Lemons have special qualities and are a must in any home. Apart from enhancing the taste of food dishes or your favourite drink, lemons can also be used in medicinal and beauty treatment at home. Lemons can clean and whiten nails, create blonde highlights and even freshen breath. Lemons can also clean cuts and scratches, treat flaky dandruff and even remove pesky warts.
Lemons can also make life easier around the home in other areas. Here are four uses of lemons who may not know of:
Lemons can be used as an insect repellent. No need to buy expensive and poisonous insect repellents. Juice a few lemons and spray on areas where flies tend to be a common nuisance like the kitchen garbage bin. Pour lemon juice into cracks where ants are coming into the house. Lemons are also effective against cockroaches and fleas. For total insect elimination, mix the juice of 4 lemons (along with the rinds) with about 1 1/2 litres of water and mop your floors with it. Insects hate the smell of lemons and will beat a hasty retreat.
Lemons are an anti-oxidant and prevent food from discolouring. Believe it or not, oxygen causes food to decay. You can make sure that white vegetables like cauliflower and potatoes stay white by squeezing a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice into the cooking water or oil. If you have prepared food with the likes of avocado and it is going to sit a while before being eaten, splash some lemon juice on it and it will not discolour. It will also compliment the taste.
Lemons can be used as fabric bleach. Avoid additional bleach stains by swapping ordinary household chlorine bleach with lemon juice, which is milder but no less effective. This remedy is particularly good for underarm clothing stains – scrub the area with equal parts lemon and water before washing. The stains will disappear and your underarms will smell good too. Combine with baking soda, lemons become and even more effective bleach.
Lemons can eliminate unwanted odours. The cosy evening home fire can sometimes be smelly – depending on your wood. A foul smell can permeate throughout the house and persist the morning after. Throw a few lemon peels into the flames or always burn some lemon peels with your firewood as a preventative measure. No bad fire smells at night or the next day.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
