CITRUS SEASON - Uses for surplus citrus crops

Lemon juice has many uses, from culinary to medicinal. Lemons are used all over the world in desserts, drinks, sauces, dips, and as a garnish for meat and fish dishes. Lemon juice is a natural cleaner and stain remover. Lemon oil provides the fragrance for perfumes, soaps, and skin creams.

It has been proven though research that placing sliced lemons next to your bed at night can help improve respiratory concerns, air quality and sleep.

Lemon Juice Prevents Your Fruits and Vegetables From Turning Brown

A few squeezes of juice can do wonders for avocados, apples, bananas, and peeled raw

potatoes, since lemon juice is just acidic enough to prevent the oxidation that turns produce

brown. According to past research, this happens because of ascorbic acid. “It’s found in all citrus

fruits, including lemons, and helps keep other fruits and vegetables fresh by preventing

browning. It does this by interfering with oxidation, the enzymatic reaction that occurs when the

inside of an apple or potato, for example, is exposed to oxygen.” To keep apples from browning,

mix 1 tablespoon (tbsp) of lemon juice per 1 cup of water and soak the slices for about five

minutes before rinsing. “This will prevent browning for about three hours if kept in a sealed

container and will have minimal impact on the flavour of the apple,” Clark-Hibbs says. For other

fruits and veggies, the amount of lemon juice to use without turning food sour depends on the

food and how long you’re trying to preserve it. In general, brushing or sprinkling the cut fruit

with about 1 teaspoon (tsp) of lemon juice should do the trick. Try this next time you’re doing

meal prep ahead of time or when you set out a platter of fresh sliced fruit.

Lemon Juice Helps You Avoid Sticky Rice

Have a problem with clumpy rice? You’re in luck — adding a few drops of lemon juice to your cooking water helps prevent the rice from sticking together. Clark-Hibbs points out a study

published in July 2019 in Food Research International that shows that ascorbic acid helps improve

the texture and stickiness of aged rice, which is a rice that has been kept dry for one or more

years and tends to be stickier than fresh rice. The evidence that this works on fresh rice is more

anecdotal than scientific. “Still, many cultures use a few drops of lemon juice (about ¼ tsp) in

their rice cooking water to promote light, fluffy, and bright white rice granules,” Clark-Hibbs says.

Lemon Peel Keeps Brown Sugar Soft — and Saves You the Sifting

The juice isn’t the only useful part of the lemon; its super moist and flavourful peel can work

wonders in the kitchen, too. Add a slice of the skin (with the pulp completely removed) to your

box of brown sugar to keep it from clumping and hardening. “The molasses in brown sugar will

evaporate over time, leading to dryness. The lemon peel can add some moisture and oils to help keep your brown sugar soft and slow the speed at which it may harden. This way, you won’t

have to do any sifting the next time you make a batch of cookies.

Lemon Juice Helps You Cook Perfectly Hard-Boiled Eggs

Try brushing the eggshells with lemon juice before adding them to the pot for a little added

insurance that the shells won’t crack. This one is an anecdotal hack rather than one that has a

study supporting it, Rifkin says, but if you’re constantly dealing with shells that break before

you’re ready for them to, it’s worth a try. Apply this technique before you enjoy the eggs in

our Healthy Deviled Eggs Recipe.

Lemon Juice Can Promote Healthy Skin

Lemon benefits extend to your beauty regimen too. “Your skin can benefit from lemons

since research shows the vitamin C in lemons promotes collagen synthesis,” Sackmann says.

“Adding lemon juice to your water [when washing your face] promotes hydration, gives a boost

of vitamin C, and helps fight inflammation, which may benefit your skin health.” That’s why you

may spot lemon as an ingredient in skin-care products.

Lemon Juice Tenderises Meat and Makes It Even Tastier

Lemon juice is a great meat tenderizer; the acidity gently breaks down the protein fibers in meat,

according to Science Learning Hub. That leaves it scrumptiously fork-tender. “You can simply

coat a piece of meat with lemon juice for at least one hour before cooking to improve

tenderness,” Rifkin says. “You will want to coat the meat pretty well, so you may need the juice of

one whole lemon per pound of meat.” The longer the meat sits with the lemon juice, the more

likely it is to tenderize, she says. Taste the difference next time you cook a steak on your grill.

