Kitchen Tips Thursday: Cleaning with Lemons

Happy Thursday Everyone. Thank you so much for joining each week for Kitchen Tip Thursdays. This week we are going to be doing some cleaning. Don’t worry we’re cleaning with lemons. We will feature ways to clean your kitchen with lemons and lemon juice.

• Sink Cleaner: Combine lemon juice and salt until it has the consistency of toothpaste. Apply this to brass, copper, and stainless-steel sinks and fixtures. Scrub gently then rinse with water. This will also help remove rust stains as well.
• Mineral Deposits: You know that build-up that’s on sinks, faucets, and tubs. Well take a sponge and apply some lemon juice to the deposit build-up. Let it soak for a while, then scrub off.
• Garbage Disposal: Got food odors from last night’s tuna? Cut up a lemon, toss it in the garbage disposal and grind it up. Orange peels work too.
• Dishwasher: Remove dried-on food and detergent from the chrome inside your dishwasher by rubbing it with a piece of lemon. Rinse by wiping with a damp cloth, and then rub dry with a clean, dry cloth. Make sure to run the dishwasher using the hottest water setting to remove most food particles. 
• Stovetop or Oven Spill:  Make a paste of lemon juice, water, and baking soda. Apply to spills, let sit 15 minutes, then scrub and rinse with water and a sponge.
• Greasy Windows: Make a solution of 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 cup white vinegar, and 1-quart warm water.
• Kitchen Odors: Fill a small pot with water. Add several pieces of lemon rind and about 1 teaspoon each of whole cloves and rosemary leaves. Bring to a boil. The aroma will soon reach nearly every room of your home.
• Fresh Kitchen Air: Heat the oven to 300 degrees F and place a whole lemon on the center rack. With the door slightly ajar, let the lemon “cook” for about 15 minutes; then turn off the oven. Let the lemon cool before removing it.
• Wooden Cutting Board: Avoid having your apple contaminated with an onion smell because you didn’t clean the cutting board properly. After cleaning your wood cutting board, rub a bit of lemon juice on it to help get rid of garlic, onion, or fish smells
• Smelly Humidifier: Add 4 teaspoons of lemon juice to the water in your humidifier to eliminate the stink. 
• Microwaves: Mix together 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice and 2 cups of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for one to two minutes. Allow the bowl to cool down, then use the mixture to wipe down the inside walls of the microwave.
• Fridge: Quarter a lemon and place it in a small bowl. Sprinkle a dash of table salt and 2 tsp. of baking soda onto lemons. Place uncovered dish in the middle of the refrigerator and let sit for three to five days.