Rancid fridge? Filthy microwave? College kitchens are some of the sketchiest places in the universe, but no one, not even college students, can stand to have a gross kitchen. Whether you’re wanting to cover up your roommate’s mess or prep your kitchen for another of your mom’s “surprise visits,” lemons have got your back. Next time you’re at the grocery, buy a whole bag of citrus, because once you start cleaning with lemons, you’ll never stop.
Eliminate Garbage Disposal Odors
Photo by Claire Waggoner
There are few things in life that can rival the nasty stank from your garbage disposal. To kill bacteria and neutralize odors, toss half a lemon into your disposal and grind that sucker up. Mmm, lemon fresh.
#SpoonTip: Use the lemon slices from your fruit-infused water to clean the garbage disposal so you don’t waste any food.
Erase Onion Juice on Cutting Boards
Photo by Claire Waggoner
We’ve all been there: you slice up an apple on your favorite cutting board, take a bite, and taste… onion. Congealed veggie juices on your cutting board are all sorts of gross, but you can avoid cross-contaminating your foods by simply rubbing fresh lemon juice on the board.
Clean the Microwave
Photo by Claire Waggoner
Dorm room microwaves are notoriously disgusting. To loosen up any old bits of food, microwave a bowl of water with a halved lemon for a few minutes, or until the water starts to simmer. Then, leave the lemon water in the microwave for 5-10 minutes to allow the steam to work its magic.
Deep-Clean Your Blender
Photo by Claire Waggoner
I firmly believe it’s physically impossible to completely clean your blender after every use. To clean up what a regular sponge can’t, pour some warm water, a squirt of dish soap, and the rind of half a lemon into your blender and puree until the appliance is squeaky clean.
Keep Out Ants
Photo by Claire Waggoner
Waking up to find your kitchen overrun by ants is the worst way to start your day. To prevent any critters from crawling into your house, squeeze a bit of lemon juice into the seams of the floorboards where your floor meets the wall. If needed, you can also use a q-tip to rim the bottom of your window sills with lemon juice as well.
DIY Air Freshener
Photo by Claire Waggoner
Nothing smells better than mother nature, am I right? To cover up the smell of last night’s stir-fry, simmer a cut lemon in some water on the stove until your whole kitchen smells like citrus heaven.
#SpoonTip: Cinnamon sticks and essential oils are also great add-ins for an extra dose of deliciousness.
Chrome Polisher
Photo by Claire Waggoner
Are your spotty faucets driving you insane? Easy fix. Just rub the rind of a lemon along the hardware and polish with a clean cloth.
Remove strong odors from hands
Photo courtesy of Leana on Flickr
Remember the cutting board? Same concept applies here. After slicing up smelly foods like onion or cilantro, rub your hands with some fresh lemon juice to get rid of any lingering smells.
De-stink your fridge
Photo by Claire Waggoner
Other than the microwave, the average college student’s fridge is the most feared kitchen appliance. Next time your fridge starts smelling funny, place some cut lemons inside overnight. If that doesn’t work, you probably have something rotting inside that needs to be tossed in the garbage.
#SpoonTip: Don’t eat the lemons after they’ve been soaking up the fridge stink. Trust me, they won’t taste good.
Gentle Oven Cleaner
Photo by Claire Waggoner
Contrary to popular belief, the overflowed cake batter stuck to the bottom of your oven won’t magically burn up next time you bake. To remove stubborn food spills, put a healthy amount of salt onto a lemon half and rub the pesky area until the food dislodges. Follow up your scrubbing with a few swipes from a cloth soaked in warm soapy water.