Don't toss out those lemons. Use them to clean the house instead

Throughout history, lemons were commonly used for cooking, medicine and cleaning. Today, hundreds of products exist to help keep a home tidy. Some families, however, continue to use lemons as a natural cleaning alternative to harsh chemicals.

Lemons are inexpensive and easy to find at most grocery stores. They can be used to clean pans, showers, mirrors and so much more. Get prepared to learn about things in the home that may be cleaned with a lemon.

Clean shower doors
Cut a lemon in half. Rub the lemon and its juices on shower doors. Lemon helps to reduce and remove hard water stains. Clean the microwave
Fill a microwave-safe bowl halfway with water. Cut a lemon in half, and place it in the bowl of water. Set the microwave to cook for three minutes. At the end of three minutes, allow the bowl to sit in the microwave for an additional five minutes. During this time, the steam from the lemon water will loosen up any gunk on walls or the door. Wipe the inside of the microwave clean with a damp cloth. Shine faucets
Rub a lemon slice over the surface of a kitchen or bathroom faucet. The lemon juice will aid in removing calcium deposits. Wipe dry with a soft, microfiber cloth to reveal a shiny faucet. Clean glass surfaces
Fill one-fourth of a spray bottle with water, and add the juice from one lemon. Swish the solution around, and spray glasses surfaces and mirrors. Wipe dry with a microfiber cloth. Clean and sanitize the dishwasher
Lemons are tough on grease. Prior to running a load of dishes through the dishwasher, stick a lemon wedge on a skewer and place it in the utensil compartment. Wash and dry dishes as normal in the dishwasher; observe the sparkle on glasses, stemware and cutlery. Clean and sanitize a wood cutting board
Cut a lemon in half. Sprinkle coarse salt all over a cutting board. Scour the surface of the cutting board with the lemon. Squeeze lemon juice from the lemon, working the salt in circular motions across the board. Let the lemon and salt solution sit for a few minutes before washing the cutting board with hot water. Clean the oven
Fill a baking tray with 1 cup of water. Cut a lemon in half, and squeeze the juice from both halves into the baking tray. Add the lemon peels to the tray too. Set the oven to 250 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. As the temperature rises, the vapors from the baking tray will loosen grease and grime. Remove the baking tray after 30 minutes, allow the oven to cool, and wipe the interior of the oven with a wet sponge. Remove rust
Rub a freshly cut lemon on rusty metal or even a rust stain on fabric. For stubborn stains, sprinkle borax or baking soda on the rust, and scrub with a lemon. Allow the paste to sit for a few moments prior to rinsing or laundering. Degrease pans
Squeeze the juice of a lemon into a frying pan. Place lemon peels in the pan too. Heat the pan on low heat for approximately 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the burner and allow it to cool. Wash the pan by hand to remove any remnants of grease. Clean tiles and grout
Lemon acts as a natural bleaching agent. Squeeze the juice of a lemon directly on grout stains. Scrub the grout with a soft-bristled scrub brush. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a bucket of warm water. Use a mop to wash the grout and tile floor.Clean a cheese grater
Use a lemon to remove soft cheeses and built-up food from a cheese grater. The acid in the lemon acts as a natural degreaser; it also helps to dissolve gunk trapped in tiny holes. Slide the lemon up and down all sides of the grate before rinsing with hot water. Freshen up the fridge
Add slices of lemon to a bowl of water. Place the bowl in the refrigerator. The lemon scent will freshen up the fridge in no time. Refill the bowl with water and fresh lemon slices daily to keep the lemon-fresh scent. Remove stains from containers
Some stains, such as pasta sauce stains, are pretty difficult to remove from containers. But because lemons act as a natural bleaching agent, they're an effective natural cleanser for plastic containers. Cut a lemon in half, and rub the cut side back and forth over the stain. Use a light-duty abrasive sponge to scrub the container and rinse it. Polish furniture
Mix the juice from a lemon with a little mineral oil to create furniture polish. Spray the solution on a microfiber cloth. Use the cloth to put a shine on dull wood furniture. Deodorize the drain
Cut a lemon in half, and pour salt on one side of the lemon. Use the lemon to scrub surface, walls and bottom of the drain. Next, scrub the top and bottom of the drain plug (especially behind the rubber stopper). If the sink has a garbage disposal garbage, toss the lemons in the disposal. Turn on the hot water and run it until the fruit is gone.Clean countertops
Clean and deodorize laminate countertops with lemon. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a spray bottle. Dilute the juice with water. Spray the countertop with the solution and wipe it clean with a sponge. To remove stubborn stains, such as coffee stains, place the lemon directly on the stain and scrub the area. Although lemon juice work well on most surfaces, never use it to clean natural stone countertops; that may effect the appearance and quality of the stone. Clean grill grates
Cut a lemon in half and pour salt on the lemon. Scrub the grates of a grill with the lemon to remove any buildup of gunk and grease. If heavily soiled, use multiple lemons to remove grease. Use a hose to rinse the grates. Lemon juice on windowsills to keep bugs out
Squeeze lemon juice in a straight line on a windowsill. Most insects do not like citrus fruits and will go to extreme lengths to avoid it. If there are cracks in or near the windowsill, squeeze lemon juice in those too.Shine and clean floors
Dilute lemon juice with hot water and wash floors. Remember not to use lemon juice on natural stone flooring as it may effect the quality and finish of the surface. Shine kitchen pots
Spruce up dull pots and pans by scrubbing them with lemons. If stains are stubborn, sprinkle salt on the lemon prior to use. The salt acts as an abrasive scrubbing agent, which is perfect for the bottoms of pots and pans.