When life gives you lemons, you can make a whole lot more than lemonade! (Ask Beyonce!) There are a TON more uses for lemons than you may think. Whether it’s to make a special treat, to clean your home or amplify your beauty routine… lemons are deceivingly versatile!
Lemons aren’t just for spicing up boring old water – they’re perfect for both sweet AND savory applications… Some of our favorite desserts like lemon meringue pie, lemon squares and Italian ice put lemon in the spotlight. Another way to feature this tart fruit is to create a delicious sauce, dressing or marinade for salad, pasta, chicken, fish and seemingly everything else! But what if we were to share an unlikely combo that’s actually AMAZING? Have you heard of Iced Coffee Lemonade? We know, sounds awful… but guess what? It’s not! Italian espresso is oftentimes served with a lemon twist, and a rising trend in this jazzed up Arnold Palmer type drink made us realize we were missing out!
When it comes to household cleaners, there’s no surprise most are citrus scented! The smell of lemons immediately reminds us that chore time is OVER, and we can enjoy a fresh, sanitized home. But the reason we love lemons for cleaning isn’t just because they smell great, they’re also the cheapest, safest and most efficient way to beat stains, odors and germs! While most are familiar with the cleaning power of lemons… we learned a few new tips!
Yes, throwing a lemon peel in the garbage disposal will disinfect and eliminate odor, and scrubbing your old wooden cutting board with salt and lemon juice will do the same, but what if we told you lemons could affordably, effectively and safely clean the inside of your microwave? Simply fill a microwave safe dish about halfway with water, squeeze a lemon in, drop the peels into the dish and microwave your concoction for 3-5 minutes. WAIT! Don’t open the door quite yet. Let that steam work it’s magic for a few more minutes (and let that dish cool down just a bit) before you wipe down your appliance. Feel free to dip your sponge in the lemon/water mixture and watch caked on stains wipe away easily! Best part of it all, is that you’re not introducing chemicals to the inside of your microwave, putting your family at risk of ingesting them. This warm homemade cleanser is great for all surfaces – bonus tip, add a few splashes of vinegar to further amplify the cleaning power and take care of your counter tops, inside of the fridge as well as your sink, toilet, tables and more!
Drink water, get a lot of sleep… and add lemons! That’s the secret to beautiful skin that Hollywood won’t tell us. Adding lemons to your beauty routine is easy, cheap and very effective. Whether you’re dealing with blemishes, discoloration or dullness, rubbing a lemon on your clean face or combining with a number of other skin boosting ingredients for a mask will do wonders. CAUTION: avoid getting lemons in your eye because… ouch. A simple mixture of honey, lemons and oatmeal create the best mask for every type of skin – wash off after 10 minutes and enjoy your new face that’s as smooth as a baby’s bottom. Lemons help you from the inside-out, too! Drinking lemon water daily is refreshing of course, but also helps to detoxify your body of impurities that cause swelling and skin problems. Added bonus, lemons freshen breath… so keep on drinking!
Bonus tip: extra lemons are a fantastic means to comedic relief after a long day. Simply give to your baby & press record.
