Beyond Lemonade: 25 Cool Uses For Lemons

POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

You can make more out of lemons than lemonade. In fact, lemon juice is a really useful liquid that can be used to clean your home, treat cold symptoms, and even be part of your beauty regimen. Here are a couple of other uses for the yellow fruit:

  1. Wash your hands: When you're serving messy food like crabs or ribs, put out little bowls of lemon water for guests to wash the smell and gunk off their fingers.
  2. Relieve flu symptoms: If you have a sore throat or a cough, mix lemon with honey and water for a drink that will soothe your throat.
  3. Clean a chopping board: Add some lemon juice or use a lemon slice to wipe the chopping board to deodorize and sanitize it.
  4. Lighten blemishes: If you have some blemishes or you notice your face darkening in pigment in some spots, put some lemon juice on it every day until it lightens.
  5. Brighten white loads: To make the whites even brighter, use lemons to whiten the clothes that you throw into the washing machine. Instructions here.
  6. Brighten fingernails: Soak your fingernails in a lemon water mixture to whiten and brighten them.
  7. Freshen household equipment: Make your appliances fresh by adding lemon juice or lemons to them. For example, microwave slices of lemons to freshen it up. Add lemon juice to the dishwasher when it's empty and let it run a cycle and clean itself with the lemon juice. Add a bit of lemon juice to the humidifier or vacuum bag if those appliances are getting a little smelly and old.
  8. Disinfect wounds: Stop bleeding and clean small cuts and scrapes with lemon juice.
  9. All-purpose cleaner: This homemade citrus spray is so easy to make and so useful.
  10. Planters: You can use lemon rinds as cute and natural planters for your seedlings, which you can then plant directly into your garden.
  11. Feet-odor remover: Rub lemons on your feet to remove the odor and the acids will help to exfoliate as well.
  12. Garbage-disposal refresher: The lemon rinds do a good job of freshening your garbage disposal. We also have two great recipes for garbage-disposal refreshers that incorporate the peels here and here.
  13. Sneaker refresher: Dump some lemon peels into your sneakers to make them smell good again.
  14. Candle holders: You can turn lemon rinds into candle holders. The citrus oils will help to chase away bugs as well.
  15. Potpourri: Lemons are a great ingredient for homemade potpourri.
  16. Face mask: The citrus in lemons are a natural exfoliant and brightener for the skin, which means the lemon fruit a great ingredient for any DIY face mask. Combine lemon juice, yogurt, and honey for an amazing mask that will leave your skin looking and feeling so good.
  17. Bug repellant: Squeeze lemon juice into crevices or hot spots where bugs are commonly found in your home. Or you can use it when you're making these bug repellant candles.
  18. Air freshener: Use lemon rinds or a lemon juice and water concoction to make any place smell fresh. We also recommend this recipe for an air freshener and reed diffuser that uses lemon rinds.
  19. Fridge-odor remover: Dab your fridge with lemon juice to deodorize it.
  20. Prevent browning: Prevent browning in food and produce, like your freshly made guac or apple slices, by adding lemon juice to it.
  21. Litter-box deodorizer: Dab lemon juice in an empty litter box to clean out any funky scents.
  22. Soaps: Toss lemon rinds into DIY soaps to brighten them up with a yellow coloring and as an added disinfectant. It will also leave your hands smelling great!
  23. Clean brass: Clean brass naturally with half a lemon and baking soda.
  24. Clean stainless steel: Clean stainless steel appliances by rubbing a lemon peel all over them.
  25. Berry-stain remover: Remove berry stains from fingers with lemon juice. You can even remove them from clothing by running the stains by cold water first, then squirting lemon juice on the stains.