Lemon Juice Enhances the Flavour of Your Food — No Need to Add Salt

A little bit of lemon can totally transform a meal, brightening up creamier dishes and balancing

the flavour in seafood. “The acidic quality of lemon juice brightens up everything it touches,”Sackmann says. Clark-Hibbs adds that it also works well in enhancing bitter or sweet flavours. It

packs so much flavour that it also works as a sodium-free substitute for salt, says Lawrence. This

is perfect for those with high blood pressure and anyone looking to cook healthier dishes

without sacrificing flavour.

Lemon Juice Is an Everyday House Cleaner

The acid in lemon has an antimicrobial effect, which makes it a natural cleanser. “To create a

cleaning solution, combine 2 tbsp of lemon juice with 1 cup of water,” Rifkin says. “You can also

add a tbsp or 2 of vinegar for extra cleaning power.” Use this solution to clean cutting boards,

windows, stovetops, and some countertops. Be careful around certain materials, such as a

marble countertop, though. “The acid in lemon can damage some materials,” Rifkin says. Clark-

Hobbs also likes to use lemons to clean the microwave or oven, where food and grease build up

over time. “Place a single lemon wedge in a bowl of water, heat it up until the water is hot or

boiling, then let it sit for a few minutes,” she says. “This will make wiping out either the

microwave or the oven very easy. Plus, it will help eliminate any unwanted odours, leaving your

kitchen smelling fresh and clean.”

Lemon Juice Can Repair Your Hair

You may be familiar with using lemon juice to lighten your hair, though that’s not recommended

because it can lead to damage. But it can be used in other hair products, such as shampoo, in

other ways. Citric acid opens up the hair cuticle, which allows for deeper penetration. That’s why

lemons may be used to correct hair styling goof-ups, such as to wash out wax or hair colouring.

Lemon juice has a wealth of uses in cooking and cocktail-making, but this mighty citrus is also one of the best natural cleaners, stain and odour destroyers you'll find. When it comes to spring cleaning without the use of harsh toxins and chemical cleaners, lemon juice is a versatile, abundant and inexpensive option. The citric acid in lemons both kills germs and removes mould, while the oil in lemon peels can cut through grease and other substances. If you have access to a supply of lemons, give these household cleaning hacks a try.

For more home tips, learn the secret ingredient for cleaning scorched cast-iron cookware or check out simple hacks for lowering your electric, gas and water bills this fall.

Here are seven ways to use lemons to ace your spring cleaning this year.

Make Your Shower Door Shine

Glass shower doors are like magnets for hard water stains and stubborn soap scum. Use a lemon to help you scrub them clean! Dip half a lemon into a small dish of kosher salt, and get scrubbing. Then stand back and admire the shine!

Freshen up your garbage disposal

If there's a funky smell coming from your kitchen sink, try throwing a few lemon wedges or peels into the

disposal and chase them with some cold water. For particularly potent odors, add some baking soda to the mix.

Get stains out of sheets and pillowcases

Has a set-in stain ruined your linens? Treat them with a mixture of lemon juice and salt and let sit for 30

minutes. Rinse with warm water and vinegar and then let it dry in the sun. Repeat as needed. (This technique is also good for sweat stains on shirts.) If your white sheets have gotten dingy, you can also use lemons to restore their brightness. Fill a large pot with water and add some lemon slices, then bring it to a boil. After you turn off the heat, add in the sheets and let it soak for a good hour. Then launder your linens as you normally would.

Clean chrome faucets and fixtures

Even if they're not dirty, chrome fixtures can lose their luster due to hard water stains, limescale and soap scum. To bring back their brightness, cut a lemon in half and run it over the faucet, handles, drain and any other metal surfaces. When you're done, rinse and dry thoroughly.

Polish brass and copper

Coat half a lemon with coarse salt, then rub it over tarnished pots, cabinet pulls and other metal items. (Make sure they're not varnished, though.) When you're done, wipe it down with a damp cloth, followed by a pat down with a soft, dry cloth. You can also give wood furniture new life with a two-to-one solution of olive oil and lemon juice.

Kill weeds in your garden or yard

If you're not thrilled at the idea of keeping harsh chemicals in reach of children or pets, a little lemon juice can serve as a functional weed killer. Be careful how much you use and where you apply it, as the acidity in the lemons can damage plants you want to save and even change the pH of the soil.

Remove stains from your plastic containers

If you've ever put spaghetti in a plastic container, you know how easily tomato sauce can leave an unappealing tinge. Rather than throw it out, fill the container to the top with lemon juice and let it sit for a few hours.

