Three lemon cleaning hacks that are toxin free and total genius!

Lynsey Crombie, Queen of Clean, reveals all the ways you can use a lemon for eco-friendly cleaning

We all know that lemon is great in cake.... or a gin and tonic (hic!). But did you know that it's also the eco-savvy cleaners best friend? The humble lemon and its juice can be used to tackle all manner of cleaning tasks, and is a safe alternative to toxic chemicals.

Related: These pan cleaning hacks using cola, tin foil and a 2p coin are genius

On last week's This Morning. Queen of Clean Lynsey Crombie described three ways that a little lemon aid can transform your cleaning routine...

Kettle descaling hack with lemon juice

Kitchen with woooden countertop with potted plants and washbasin

(Image credit: Future PLC/Spike Powell)

'I don't like to use chemicals when I'm descaling my kettle,' says Lynsey, who reveals she accidentally once made a frothy hot chocolate, not knowing her husband had put descaler in the kettle. Crikey!

Instead Lynsey pours half a bottle of lemon juice from the cooking aisle in the supermarket into the kettle, fills the rest with water, leaves it for 15-20 minutes to sit, then boils it. Finally, she rinses the kettle, and the job is done.

She also reveals that baby oil on a microfibre cloth is just the thing to bring the shine back to a kettle with a dull stainless-steel finish.

Lemon cleaning hack for microwave ovens

indigo blue walls with lemon in bowl and wooden board

(Image credit: Future PLC/Polly Eltes)

Lynsey likes to pop four pieces lemon into a small microwavable bowl of water, and put it into the microwave for five minutes, with the setting on full power. Then she just takes a cloth and wipes the residue away.

'All the grease and grime falls off with ease – no scrubbing, nothing!' says Lynsey.

Salt and lemon cleaning hack for chopping boards

lemon with wooden cutting board salt and brush

(Image credit: Future PLC/Tim Young)

To clean a dirty chopping board, Lynsey says to sprinkle it with salt, then take half a lemon, squeeze it, and then rub it into the salted board.

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This chemical-free method will bring up the wood beautifully and shifts any dirt. It leaves a lovely odour, too.

Right, we're off to the greengrocer.

Amy Cutmore
Contributor

Amy Cutmore is an experienced interiors editor and writer, who has worked on titles including Ideal Home, Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, GardeningEtc, Top Ten Reviews and Country Life. And she's a winner of the PPA's Digital Content Leader of the Year. A homes journalist for two decades, she has a strong background in technology and appliances, and has a small portfolio of rental properties, so can offer advice to renters and rentees, alike.