Homeowner shares simple method for turning old lemons into powerful cleaner: 'Great idea'

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When life leaves you with wrung-out lemon halves after making lemonade, make a DIY cleaner. 

At least, that is the philosophy of one savvy homeowner who recently shared her sustainable hack for making lemon-scented disinfectant at home.

@projectwhim When the brain ain't working, we just commit and post it anyway. Turn your leftover squeezed LEMON HALVES into a powerful and eco-friendly cleaner! 🍋✨ This easy DIY lemon cleaner is made with just lemon rindS AND white vinegar. Perfect for freshening up your kitchen and cutting down on waste. #Lemon #diycleaner #ecofriendlycleaning #NaturalCleaner #ZeroWasteLiving #HomemadeCleaner #homesteading #sustainableliving #nontoxiccleaning ♬ Coffee and Chords - ya-su

The scoop

In a recent TikTok, Amanda (@projectwhim) suggested that, instead of discarding squeezed lemons, add the spent halves to a mason jar and fill it with white vinegar to create an easy, non-toxic cleaner.

"I store mine under the sink for about two weeks, then you can transfer to a spray bottle," she said in the video.

Most cleaning experts recommend diluting a vinegar solution with distilled water at a 1:1 ratio when using it as a spray cleaner. According to The Spruce, vinegar-based cleaners are highly effective at tackling molds, grease, bacteria, and many household surface stains.

It's worth noting that you want to avoid cleaning with vinegar on any stone surfaces, metal, hardwood floors, or appliances with rubber seals. This means avoiding cleaning marble and stone countertops, stainless steel appliances, wooden floors, and around your fridge or oven door seal with vinegar. According to Consumer Reports, vinegar can corrode or eat away at these particular surfaces. 

Instead, vinegar is best suited for cleaning glass, plastic, coffee makers, showerheads, showers, and other more resilient surfaces.

How it's helping

Amanda's DIY hack not only repurposes what would otherwise be considered food waste but also helps reduce reliance on harsh chemical cleaners. Many commercial cleaning products contain toxic chemicals and synthetic fragrances that can negatively impact indoor air quality and pollute waterways when rinsed down the drain. Homemade vinegar cleaners offer a non-toxic alternative that's safer for both human health and ecosystems. 

Plus, the swap can save money, too. Making your own natural cleaner allows you to skip buying cleaner from the store. That's a win for your wallet and the planet. Swapping single-use plastic bottles of commercial cleaner for a reusable bottle of homemade cleaner helps cut down on plastic waste. Plastic is one of the largest sources of planet-heating pollution globally, making any reduction in consumption worth celebrating.

Simple sustainable swaps, like Amanda's DIY cleaning solution, also promote circular thinking and conscious consumption — core principles of a low-waste lifestyle. Repurposing and reusing so-called "waste" may seem like a small act. But when compounded, these small acts can create a meaningful environmental impact.

Do you worry about having toxic forever chemicals in your home? Majorly 😥 Sometimes 😟 Not really 😐 I don't know enough about them 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

What everyone's saying

Amanda's cleaner hack quickly sparked interest among TikTok users, with many viewers eager to try the low-waste and low-cost cleaning solution in their own homes.

"I have to try with my lemons," one commenter wrote. "Great idea."

"It works with oranges too," another commenter added.

Other TikTokers chimed in with other creative ways to repurpose spent lemons for a cleaner home.

One commenter wrote, "I cut [the lemon halves] into smaller pieces and throw them in my garbage disposal to help clean, deodorize, and disinfect."

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