I long for the contentment and coziness that follow a thorough cleaning of my house. I feel serene and at ease when the carpets appear plush, the floors are polished, and everything is put away.
The best thing, though? Such sentiments of fulfillment are amplified after I've cleaned my house in an eco-friendly manner with natural, safe cleaners. Just plain feels fantastic!
Regrettably, for the majority of us, cleaning the house presents one of the largest obstacles to adopting a greener lifestyle. Many well-known household cleaners are severely poisonous, which many consumers are unaware of (EWG, n.d.a.). The average household contains 62 known harmful chemicals, and there is no federal regulation of the chemicals in household cleansers, according to Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit organization focusing on the environment and public health (EWG, n.d.a.). The idea of not having a safety standard is overwhelming given the thousands of cleaning products available to customers. The ingredients in your cleaning products should therefore be carefully considered, and their safety ratings should be confirmed. You can do that thanks to a database called EWG's Guide to Good Cleaning.
You could notice that many cleaning goods on the market have lemons on the labels as you browse through that database or scan the cleaning product aisle. There's a good explanation for that, though! Lemons and other citrus fruits are effective cleaning agents. They degrade dirt, clean (Berthold-Bond, 1999), and provide a wonderful fresh scent. Lemon may be a powerful cleaning ingredient that gives natural cleaning products more citrus strength, so you might want to think about including it into your own cleaning routine.
Why Use Lemons to Clean?
Lemons can help you clean your surfaces, shine your faucets, or brighten your linens. These are fantastic green cleaning products that include:
Mild acid known as citric acid resists bacteria, hard water stains, and water spots (Berthold-Bond, 1999)
Lemon Oil is a disinfectant and uplifter with a cheery smell (Siegel-Mailer, 2008)
A potent solvent and degreaser is D-limonene (Berthold-Bond, 1999)
Lemon can be used as a cleaning to get the same results without the harsh, hazardous chemicals that are present in many commercial cleansers. Why not add a new twist to your cleaning regimen by picking up a few lemons? Start with the following five cost-effective, green methods for cleaning with lemons.
How to Use Lemons to Clean Your House
Cleaning Up Your Microwave
The microwave can accumulate a lot of grime, and while you could spend some time trying to clean it, you could also zap it clean in a matter of seconds to eliminate food splatters without washing. Lemon and steam work together to remove grease, clean up dirt, and eliminate odors.
In a medium bowl that can be used in a microwave, pour 12 cup of water. Lemons are cut in half, and the juice is squeezed into a basin. Throw the halves in.
To allow the water to boil, put the bowl inside the microwave and set the timer for three minutes.
Let the bowl to stand for five minutes before removing it with caution. With a cloth, thoroughly clean the microwave's interior, and presto! pristinely clean.
Kitchen Sink with Lemony Fresh Scent
With how much time we spend washing other items in the sink, one may assume the kitchen sink is generally clean. The circumstances for bacterial development can, however, be fostered by the damp atmosphere and residue from cleaning all of those other items, most notably in the drain or down the garbage disposal. Fortunately, we don't need to use dangerous chemicals to clean the sink and its components. Start with the disposal, please!
Ingredients
2 ice cubes
1 lemon, 1 cup sea salt
Directions
Add two cups of ice to the drain.
On the ice, sprinkle one cup of sea salt.
Turn on the garbage disposal after turning on a stream of cold water from the faucet. As soon as the ice is gone, let each run. Next, shut off the sink and garbage disposal. Together, the ice and coarse salt will help clear the drain and garbage disposal of gunk.
Slice a lemon in half after peeling. Lemon juice should be squeezed into a small basin and left aside. Peels and half should be poured down the drain.
When the disposal is clear, turn on the hot water and let it run for 15 seconds. Lemon peels will aid in cleaning and deodorizing the drain and garbage disposal.
Next, combine the lemon juice you set aside with baking soda to make a thick, wet paste. Use this paste to make a natural cleaning scrub. To clean the sink surface and the areas around faucets where dirt and grime can accumulate, use it along with a bristle cleaning brush.
Sink Cleaner Paste
Ingredients
Baking soda, 1 cup
2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice or 5 drops of lemon essential oil (Citrus limon).
