Hello everyone and welcome to the weekend! Thank you for being here. Tonight’s post will be Part 1 of some great cleaning solutions using the “Lively Lemon”
Lemon is considered to be the most effective antimicrobial remedies of all essential oils. Next to eucalyptus oil, it is my most favorite oil. The scent is uplifting and cleans the air. Lemons are one of nature’s most versatile fruits, with uses ranging from preserving food to acting as a natural weed killer. Because of the acidic nature of lemons, they can be used to clean, deodorize, or disinfect just about anything. You can bleach your hair, clean your oven, fight a cold, and exfoliate your skin, all with this one ingredient. If you want to avoid toxic cleaning products, expensive skin and hair care regimens, and keep yourself feeling fit and healthy, pick up a few lemons next time you go grocery shopping and put them to work.
One of my go-to uses for lemon oil is the following recipe. I make this in an 8-ounce glass mason jar and use it to deodorize my garbage disposal, kitchen sink drain, and dishwasher. In the glass jar, mix together 3/4 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup table salt, 1/2 teaspoon of Dawn dish soap (the blue variety), and 10 drops of lemon essential oil. Mix thoroughly and put a lid on the jar and store under your kitchen sink. I use 1 tablespoon in my garbage disposal and let it sink for 10 minutes and then rinse with hot water. I will fill the dishwasher container with this solution and run my regular wash cycle.
Our bedroom has full length glass mirror doors which get smudged OFTEN. I do not like using Windex on them to clean them because I do not like using ammonia-based cleaners especially since these doors are in our bedroom. Instead, I take a clean spray bottle and mix 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol and several drops of lemon juice in the bottle and fill the rest of the bottle with warm water. I shake well to mix and spray the glass and clean with a microfiber cloth.
Make an all purpose cleaner! The acidity of lemons makes them a great option for all kinds of cleaning. While different jobs might need slightly different concentrations or ingredients, you can make a powerful all purpose cleaner for daily use with just lemons, white vinegar and water. (I love this one for kitchen counters and bathrooms.) In a glass jar or a clear plastic spray bottle, mix 2 cups of white vinegar, 2 cups of water, and the juice and rinds of 1/2 lemon. Leave the mixture to sit for about 2 weeks in a cool spot out of direct sunlight and then transfer to a spray bottle. TIP: For best results, wait for a few seconds after spraying your cleaner onto a surface before wiping it away, to give it time to work.
Happy cleaning and here’s to a great start to your weekend! I hope you have enjoyed this lemony post. Part 2 will be later this week!
“Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.”
Lemon and Rosemary 