SANTA PAULA, CA – It’s no secret that lemons are a key part of many kitchen and DIY beauty routines – but did you know they can lend a hand with sustainability too? With Earth Day rapidly approaching, Limoneira is putting its focus for springtime on making life simpler without investing in chemicals or expensive tools. Limoneira, along with Healthy Grocery Girl® Megan Roosevelt conferred with their team of opinion leaders to bring you ten great ways you can make your home life a bit more sustainable – with lemons! 

Watch Limoneira and Megan’s Earth Day video above, and check out the company’s list of ten tips below for all the best sustainability tips using lemons! 

1. No Pesticides: Keep bugs and pest out of your kitchen without putting harmful pesticides or chemicals near your food and appliances. Apply lemon juice to thresholds, windowsills, floors and cracks where bugs might get in – and then follow up with small bits of lemon peels scattered outside any outdoor entrances.
2. Cleaner Produce: You can use lemons as a natural disinfectant to clean any pesticides from the skins of your other fruits and veggies. Plus, your produce will leave with a lemony scent.
3. Garbage Freshener: If your garbage can is getting a little ripe for your tastes, save leftover lemon peels and toss them in the base of every fresh bag. Repeat every couple of weeks for best results. 
4. DIY Humidifier Cleaner: It’s easy to clean your home humidifier, says Limoneira in its press release. Simply pour 3 to 4 capfuls of fresh lemon juice in the water in your humidifier to clean, with the added effect of a fresh scent!
5. No More Dry Cleaning: Scrub the stained areas on your shirts with equal parts lemon juice and water for a fresh and easy fix. You can also soak your delicates in lemon juice and baking soda for 30 minutes before washing as a natural alternative to chlorine bleach, the company notes.
6. Revitalize Wilting Produce: Add lemon juice to a bowl of cold water, then add soggy lettuce and refrigerate for one hour. Dry the leaves completely and use as desired. Lemon juice can also be used to keep cauliflower white during cooking, and to keep guacamole from going brown.
7. Fresher Fridge-Air: If your fridge is retaining too many smells, dabbing lemon juice on a re-usable sponge and leaving it in the fridge overnight can help.
8. Weeds Be Gone: Lemon juice helps banish weeds from your garden! Limoneira suggests filling a spray bottle with 5 parts lemon, 2 parts water and dousing the weeds until well-coated. The weeds should shrivel within days, according to a press release.
9. Litter Box Woes: Instead of pricey deodorizers for your cat’s litter box, put lemon halves in a bowl flesh side up and leave the bowl in the same box as your litter room (or bathroom)! 
10. Household Cleaner: Create a useful all-purpose cleaner for your kitchen and bathroom by combining equal parts lemon juice and water in a spray bottle. Note however, do not use on wood. For wood polish, mix 1 cup olive oil and ½ a cup of lemon juice and try testing a spot first.

For more tips, tricks, recipes and other ways to incorporate citrus into your every day life, visit Lemons For Life and the company’s Pinterest page. Limoneira can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

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