our home super stinky. Use fresh-squeezed lemon juice to scrub your fridge, microwave, and other kitchen surfaces to eliminate odors and replace them with a fresh lemon scent.
Glass Cleaner
Lemon juice is great for removing things like water stains or debris on glass. Depending on the stubbornness of the stain, you can either use straight lemon juice or dilute it with water. Spray it on and scrub with newspaper for a sparkling, clean shine.
Metal Polish
Shine up your stainless steel and copper pots with some lemon juice. Slice a lemon in half, dip it in some salt, and use it to scrub your metal surfaces that are in need of sparkle.
Heartburn Treatment
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Using lemon juice for treating heartburn will only work if you’re suffering from lack of acid in your stomach. If so, squeeze some lemon in a glass of water and give it a chug. It will provide instant relief.
