When Life Gives You Lemons…Use Them!
Lemons, the ultimate do more with less fruit. You can use these little yellow wonders for everything from culinary to cleaning purposes. There’s the obvious uses like hot tea with lemon juice to soothe a sore throat, and of course lemon meringue pie, YUM!
I personally love the smell of lemons and for many people the scent alone symbolizes cleanliness. Here are some ideas on how to use this versatile little fruit and make that bowl full of lemons go a whole lot further!
Lemonade. A classic refreshing drink for those hot summer days. Try this easy recipe:
- Make a simple syrup with 3/4 Cup white sugar and 1 Cup water. Bring to a boil, then cool to room temperature, cover and chill in the fridge
- In a pitcher combine chilled syrup with 3/4 Cup lemon juice and 3 Cups of water
- Add ice to chill and float lemon slices for a special touch
Freshen up a room. Add some lemon peel to a pot of water and simmer it on your stove top. Add a cinnamon stick and cloves for a bit of spice. Alternatively, add some lemon juice to water in a spray bottle and spritz it around the room.
Clean a cutting board. Say goodbye to the aroma of onions, meat and garlic by rubbing half a lemon on both sides of the cutting board to give it a fresh lease on life. The acid in the lemon juice is a natural mild bleach and is effective in cleaning and deodorizing.
Clean your microwave. Have hard baked on bits in your microwave? Add a few drops of lemon juice to a bowl of water and nuke on high for five minutes. The steam will condense on the inside of the microwave loosening any stuck on food. After 5 minutes the food should just wipe off with a cloth and you’re left with a clean fresh smelling microwave.
Garnish. Use a zester to make lemon peel curls to adorn desserts, cut wedges to top a salad or use lemon slices to hang on the rim of glasses. Add some slices to your favorite summertime beverages including iced tea and of course, water.
Use as a mild bleach for your laundry. For brighter whites try a combination of water, lemon juice and baking soda to soak delicate items prior to washing. Add a cup of lemon juice to your wash cycle and gently remove stains from whites while leaving a fresh lemony scent.
Use in cooking. Lemon juice is a perfect addition to any seafood dish (shrimp, fish, lobster etc.). It’s also wonderful in salad dressings as a vinegar substitute, on roasted potatoes and on chicken. Lemon chicken happens to be one of our favorite dishes! There are hundreds of things you could cook using lemons from appetizers to mains to desserts. Be adventurous and try a new recipe.
Tip:
Fill ice cube trays with lemon juice. Once frozen, store the cubes in a plastic resealable bag. This way you always have fresh lemon juice on hand.
Decorate. Having a big bowl full of lemons can make a beautifully simple piece for an entrance hall table or outdoor patio table in the summer. Fill an extra large vase with lemons and keep it on the kitchen counter or use it as a centrepiece for a dining room table. The bright yellow will add a fresh bolt of color to any room.
2 things I haven’t tried but found intriguing
Natural highlights. Spritzing wet hair with lemon juice and sitting out in the sun is a natural way to lighten your hair. I see this being a lot cheaper than a trip to the salon! Just make sure if you’re sitting around in the sun, lightening your hair that you slather on the sunscreen!
Breath freshner. If you’re in a pinch swish with lemon juice (swallow it for longer lasting effects). The acid in the juice lowers the pH in your mouth killing off bacteria that cause bad breath. I don’t know that I would rely on this too often as I’m sure all that acid would do a number on your teeth!
What other uses can you think of for these little fruity powerhouses?
See also:
Quick Clean Your Home In Under 20 Minutes
Spring Cleaning Food: Use Up The Old, Make Way For The Fresh
7 Ways To Decorate Your Home With Stuff You Already Have.
A Real Simple Way to Organize Your Pantry
Photo courtesy of: AHMED…
19 Responses to “When Life Gives You Lemons…Use Them!”
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Your Life | Live it. Love it. is a book designed to encourage you to examine where you are right now and inspire you to get to where you ultimately want to be.
Hi Sherri!
Actually, if you put lemon rind in the garbage disposal and let it run, it will help to disinfect the garbage disposal and at least make the sink smeller nicer.
