12 benefits of lemon

Household Deodorizer
There are a lot of different ways to use lemons to deodorize in and around the home. An ideal way to get rid of nasty odors in the refrigerator is to soak a sponge in lemon juice and then leave it in the fridge for a few hours. Lemon peel added to the trash can, or slices of lemon placed near a cat box, will also help to reduce odors. You can make an excellent room freshener by simmering lemon peel in boiling water with a couple of cinnamon sticks and handful of cloves. Put it in a spray bottle and use when needed.

Cleaning Agent
Lemon juice has the ability to cut right through grease and grime and is especially useful for cleaning dirty windowpanes. An excellent homemade window cleaner can be made by combining lemon juice with vinegar, water and a little cornstarch together. Greasy cutting boards can be cleaned using a cut lemon together with coarse salt, and a teaspoonful or two added to dishwasher helps to cut through the grease on plates and dishes. Cut lemon also works wonders when rubbed over faucets and shower fittings to clean them. Lemon juice combined with lemon essential oil, vinegar, baking soda and water makes a really good all-purpose cleaner. A great idea for greasy graters that have been used to grate cheese is to rub with half a lemon instead of a sponge.
 
Polish Aid
Lemon juice is a great ingredient in homemade polish of various kinds. A combination of lemon juice and olive oil (1:2) makes a brilliant homemade furniture polish as well as polish for leather. Lemon juice and vinegar in equal amounts makes a great polish for brass and copper. Lemon juice mixed with baking soda makes a good paste to remove tarnish from these metals. Silver needs a less astringent cleaner; mix half a cup of dry milk powder with 1.5 cups of water and just one tablespoon of lemon juice. Soak silver in the mixture overnight then rinse and dry. When silverware becomes tarnished apply neat lemon juice and buff with a clean cloth.

For Cooking
Lemon is often used for cooking, sometimes to cut grease, but also to add flavor. It is also a fabulous ingredient in marinades, for both fish and meat dishes. There are loads of recipes out there, but you can devise your own very easily by combining lemon juice with olive oil and herbs of your choice. The acid in the lemon helps to literally “break” the meat down so that it becomes considerably more tender and a lot tastier, especially for a barbecue. It is also great in salad dressing. Lemon can also be added to cream to instantly produce soured cream, or added to milk (one tablespoon to a cup of milk) to produce something very close to buttermilk. Lemon juice can also be added to cooked rice to stop the grains from sticking; all you need it a spoonful.

 Food Rescue
It’s amazing how lemon juice can be used to rescue and revive food. For instance it will prevent lots of fruits and vegetables from getting brown quickly, including avocado pears, pears, bananas, apples, cauliflower and potatoes, either by letting them soak in cold lemon-water, or by drenching with lemon juice. Limp lettuce can also be revived by soaking briefly in cold water to which at least the juice of half a lemon has been added.

Getting Rid of Stains
Lemon juice can be used successfully to get rid of many different stains, though some require the addition of other ingredients for effectiveness. If treating stains in the toilet bowl, for example, it’s best to add half a cup of borax to half a cup of lemon juice. Allow the mixture to sit in the bowl for a while before scrubbing. Lemon juice can also be used to get rust stains off marble, though it is best mixed with baking soda which is not as harsh as borax. A mixture of lemon juice and vinegar can also be used to get rid of most grease stains on laundry; and if there is mildew on anything, make a paste of lemon juice and salt and rub it on. Lemon juice can also be used to get rid of food stains on the skin and stains on your pets’ fur.

Laundry Aid
Instead of using harsh bleach on white clothing and white or light bed linen, soak in hot water to which lemon juice has been added. After soaking, rinse and wash in the normal way. Another option is to add about half a cup of lemon to the washing cycle in your washing machine instead of adding bleach. Lemon juice can also be used as a spot treatment to get rid of minor stains, including underarm sweat stains. Dip the fabric into lemon juice, sprinkle with salt, and allow to dry in the sun. Then wash in the normal way. Alternatively spray lemon juice onto stains prior to washing.

For HairLemon juice is also good for hair, and may be used as a cure for dandruff. All you need is to massage a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice into your scalp and then rinse with warm water mixed with fresh lemon juice. Do this as often as necessary until the dandruff is gone. Just remember that lemon juice can also be used as a hair lightener, so if you go in the sun it might have an effect you aren’t anticipating. If you want to lighten your hair, mix lemon juice with coconut oil as this will help prevent it from drying out.

 In Beauty Products
Many manufacturers of beauty products use lemon as an additive, but you can also use lemon juice to make your own beauty products. Just as lemon juice and coconut oil mixed together may be used to lighten hair (see #5), these two ingredients may also be used as a moisturizer to hydrate your skin. A mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, honey and sugar can be used as an exfoliating scrub for both face and body. Lemon juice is also brilliant for getting of the smell of garlic off the skin, for instance when you’ve been chopping it up. Just rub your hands with lemon juice and then wash with warm soapy water.

For Aromatherapy and Massage
The essential oils extracted from lemons are fantastic for aromatherapy and massage. Generally these will help to ease anxiety and stress, though it is possible that a combination of lemon oils and lavender lowers blood pressure. Lemon oil extract mixed with peppermint and rosemary has been found to be effective in relieving constipation. The smell of lemon has also been found to be effective in reducing nausea and vomiting in the early stages of pregnancy, when so many women suffer from morning sickness.

Skin Problems
Lemon juice has both antibacterial and antifungal properties and is fantastic for soothing skin rashes and treating insect bites. In both instances soak cottonwool or a cotton ball in fresh lemon juice and apply it to the affected area. You will find that it quickly relieves itching and swelling. Because it is a natural astringent, it is also a natural remedy for acne and other facial skin problems. Apply juice to the face twice and day; leave it on the skin for 10 to 15 minutes and then rinse thoroughly with cold tap water. A little coconut oil will moisturize it after the lemon facial treatment.

Good Health
Lemon juice is full of vitamin C as well as potassium, and it is generally good for the immune system and for digestion. A cup of hot water with lemon is a great way to start the day. Its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties also make it a good treatment for coughs, colds and sort throats. Gargling with lemon water will soothe a sore throat, while sipping hot lemon water and honey helps to relieve coughs and is usually good for reducing any buildup of mucous.