When life gives you lemons make lemonade use them around the house! Yes, they’re fab with a G&T but there’s so much more to our citrus friends.

1. Remove Stains

Have a pesky stain on your clothing that just won’t wash away? Try using lemon. Soak for an hour and it should lift. If it’s particularly stubborn, try a solution of baking soda and lemon and give it a scrub.

2. Clean the Microwave

Get 1-2 cups of water and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and microwave on hire for 10 minutes. This will loosen the food debris and soften stains. Then use a cloth to wipe clean. Great for your microwave and for the environment as there are no chemical-cleaners used!

3. Fresh Air

Lemons and cloves are a great way to get rid of odours. Cut 6 lemons into slices and combine with cloves, simmer on the stove and the aroma should leave a pleasant smell throughout your home.

4. Insect Repellant

Spray lemon juice around the edge of a room – think windows, doors, or anywhere else our bug fiends may enter and they will stay away. Ants hate lemon, so if they’re an unwanted visitor is a great way to send them packing.

5. Freshen Garbage Disposal

Use leftover lemon peels to deodorize even the smelliest garbage disposal. Simply toss the lemon scraps down the drain at least once a month to keep the disposal smelling its best. You can also throw in some orange peels for a nice blend.

6. Descale

Clean scale build-up on kettles and coffee pots by boiling lemon slices in them. Leave for a couple of hours and then rinse.

7. Clean Knives

I’ve not tried this one but I’ve read that by pouring some lemon juice over a knife, then adding some salt and giving them a good rub will remove all stains/rust. Make sure you clean thoroughly after.

8. Get Those Whites White!

If your whites are looking a little on the dull side, boil lemon and water in a bowl and add your whites. Allow them to soak for an hour and you should find the lemons have worked as a natural bleach. Great for those end of term grey looking school shirts…

9. Keeps Salads Fresh

If you are making salads and the like, add a few drops of lemon juice to prevent oxidation (discolouring). Works beautifully with avocado and tastes delish!

10. Clean Grout

Use lemon juice and an old toothbrush to clean/scrub grout. It really works a treat!

Do you have other tips for using lemons? Let me know in the comments below..