Lemons are Very Versatile

Lemons are a very versatile fruit. They are not only used to make lemonade. They will keep for up to one week at room temperature and for two to three weeks in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the zest or peel for months.

To choose them, pick the ones that have smooth, oily skins. Also, they should be heavy for their size. They should have a bright yellow color with no green tinges.

Here are some other uses you may not know about:

• If you pour the juice around areas that ants frequent, it will repeal them.
• Use their slices to clean your microwave. All you do is heat a bowl of water and slices in your microwave for 30 to 60 seconds and then wipe it out. The stains will be easier to remove and it will neutralize old food odors.
• To control and eliminate unpleasant odors in your refrigerator, just store half a lemon in it.
• To get lime scale off a sink or faucets, use one-half to clean and then rinse well.
• Use it in your laundry for bleaching purposes. Just add 1/2 cup of juice to the rinse cycle and hang clothes outside to dry.
• To clean chrome and copper, just mix the juice and baking soda into a paste and rub it onto the chrome or copper, rinse and then wipe/buff with a soft cloth.
• A teaspoon of juice added to your dishwashing detergent can help boost grease cutting power.
• Do you need a good drain cleaner? Hot juice and baking soda mixed together are good and also safe to use in septic tanks.
• To keep your garbage disposal unit smelling fresh, throw some peels in from time to time.
• Need a glass and mirror cleaner? Four tablespoons of juice mixed with half a gallon of water works well.
• This is one I used as a teenager. To lighten hair, squeeze the juice all over your hair and sit in the sun for an hour.
• Should your hands smell of fish and you cannot get that smell to go away even after washing your hands with soap, rub your hands with juice. It will neutralize the smell and leave your hands smelling great.
• Mix 50% juice and 50% water to make an effective mouthwash.
• Straight juice can be used as a general degreaser.

TIP: Here are a couple of ways to get the most juice from a lemon:

• Allow it to reach room temperature, or microwave it for a few seconds prior to juicing; or
• roll it on a hard surface using the palm of your hand.

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