When Life Gives You Lemons...

...make lemonade, right? Or how about, just get to cleaning that house! And do so in a way that is SAFE for your children!!

We have a lemon tree in our backyard, so I'm always looking for ways to use them up before they drop and shrivel up on the ground. Of course, even if you don't have a lemon tree, they cost only about 50 cents each, and ultimately offer themselves as better alternatives to the chemical-ridden cleaners you can buy at the store. They provide a cost-effective, all-natural, and wonderfully-smelling, might I add, way to sanitize and make that house shine!

Here are some ways you can clean with lemons (courtesy of Real Simple):

*countertops: cut a lemon in half, and dip the cut side in baking soda; wipe witha wet sponge & dry (do NOT use on marble, stone, or stainless steel, as it may discolor, though).
*dishes: add a teaspoon of lemon juice to your dishwashing soap for some extra kick
*faucets: use to fight the lime scale by rubbing the juice onto the faucet tap and letting it soak overnight. wipe off in morning with a damp cloth.
*garbage disposal: cut a lemon in half (or I like quarters) and run through the disposal
*grout: add lemon juice to 1-2 teaspoons cream of tartar to make a paste; apply with a toothbrush, then rinse.
*hands: after touching raw fish, rub your hands with lemon juice to neutralize the odor
*laundry: to brighten white, add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the rinse cycle
*plastic food-storage containers: use lemon juice to bleach stains from these; rub on the spots, let dry in a sunny spot, and wash.

Each week for the next month or so, I'll be highlighting some different natural cleaning agents and what you can do with them! Enjoy!!