The Multifunctional Uses of the Lemon
By Ali Capusan

Lemons, they always bring thoughts of hot summer days while drinking cool refreshing lemonade. To be honest, that is the only thing I really used lemons for; however, I have come to find that lemons are amazingly useful in a variety of aspects in our day to day life. Here is a list of the various ways the lemon can be used.

1. Sanitize a chopping block. When working with meats you want to be sure and thoroughly clean your chopping block. Cut 2 lemons into halves and squeeze into a cup. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of salt into cup and mix. Make sure chopping block is washed and dried. Pour lemon onto the block and let sit for a few minutes. Brush block with a scrubber or a toothbrush. Thoroughly rinse with water.

2. Keep apples fresher, longer: You may have the habit of cutting up apples or pears in the hopes of eating them, but by the time you get to taking them out of the fridge they have browned. Cut one lemon in half and squeeze juice into cup. Fill cup with water halfway. Mix water and lemon. Dip apple pieces into the juice and enjoy. You can also sprinkle juice over apple pieces. This doesn’t just apply to apples, it can be used on all sorts of fruits and vegetables. I use it when making Pico de Gallo to keep my avocados from turning brown…it works like a charm.

3. Thrifty decorations. A bowl of lemons can be very captivating, not to mention the fresh scent it brings into a room. One can also cut 3-5 lemons into slices. Fill a glass bowl with the lemons and add water, for a sunny centerpiece. Another decorative option involves displaying a row of them along a windowsill. Leave the lemons fully intact and space them evenly along the windowsill.

4. Relieve a sore throat. Lemon, which is rich in Vitamin C, is an alternative sore throat remedy. Cut a lemon in half. Squeeze juice into a cup. Fill cup with hot water. Gargle every 3 to 4 hours as needed. Be sure water is not too hot. To take away from the bitter taste I add a bit of honey, my daughter however likes them just as is. You decide for yourself.

5. Whiten fingernails. Make sure your nails are clean and dry. Take ½ tablespoon of lemon juice and ½ tablespoon of baking powder and mix together. You should get a paste. Apply paste to your nails. Gently buff your nails with a buffer. Wipe with towel. You can also soak your fingers in lemon juice for 5 minutes. The natural acidity helps remove impurities.

6. Get your whites back to white. As we have all seen, our white clothing quickly discolor and stain. To brighten your white laundry, add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the wash cycle of a normal-size load. Because socks become especially soiled, add ½ cup lemon juice and a scoop of laundry detergent into a gallon bucket of hot water. Let them sit for a bit and then put them in the wash; the results are amazing and completely organic!

7. Removing bacteria from your cheese grater. The lemon’s acidity makes life difficult for bacteria. Your cheese grater has plenty of bacteria. Rub both sides of the grater with the pulp side of a cut lemon. Then rinse off in warm water and there you have it, a clean cheese grater.

So, after reading about just a few of the multifunctional uses of this precious fruit, I will certainly be using it for a lot more around the house. So I encourage you try some of these organic ways to use the lemon. If you are interested in some lemon recipes please visit my site at http://www.madesimplelemonrecipes.com. Have a great day.

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