Nadia – Happy Lotus’s last blog post..High Beam to Success
wow. some great ideas, sherri. i love resourcefulness!
adam | ihappy.me’s last blog post..happy haiku wednesday
I love this post. It’s a great play on the old quote and has some great ideas too. Another use for lemons is to put a 1/2 of one down the garbage disposal and run it to get rid of any odors. This definitely works.
Thanks for the tips!
Positively Present’s last blog post..this IS it
Only you could right such a great article on something as simple as a lemon.
I hadn’t thought of rubbing lemon on my cutting board, but I definitely need to do that. My cutting board does smell kind of oniony.
I want to try your lemonade too. I absolutely love homemade lemonade.
Thanks for the great tips!
Amanda @ Mommy’s Idea Book’s last blog post..Get Up, Get Moving, and Get Sexy, Part 2
Oops! I misspelled write.
Amanda @ Mommy’s Idea Book’s last blog post..Get Up, Get Moving, and Get Sexy, Part 2
I like getting lemons at a restaurant with my water and squeezing the lemon into the water. It isn’t lemonade, but it tastes great!
Roger – A Content Life’s last blog post..What’s Your Favorite Charity?
Lemons yum. I can smell them already!
Stephen – Rat Race Trap’s last blog post..Top 10 Ways To Grow Your Brain
I didn’t know that about cleaning the microwave. I also love the idea of the lemon juice ice cubes. Thanks!
Very nice play on words! I come expecting a motivational piece, and get lemon resources! Very clever, indeed! I love it!
Jay Schryer’s last blog post..My (Fleeting) Moment of Zen
I will never look at the humble lemon in quite the same way ever again. It’s the Swiss Army Knife of the fruit world.
Ian | Quantum Learning’s last blog post..Do my words improve silence?
Love it! I’ve read that you can freeze lemon slices to use as “pretty ice” in a bowl of punch or lemonade. I can’t say I’ve tried it… but it sounds lovely.
=-)
Lisis | Quest For Balance’s last blog post..The ONLY Way to Get Out of Debt
@ Nadia & Positively Present – Thanks for the tip on the garbage disposal! I don’t have one but if I did I would certainly put lemon peels down it to freshen it up!
@ Adam – I’m glad you liked it!
@ Amanda – Why thank you
Yes definitely give lemon a go on your cutting board I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. (And don’t worry we don’t take points off for spelling) Thanks for your comment 
@ Roger – Lemon water I didn’t like it much as a kid but now I think it’s very refreshing!
@ Stephen – Thanks for dropping in and leaving a comment.
@ Mary – You’re quite welcome and yes it works wonderfully in the microwave! You should definitely give it a try.
@ Jay – Your comment made me laugh…NOPE! Just lemons! lol
@ Ian – I know right? I love it the Swiss Army Knife of the fruit world that’s good!
@ Lisis – I’m glad you liked it! I love your suggestion of freezing lemon slices I hadn’t heard of that but I will give it a shot!
Hi Sherri,
I love lemons and this is the best post on lemons I’ve read! I didn’t realise lemons could be used as bleach. I also love Nadia’s suggestion to put lemon rind in the garbage to disinfect it and make it smell nicer!
One way to use lemon for breath is to put lemon pieces in a jug of water, like the restaurants do. Roger’s idea of squeezing some in yourself will also work!
Daphne’s last blog post..Attaining Spiritual Peace
@ Daphne – Well thank you! I’m glad you learned something new and thanks for sharing your tip about the water
Bro that microwave tip is exactly what I needed right now. I have some gunk in there that is not co-operating in coming out very easily. Just have to go to the shop and get a lemon now.
Tom Maurer | Simple and Spiritual’s last blog post..How To Reclaim Your Childlike Passion For Life
@ Tom – Fantastic! I’m sure it’ll work like a charm AND it’ll smell great!
I’m a huge fan of lemons. These are great tips. Health wise, if you ever get a rash, take a lemon and heat it up over an open fire, once it cools down, you can rub it on your rash and it helps with the itching.
Love Lemons!