Uses for Lemon Juice  

Lemons are wonderful little citrus fruits that are packed with flavor and nutrition and are used in a variety of ways for cooking and food preparation. But, they are so versatile the juice can be put to use for much more than just food. They don't even have to be relegated to the kitchen.

Kitchen Aid

In addition to making lemonade, adding some extra flavor to iced teas or salads, and keeping your fruits and veggies from turning brown, you can use lemon juice to keep your rice from sticking to the pot (which will make clean-up simpler and easier), remove tarnish from the bottoms of your copper and brass pans, and as a spray solution (when mixed with water) to clean stubborn grease from kitchen surfaces.

Health Aid

There are so many ways you can use lemon juice for health reasons it could almost be called a "miracle drug" for many types of conditions. Lemon juice is considered a natural laxative and it has no side effects when mixed with water. Mixing some with water will not only regulate your digestive system it will also help boost your metabolism. Lemon juice mixed with honey will relieve a sore throat or a hacking cough. Undiluted lemon juice applied directly to the skin will give you relief from the itch and swelling, and help stop the spread of itchy skin rashes. And, it may not be a miracle cure for the common hangover, but mixing some fresh lemon juice into your tea or some warm water will help re-hydrate your body and help restore your pH levels.

Beauty Aid

You have probably heard that fresh lemon juice can be squeezed onto skin to lighten dark spots or used as a rinse with warm water after washing hair to make your hair shiny. But, you can massage lemon juice directly onto your scalp to help remove dandruff flakes and let your nails soak in undiluted lemon juice to brighten them up and remove discolorations.

Cleaning Aid

Lemon juice has many uses around the house as well. A paste of lemon juice and salt can be rubbed into fabric to remove stubborn stains. Fresh lemon juice added to the wash water will also help brighten whites without using bleach. A mixture of lemon juice and borax can be used to remove rust stains from your toilet bowl. Let sit for about two hours and then scrub the stains away. Rub down smelly kitchen and household surfaces with fresh lemon juice to destroy odors.