1. Refrigerator Freshener
Many people use baking soda in their refrigerators as a way
to help them remove bad odors or smells. However, lemon can work even better
when it comes to removing unpleasant smells in your fridge. You can take some
lemon juice and use a cotton ball or a sponge to absorb it. Place the lemon
soaked item in the refrigerator for several hours so it can counter the odors
you’re trying to get rid of. You can also do the same for your trash cans as a
way to get rid of unpleasant odors there. Read on to find out more awesome
lemon uses.
2. For Nails
If you have nails which are dry and/or brittle, mix lemon juice
with olive oil and soak them into a basin. After soaking rinse them and
optionally apply cuticle oil. Lemon juice is known to whiten nails and remove
any stains. Due to its acidity, the use of lemon for manicure goes many
centuries.
3. Use Lemon as a Teeth Whitener
Combining some baking soda and lemon juice, can give you a
million dollar smile, and whiter teeth. The chemical reaction from lemon juice
and baking soda has a teeth-brightening effect. You can either apply the
mixture paste with a Q-tip, or a tooth brush. Still, keep in mind that using
either of them too much, whether alone or combined, can end up wearing away the
tooth enamel. Also, never leave the mixture on your teeth longer than a minute.
4. Clean Household Items
Kitchen items such as cutting boards, rolling pins and other
wooden kitchen tools are magnets for germs and bad odors. But lemons can
quickly combat this problem since they kill both bacteria and bad odors. Simply
rub a 1/2 of a lemon all over each item after you have washed it. Let it sit
for at least 20 to 30 minutes. After the time has elapsed, simply rinse the
lemon juice off the kitchen utensils and dry.
5. Food Preservative
Believe it not, lemon can actually help other fruits and
foods last longer. How ironic is that? Adding a little lemon juice to your
potatoes, apples, pears and cauliflower will keep the fruits from browning. You
can also preserve your guacamole longer by adding lemon juice as well. The
citric acid in the lemons will keep the foods from turning brown.
6. All Steel Rust Cleaner
You can make a lemon-based all-purpose cleaner with lemon
juice and water that can replace most chemical filled, harsh cleaners. Rubbing
lemon directly on to shower handles, faucets and other metals, will keep them
free of bacteria. It also removes grime and gunk. you can even use it as an
alternative to bleach to help brighten your whites. Adding a cup of lemon juice
will do wonders for your laundry.
7. Lemon Juice as Natural Deodorant
Lemon juice can be used as a natural deodorant and is in
fact quite effective. At Peoplespharmacy.com it is rated 8 out of 10 stars as a
natural deo. The method is to rub your armpit with half a lemon, just before
you finish taking a shower and leave it there for about 5 minutes. Then wash it
off with water to remove the juice. You will notice that it prevents bad odors
for hours and leaves a fresh smell.
8. Skin Care
There’s an awesome, natural do-it-yourself facial mask to
help you take care of your skin. Combining lemon with honey will do wonders for
the health of your facial surface. The antiseptic properties found in the
honey, help prevent acne, while it moisturizes your skin. At the same time, the
vitamin C from the lemon, can greatly brighten it. For best results, leave the mask
on your skin for at least 20 minutes. This treatment, will also work very well
against blackheads.
9. Natural Mouth Wash
Due to the citric acid in lemon juice altering the pH level
in your mouth, lemons are an excellent natural mouth wash. The citric acid,
kills the bad breath causing bacteria. Still, keep in mind that you should
rinse after a few minutes. The acid in lemons can also harm your tooth enamel.
10. Arthritis and Joint Pain Relief
Adding lemon juice to a cup with a pinch of sugar, works
wonders for nausea relief. Also, due to its anti-inflammatory properties,
lemons can also help with arthritis. Soaking the area affected by arthritis
will lessen pain and inflammation. Also when ingested, lemon juice helps the
body get rid of uric acid, which is often deposited in the joints
causing arthritis and rheumatic pain.