7 AMAZING WAYS TO USE UP EXCESS CITRUS

Freeze them

Did you know most citrus freezes really well, lasts months and can be frozen in various ways? The most

obvious is to squeeze the juice into ice cube trays to be used later to add a burst of flavour to sparkling water, tea or cocktails. If you want an extra punch of flavour, you can freeze fresh wedges and herbs in water to make delicious and refreshing fusions - we particularly love combining orange and thyme or lemon and mint. And, if you simply can’t be bothered with the preparation, you can stick the fruit straight in the freezer whole and defrost at a later date. The peel won’t be usable, but the juice will be just fine - how great is that!

Turn into air freshener

There’s a reason many air fresheners have citrus notes; the aromas are a welcome addition to any space! Instead of buying plastic air freshener bottles or spending a fortune on fancy glass diffusers, you can create your own air freshener in a few simple steps. The fastest method involves filling a small bowl with water before adding slices of lime, grapefruit or any other citrus to freshen the air naturally. If you want to get a bit fancier, you can simmer ingredients like orange peel, star anise and cinnamon in a pot of water before pouring the steeped liquid into a spray bottle to use whenever an area needs a burst of freshness.

Use as a fire starter

This one is a little left of field, but stick with us! It may come as a surprise, but the oils inside citrus skins are highly combustible, making the peel an excellent fire starter. If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace or backyard fire at home and want to test this natural method for yourself, read on! Before attempting, you’ll need to dry out the peels on top of your fireplace or in a low oven until they are hard and crispy. From here, you can stack your fire with kindling and spread the peels throughout. All that remains is to set the peels on fire and then enjoy the lovely fragrance as the fire starts to catch.

Make a body scrub

Citrus scrubs are a handy and nourishing beauty product to have in your bathroom. With the addition of a ribbon or cute label, they also make great gifts! Best of all, scrubs are super simple to make and are an excellent way to use up the full spectrum of citrus fruits. The rule of thumb is to combine the juice of one large fruit or two small, ½ a cup of sugar and ¼ cup of coconut oil. Add the juice to a bowl containing the sugar before mixing in coconut oil. You can even add some zest throughout the mixture or as a garnish on top. Decant into a little jar, and voila - a homemade scrub ready for your hands and body.

Make a candied peel

Scrap the packet lollies and turn bitter skins into delicious sweets! This hack works for oranges, lemons, limes and even grapefruit. The process varies from recipe to recipe but generally involves the following four steps:

1. Separating the peel from the fruit

2. Slicing thinly

3. Simmering in a simple syrup

4. Tossing in sugar and drying

There are various methods for different fruits (e.g. thick grapefruit skins require a few additional steps), so have a quick Google and see which is best for you and your harvest. We also highly recommend dipping the candied

peel into chocolate - thank us later!

Donate excess citrus

There is no shortage of households in need of fresh produce, so consider donating part of your harvest to a worthy cause. Look for local community organisations or food banks that work directly with people

experiencing food insecurity. For those in Melbourne, there’s our community preserving program where we take donated produce and turn it into yummy preserves - a portion of which returns to the grower, another which is donated to food banks, and the remainder is sold in our shop to keep the program financially viable. Donating produce is a great, simple way to reduce your food waste while helping a good cause.

Make tasty creations with a high citrus content

Rather than a dash of lime here and an orange segment there, focus your cooking efforts on foods that are full to the brim with citrus! Here are some of our fave ideas -

• Cordial: Use up tonnes of your citrus by combining the juice with sugar, citric acid and water. You

can use lemons, lime, grapefruit, orange and even mandarins as a base!

• Margaritas: If you have bulk limes, lucky you! They’re a key ingredient in classic margaritas, so

squeeze all fruit into a bottle and keep the drinks flowing all night.

• Roasted kumquats: Aside from making a delicious marmalade, these mini fruits can be sliced up

thin, roasted and then added to a multitude of dishes, skin and all! We like them in cakes, on salads

and with chicken.

• Preserved lemons: Preserve up to 10 lemons (or limes, for that matter) at a time and three weeks

later, they’ll be ready for use in salad dressing, couscous, on seafood and much more!• Citrus curd: You can make an amazing zesty condiment with lemons, limes, grapefruit, mandarins, oranges and even kumquats! Once preserved, the possibilities are endless - enjoy on scones, waffles, crepes and yoghurt, or add the curd to your cakes, tarts and icing. You could also eat it straight from the jar, no judgement here!

• Tarts and cakes: Queen of baking, Nigella Lawson, has some excellent sweet recipes that use four

fruits at a time. Our Preserving Coordinator and qualified pastry chef, Felicity, can’t go past

her clementine cake or bitter citrus tart.