1 teaspoon of castile soap liquid
Directions
In a tiny glass basin, mix baking soda and lemon juice or essential oil.
Over the sink, sprinkle the mixture.
Give the baking soda mixture a teaspoon of liquid castile soap.
The sink and faucet should be scrubbed with a wet cleaning brush.
After cleaning, thoroughly rinse.
Scrub cutting boards with salt and lemon juice
Lemon juice is a fantastic surface cleanser for areas where we prepare food because of its antibacterial qualities. You don't ever have to be concerned about contaminating food with dangerous chemicals because lemon juice naturally cleans without leaving a chemical residue. The EWG gives mineral oil, a frequent component in wood cutting board cleansers, a "D" for safety (EWG, n.d.b.). The method outlined here is secure for using to safely clean, condition, and deodorize wooden cutting boards.
Cleaner for cutting boards
Ingredients
A lemon's half
two teaspoons of coarse salt
Directions
Spread two teaspoons of coarse salt on the cutting board.
Squeeze the lemon half lightly to release the juice as you go, then place it cut side down on the cutting board and scrub the surface.
Give the salt and lemon mixture five minutes to rest. Scrape the into a basin, and then throw it away.
Last but not least, clean the cutting board with a wet sponge and let it dry before using.
Fabric Brightening and Stain Removal
An efficient natural bleaching agent is lemon juice. Even rust and sweat stains come out easily with it. Citric acid aids in fabric brightening and stain removal. Avoid using it on brightly colored fabrics as it could fade them. Follow the following advice to successfully remove stains and use lemon to brighten clothes.
Lemon juice can be used to brighten white tennis shoes after being exposed to sunlight.
For a gentle whitening procedure, soak your delicates in a solution of 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1 cup baking soda, and 1 gallon of hot water. Thirty minutes should pass before washing as usual. *Not advised for Silk
As soon as possible, liberally apply lemon juice to ink stains on garments before washing on a regular cycle in cold water.
Use three parts lemon juice with one part water to remove stains from underarms. Use on spots, then wash as usual.
During the soak cycle, add 1 1/2 cups hydrogen peroxide and 1/4 cup lemon juice to whites to brighten them and keep them appearing clean.
To increase the efficiency of the lemon, sun-dry whites.
Freshen Up Your Fridge
With all the food we put in our refrigerator (and occasionally forget about), it might start to smell bad. In little time at all, lemon can assist in deodorizing the refrigerator. Old foods should be thrown out or composted first, and the rest should be set aside. Then, to naturally clean surfaces, apply the citrus surface cleaner below. Before putting the items back inside the refrigerator, towel-dry the surfaces. After that, add 1 cup of baking soda to a little basin. Add 8 drops of lemon essential oil, then set the container uncovered on a shelf or in the refrigerator door. Every time you open it, a lovely lemon air comes out!
Surface Cleaner with Citrus
Ingredients
distilled water, 3 ounces
distilled white vinegar, 3 ounces
Citrus limon, 4 drops lemon essential oil, 4 drops lime essential oil (Citrus aurantifolia)
1 optional lemon or lime peel
1 glass spray bottle holding 8 ounces
Directions
Using a funnel, add three ounces of water and three ounces of vinegar to a glass spray bottle.
Remove funnel and mix in 4 drops each of lemon and lime essential oils. Because the essential oils in this water-based mixture won't fully disperse, exercise caution when spraying to prevent contact with the skin and eyes.
Citrus peels are optional. Bear in mind that the displacement of the liquids may require a larger bottle.
The bottle should have the spray nozzle on it. Shake the ingredients carefully to blend with the spray nozzle off. Be advised that glass containers are recommended for storing citrus essential oils.
Shake the device before each use. Spray on the appropriate surface, then use a cloth to wipe it clean.
Start Cleaning with a Few Lemons!
That is correct! A few lemons are all you need to improve your cleaning. Say good-bye to harsh cleaning agents and hello to green cleaning while you clean your home. This popular citrus fruit can be used to clean a variety of surfaces around the house. Therefore, take a few lemons with you the next time you go shopping and start using them in one of these 5 efficient ways to clean.
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