Discover all the ways to use lemons outside of cooking in homemade cleaners for your farmhouse.
Need to add a shine to your pots and pans, restore your wood cutting boards, or remove a stain? Want to do it with a great smelling natural homemade cleaner?
Look no further than lemons!
Not only can they brighten up our mood and make a refreshing cool drink, but they also happen to be surprising great at cleaning a number of things in our home. From the kitchen to the bathroom, to the laundry room, and to just about every other nook and cranny in your home you can tidy up with lemons.
Why are lemons good for cleaning?
Lemons are fantastic helpers in the home. A natural, antibacterial and antiseptic cleaning agent that fits in the palm of your hand. Made up of three key components that make lemon one of the best ingredients to use in homemade cleaners.
- Citric Acid – a mild acid that fights hard water spots, soap scum, and stains
- Lemon Oil – a fresh, invigorating oil that is antiseptic and antibacterial
- D-Limonene – a powerful solvent and degreaser that comes in handy in the kitchen
Lemon’s fresh scent and cleaning power can work like magic around our farmhouse. You’ll be channeling your inner Samantha Stevens of Bewitched too!
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The best part?
Lemon homemade cleaners can all be made with basic ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen! So, if you have cleaning on your to-do list today grab a few lemons and get cleaning with these 15 ways to clean with lemon! I know you’ll appreciate the fresh citrusy aroma and the fact that each is all-natural. Your other little helpers can join in the task without worry.
15 Refreshing Lemon Homemade Cleaners
1. Lemon Cedar Dust Spray and Polish
Let’s start with my favorite lemon cleaner to remove dust from your wood surfaces polish things like our staircase banister or wood legs and feet on our furniture.
2. DIY Fruit and Vegetable Cleaner
If you want to make sure the fruits and veggies your family eats are clean learn how to make a homemade fruit and veggie wash. I keep one under our farmhouse sink for quick rinses.
3. Farmhouse Lemon Room Spray
I love to brighten our home with the fresh citrusy aroma of lemon. And an easy lemon room spray is the quickest way to do that! Here’s how I make mine with a touch of sweet, warm vanilla.
Ingredients:
- 1 glass 8-ounce mist spray bottle
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon essential oil
- 3 ounces vodka
- 4 ounces distilled water
Instructions:
Pour all ingredients in a mist spray bottle using a small funnel. Remove the funnel and place the spray nozzle and cap on the bottle. Shake well before each use.
4. Odor Eliminating Lemon Soap
If garlic or onions are a staple in your evening meals, I highly recommend keeping a lemon soap on hand. I like to make this lemon zest hand soap and rosemary citrus soap to remove strong culinary odors when cooking.
5. Restore Wood Cutting Boards with Lemon
Speaking of cooking, lemons are the best ways to clean and deodorize cutting boards. Use these techniques to take care of your wood cutting boards and don’t forget old fashion spoon butter. I use it on all our wood kitchenware.
6. Polish and Shine Pots and Pans
While we’re at it grab a lemon to brighten up your pots and pans!
- How to Shine Copper and Stainless Steel: slice one lemon in half and dip it in kosher salt. Rub the salt dipped lemon over the metal surfaces to remove grime and tarnish. Rinse well and dry with a clean tea towel. Have you seen our farmhouse tea towel collection?
- How to Polish Aluminum: Use the other half the lemon not dipped in salt to rub the outside and inside of aluminum pots and pans. Buff with a clean kitchen tea towel.
7. Lemon Gel Cleaner
I was intrigued when I came across this gel homemade cleaner. I’ve never seen any other recipe like it! I’ve used it brighten our cast iron tub and our farmhouse sink. Go check it out!
8. DIY Toilet Cleaner Bombs
If you’ve been cleaning along with me you’re probably feeling a fizzed out. Well, don’t stop just yet because these fast-acting toilet bowl cleaner bombs are the laziest cleaner I’ve ever used. You can just pop in and let the fizzy action do the work while you rest.
9. Homemade Cleaning Wipes
If you’re used to using cleaning wipes but are tired of the waste and cost. Make these with a pack of bamboo washcloths or microfiber towels.
10. Natural Stain Remover Spray
Let’s talk about stains… If you have a husband who’s a magnet for coffee stains or a spirited little girl who likes to play in the dirt like me then you need a good stain remover! I made this natural stain remover years ago and it has worked for our family’s clothes week after week.
11. Lemon Grout Cleaner
Now if it’s hard water stains or soap scum you are after, I’ve got a lemon grout cleaner recipe that’ll do the job.
Ingredients:
- 1-ounce baking soda
- 1.5-ounce lemon juice
- 1-ounce white vinegar
- 8 ounces distilled water
- 1 sixteen-ounce spray bottle
Instructions:
Using a funnel add the first three ingredients to a large spray bottle. Place the nozzle on the bottle and shake well to combine with the nozzle closed. Then remove the nozzle and add distilled water.
Shake well before use. Spray on grout and let stand for five minutes. Using a grout and tile brush scrub to remove dirt and grime and rinse with water.
12. Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner
Every woman loves a great all-purpose cleaner! I use this one to clean just about every surface in our farmhouse. Sans wood surfaces, which is why I use the one at the top of this list for wood. It’s really simple to make and lasts a long time.
13. DIY Lavender Lemon Glass Cleaner
If you’re not fond of the pungent aroma of vinegar either, then stop cleaning your windows and mirrors with it! I certainly did! Make this heavenly scented lavender lemon glass cleaner instead.
14. Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
This is one homemade cleaner that really saves us money! Not only does it cut through hard water and coffee stains, but it smells great too.
15. Reusable Dry Sheets
The same goes for dry sheets – such a waste! You can make your own here or add drops of lemon and lavender essential oil to wool dryer balls for the same appeal.
How to Get the Most Out of Every Lemon
First off a brown spot on a lemon won’t make a difference if you’re using for cleaning. So, if you didn’t work through the bag of lemons you bought for lemonade or lemon pie fast enough… use them for cleaning!
Secondly, if you are going for the juice. Place an unsliced lemon on a cutting board or your countertop. Firmly roll it under the palm of your hand to soften the lemon and help the juice burst inside.
And a classic lemon squeezer is really helpful for getting every drop out of your lemons!
Rather it’s cleaning day or you’re looking to save money on cleaning products this list of 15 refreshing lemon homemade cleaners will help you get your farmhouse spotless with the “twitch of nose”! Right, Samantha?
Want more homemade cleaning tips and recipes? Browse our farmhouse favorites on Pinterest. Pin these easy techniques on how to clean with lemon and Tag #farmhousechicliving on Instagram to share your natural cleaning tips with us.
