- [Voiceover] Squeezing every last drop of juice
from our common items is just how we do things
at Household Hacker and today is no exception.
When life hands you lemons, you take those lemons
and show the world who's boss.
Ever forget to swap your laundry
and now it smells like mildew or perhaps the whites
need a boost?
Pour 1/2 cup to one cup of lemon juice into the washer
during the wash cycle.
The citric acid in lemons is an all natural
bleaching alternative that'll fight stains
and leave clothes smelling fresh and unlike bleach,
lemon juice is safe for colors too.
If you've been using chemicals
or chopping potent vegetables like onions or garlic,
you can get rid of that nasty smell
that sticks around for hours on your hands
before it even has a chance to settle.
Just rub a slice of lemon over the affected area
and wash with soapy water.
The natural acidity of lemons provides great
antibacterial properties that'll help you disinfect
anything in your home.
A great example of this is on your cutting board.
Using 1/2 a lemon add salt to make it abrasion
and scrub thoroughly.
The lemon will not only help kill germs
on your cutting board, but it's also gonna help
eliminate stains and leave behind a nice citrus scent.
Add a spritz of citrus flavors to drinks, seafood,
salads and a whole lot more.
Turn an old spray bottle into a lemon spritzer
by rinsing it out, rolling a lemon to burst segments inside
and thinly cutting off the rind of each end of the lemon,
trimming the dip tube to an inch or two
and then inserting it into the top of the lemon.
Your new lemon juice sprayer will help preserve fresh fruit
by distributing lemon juice evenly inhibiting
the oxidation of the fruit, which prevents browning.
As you probably know by now,
vinegar is a cost effective way to get rid of grease
and disinfect almost anything in your house.
But to many people, that temporary stench
can be unbearable.
That's where your lemons come in.
You can use either lemon scraps or slice a fresh lemon
into a pint size jar.
Just top it off with white vinegar.
Put the lid on tightly and store it for a few weeks.
Give it a shake every now and then though
to keep things moving.
By week three, your lemon vinegar is ready for cleaning.
Fill an empty bottle half way with just the liquid portion
and top if off with warm water.
Your new lemon scented all purpose cleaner
will wipe away dirt, grime, and polish glass surfaces
leaving behind a pleasant fragrance.
Many of us have just become accustomed
to using baking soda in the fridge to get rid of odors.
However, the powder actually tends to form a crust or film
that hinders it's effectiveness.
Due to the alkaline nature of lemons,
they can actually neutralize acidic odors.
If you soak a cotton ball in lemon juice,
it can actually be more effective at absorbing smells
and add a bright citrus scent.
Try putting a few of these in your fridge
instead of baking soda.
You'll be pleasantly surprised.
Just make sure you swap 'em out every week or two.
Now here's a bright way to use leftover lemon rinds
while avoiding dirtying more dishes.
Slice the ends carefully and create a level base.
Take your lemon halves and carve out the insides.
Now freeze them for a few hours.
They transform into colorful dessert bowls
perfect for serving up a fresh scoop
of your favorite sorbet or ice cream on a hot summer day.
You can keep away ants, fleas, moths, or other insects
using the strong odors and flavors of lemons.
Start by peeling the rind of a lemon and placing the peels
in a paper towel.
Fold and twist the paper towel together
and seal it off with a rubber band or twist tie
to create a sache.
Place it along windowsills, door entrances
or even near cracks and holes where insects
might be coming in.
They hate the scent of citrus, especially lemons.
Over time, coffee machines develop lime scale,
which can affect their performance
and the taste of your coffee.
Fill your usual water reservoir with a lemon juice solution
made up of about 1/3 to 1/2 lemon juice
and the remaining with water.
Now run your machine through a brew cycle
without adding coffee several times
until the reserve runs low.
The lemon juice will flow through the machine
and dissolve any lime scale buildup.
Let the remaining liquid sit for about four hours
before dumping the remains.
You might want to rinse the machine with another brew cycle
of water to get rid of that taste of lemons.
But hey, you might like that added flavor.
Your machine should now function as good as new.
Thank you all so much for watching.
Remember, we love hearing from you
so post your own tips and tricks in the comments.
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See ya next time.