Spring Cleaning With Lemons

WORDS:: Chyka Keebaugh

PHOTOS:: Lisa Atkinson

I really could not be more welcoming of Spring if I tried! 

Sure, I had an extended summer a month ago but coming home to bitterly cold Melbourne has made me crave Spring. Finally, it has sprung! And you all know what that means…Spring cleaning! Whether you love it or hate (I love it!) it has to be done. It’ll set your home, mind & body up for the warmer weather and honestly, is there anything better than a clean, organised home and a plan to keep your body in shape and moving? No. So let’s get to it!

The first port of call in every Spring clean should be your kitchen. Yes, it's the heart of every home and it gets a work out every day of the year, so a few little tricks with one of the most versatile fruits around (yes fruit - you read that right!) will kick start your spring cleaning effort.

Lemon and Salt are a chopping board's best friend! Sprinkle your cutting board with coarse salt then with a half cut lemon, scrub the surface with the cut side down, squeezing juice and rubbing the salt in as you go. Once your board is covered, let it sit for 5-10 minutes then scrape away the excess salt and dirty residue. Give the board a thorough rinse with a clean wet sponge. Bingo! 

Clean your kettle with lemon by just squeezing some lemon juice and throwing some lemon portions into your kettle. Fill the kettle up half way with water and then bring to boil. Allow the liquid to cool and then pour out the lemon mixture. Repeat a couple of times and then wipe the inside and outside of the kettle down with a damp cloth. Simple!

Cleaning the microwave using lemons is so easy. In a measuring bowl, fill it with half a cup of water, slice a lemon in half, squeeze the juice in and then drop the skin in also for extra luck. Microwave the bowl for 3 minutes then let it stand for 5 minutes without opening the door. Once your time is up, wipe out the inside of the microwave.

Happy Spring Cleaning!