We love lemons. The zesty fruit packs a zingy punch in the kitchen and has a whole host of health benefits for our bodies. As well as being a delicious salad topper and water enhancer, lemons have some surprisingly handy uses that are total #lifehacks. We’ve discovered some more awesome uses for lemons, some you might not have tried before!

Clean your kettle
Limescale build-up in kettles is really rather gross! If you haven’t switched to an instant hot-tap (literally the best invention…tea on tap!) then use the power of lemons to naturally descale inside your kettle. Thinly slice one whole lemon and pop it in your kettle with water. Boil twice, allowing for the water to cool for 30 minutes in between and then rinse with cold water after. You’ll practically have a brand new kettle! 

Use as a deodorant
Run out of deodorant and have a workout to get to? Grab a lemon from your kitchen, slice it in half and rub the juice on your armpits! The juice of the lemon is antibacterial and helps remove odour so this is a great quick fix if you’re in a hurry! If you’re interested in a natural deodorant that uses the power of citrus fruits in its formula, then you have to try Aurelia Probiotic Skincare’s Citrus Botanical Cream Deodorant. It smells amazing and is completely natural.

Surface cleaner
Lemons make for a great natural stain remover and if blended with water, bicarbonate and a little lavender oil, you’ve got the perfect surface cleaner that’s gentle on your hands and powerful on tough stains. Next time you see coffee stains on your beautiful quartz worktop, simply reach for this homemade blend and watch it vanish. Plus, you’ll save your pennies as well as reducing your plastic use. 

Brightens your whites
Is it just us or do your whites also turn grey faster than the speed of light? Don’t waste your money on fancy fabric whiteners, reach in your fridge and grab (you guessed it) a lemon! Simply add half a cup (more if it’s a bigger load) to your next batch of whites and see the results for yourself. For particular stubborn dullness, do a presoak in lemon juice and water to give a little extra helping hand.

Wash your fruit and veg
Washing your fruits and veggies with lemon juice is a great way to remove unwanted fertiliser pesticides. Let’s face it, buying organic 100% of the time is often unachievable but by using this handy trick, you can feel reassured that you’ve removed most of the nasty stuff. 

Insect repeller
Sick of being bitten to death by mozzies? Add some lemon juice to your insect repellant, or simply squeeze the juice over wherever you tend to get bitten and enjoy a bite-free holiday! Mosquitos hate the smell of lemons so this a great tip natural solution to keeping them away!

Fake tan fixer
We’ve all done it. Orange elbows, knees and hands from a fake tan sesh is the worst when you’re just about to go away on holiday or heading to a special occasion. Lemons are amazing for brightening so rubbing a lemon half on affected areas will help bleach the orange away. No one will notice a thing!

Read more: The Pollution Solution: 4 Tips To Protect Your Body & Home