Tips using Lemons – ChatterTip May 2013
Last year for Taurus we gave you Tips for the Neck and Throat so this time, I am going to give you some Tips using Lemons. Why Lemons, you might ask, since the Citrus Fruits are really the domain of Leo, but then Taurus does hold the “fruits of the earth” in their hands, so let’s just say that Taurus grew some Lemons and shared a few with Leo! But the real reason I wanted to feature Lemons this month is because I have a funny story from my recent visit to the Palm Springs Photo Festival and the photo for this month’s tip is a result of that!
On the very first evening at the opening reception, after chatting with several people and drinking a couple of glasses of wine, I was standing by the bar getting some much-needed cold water, when I noticed the largest Lemon I had ever seen – I mean, this thing was huge! I looked at the bartender and said, what is that thing? “It’s a Lemon,” he said. “A large one.” I was flabbergasted by the size of this thing, wondering if perhaps the heat and the alcohol had gotten to me already, but he obviously sensed my great attraction to this giant fruit and said, “Do you want it?” To which I immediately replied, “You bet.” Not that I’m in the habit of scoring huge pieces of fruit from strange bartenders, but without any apparent hesitation I popped that enormous Lemon into my bag and stashed it all week in the refrigerator of my hotel room before triumphantly bringing it back to New York so I could take a photograph of it next to the tiny Lemon from my local supermarket that was sitting in my fridge here. I couldn’t help myself!
Having done that, I then looked up some uses for Lemons (besides making Lemonade) and found a few unusual and unexpected suggestions, so I thought I would share a few of those with you…
Keeping Critters out of the Kitchen!
Who needs all those expensive insecticides and traps when you have Lemon Juice on hand? To repel Ants, first squirt some Lemon Juiceonto your windowsills and door thresholds, and then squeeze some into any holes or cracks where the Ants are getting in. Plus, you can also scatter some small slices of Lemon Peel around the outdoor entrance. Lemons can also help to prevent Fleas and Roaches – simply mix the juice and rind of 4 Lemons with 2 liters of Water and wash your floors with it – then watch them critters run, apparently they hate the smell! Who knew?
Lemons in the Laundry!
Lemons can work well as a mild bleach that won’t leave additional stains, like some household bleaches do. For delicates, soak in a mixture of Lemon Juice and Baking Soda for at least 30 minutes before washing. Lemon Juice also works well for rust stains and discolored T-shirts and underwear, or try scrubbing unsightly underarm stains with a mixture of equal parts Lemon Juice (or White Vinegar) and Water. Add Lemon Juice to the wash as a safe and effective fabric whitener that also leaves your clothes smelling all lemony fresh!
Sanitize your Kitchen Cutting Boards!
Even after washing your Kitchen Cutting Boards can still smell, so to eliminate food odors and help sanitize them without using soap and water, rub with a cut Lemon, or wipe with Lemon Juice.
Crisp up that Soggy Lettuce!
Before you toss that soggy Lettuce into the garbage, add the juice of half a Lemon into a bowl of cold Water and put the soggy Lettuce in it, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Be sure to dry the much-improved leaves off completely before adding them to your salad.
Buff up your Pots and Pans!
Brighten up those dull aluminum Pots and Pans by rubbing them inside and out with half a cut Lemon, then buff them with a soft cloth for a brilliant lemony shine! Lemon Rind can be used to polish Chrome, while a paste made with Lemon Juice and Salt (or Baking Soda) is good for removing tarnish from Brass, Copper or Stainless Steel – simply apply the paste to the affected area and leave on for 5 minutes. Then, wash off with warm water and polish dry.