By Gaye Levy
Contributing writer for Wake Up World
When someone mentions the word “Lemon”, I immediately think “fresh, clean and pure”. There is simply something about lemons that evokes an overall feeling of wellness and goodness. This might come from my memories of being given a lemon to hold and to smell when I suffered the occasional childhood illness.
Using lemons for health and home is nothing new, since back in ancient times, lemons were used to help heal a variety of ailments. It has been suggested that the Romans used lemons and lemon rinds to fight off disease as well as to ward off insects, uplift moods and even freshen clothes.
In modern times we have lemon essential oil which is a concentration of oils that have been cold pressed from the rind of fresh lemons. Pure lemon essential oil is pale yellow in color and has the aroma of freshly peeled fruit. It’s fresh, clean scent activates the body and the mind and serves as a powerful anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and antiseptic.
Today I list some of the terrific if not awesome uses for lemon essential oil, loosely organized by category. Some of these you may know about but others might be new. You might find a surprise or two here.
33 Awesome Uses of Lemon Essential Oil for Home and Health
Health & Healing
1. Soothe Sore Throat: Add 2-3 drops of lemon oil to hot tea, or drink it with warm water and honey to help soothe a sore throat.
2. Coughs, Colds & General Congestion: Rub a few drops of lemon oil on your chest and/or throat when you feel congested. Repeat several times daily. (You can also diffuse lemon oil into the air for help with respiratory problems.
3. Stop a Runny Nose: Use a little carrier oil and a drop of lemon oil in the palm of your hand. Get your fingertip wet and swipe each side of your nose. This really works!
4. Treat Allergies & Hay Fever: Apply a drop of lemon oil behind the ear or under the nose 2-3 times a day to help fight seasonal allergies. Alternately apply to the bottoms of your feet.
5. Energy Booster: Add a couple of drops of both lemon and peppermint essential oils to water for an instant boost in energy.
6. Sanitize Your Toothbrush: Put a drop of lemon oil on your toothbrush then swish it around in a bit of water to immediately clean and sanitize it.
7. Bad Breath: Place 4 drops of lemon oil in 4 ounces of warm water and gargle to get rid of bad breath.
8. Treat Acne: Apply three drops of lemon essential oil to a cotton ball and swipe onto the affected area, repeating up to three times a day.
9. Fight Fatigue: Moisten a cloth with five drops of lemon essential oil and hold directly underneath your nose. Breathe in the scent for at least two minutes.
10. Stress Relief: Add ten to fifteen drops of essential lemon oil to your bath water and soak for at least fifteen minutes.
11. Treat Minor Wounds: Essential lemon oil is a natural antiseptic. Place five drops of lemon essential oil in a bowl of three ounces of water. Wipe the wound with a sterilized cloth or pad that has been dipped into the mixture. Continue this process until the wound appears clean.
12. Remove Callouses, Corns and Warts: Apply a drop of Lemon undiluted, twice a day until they go away.
13. Heal Canker Sores: Add a drop of Lemon to a shot glass of water and swish around the mouth for several minutes to alleviate canker sores.
14. Relieve Cold Sores & Fever Blisters: Dab a drop of lemon oil on the cold sore 2 to 3 times daily. If the lemon oil stings, dilute first with a bit of coconut oil or olive oil.
15. Control Psoriasis: Using a roller ball, apply lemon oil to the affected area 2 to 3 times a day. For an extra boost, top with DIY Miracle Healing Salve, rubbing it in lightly.
16. Clear Up Nail Fungus: Apply a few drops of lemon oil to the affected nail several times a day. Continue until the nail fungus clears up. Note: This may take a few months.
17. Skin Brightener: Brighten a dull complexion by adding a drop of lemon oil to your daily moisturizer. Be sure to follow-up with a sunscreen since lemon oil (and all citrus oils) increase photosensitivity.
18. Improve Mental Clarity: Diffuse lemon in your work or study space to improve mental accuracy and concentration.
Household
19. Glass Cleaner: Add lemon oil to a spray bottle filled with water and use as a glass cleaner. This will even clean the hard water spots and soap scum off of a glass shower door!
20. Clean and Sanitize Toilet Bowls: Add a few drops of lemon oil along with baking soda to clean and sanitize your toilet bowl.
21. Disinfect Cutting Boards and Kitchen Surfaces: Rub a few drops of lemon oil on cutting boards and other kitchen surfaces to disinfect and sanitize.
22. Kill Germs: To kill germs, soak kitchen cloths and household rags overnight in a bowl of water with a drop or two of lemon oil.
23. Air Freshener: A few drops of lemon essential oil added to a spray bottle filled with water makes an all-natural air freshener. Better yet, add 8 drops to a diffuser and let the wonderful smell clean and freshen the air.
24. Remove Odors: A drop or two will remove odors. For example, you can put lemon oil on a cotton ball and stuff into stinky shoes or add a few drops to a diaper pail.
25. Freshen Laundry: Add a few drops to your DIY homemade laundry soap or add a drop to the final rinse cycle to freshen up your laundry. This will also leave your washer smelling nice.
26. Degreaser: Lemon oil will remove grease and grime from yours hands, as well as tools, dishes, and household items. It will also remove tree sap and the residue left behind from glues and labels.
27. Wood Cleaner: A few drops of lemon oil added to some olive oil creates a non-toxic wood cleaner and furniture polish.
Outdoors
28. Mosquito Repellent: Mix lemon oil with a carrier oil (such as coconut oil) and run over your skin to repel mosquitos who hate the smell.
29. Heal Insect Bites: Apply two drops directly to the bite and lightly rub. Do this two to three times during the day.
30. Hand Sanitizer: Rub a drop of Lemon oil on your hands after using a public bathroom to sanitize your hands.
Food & Water
31. Improve the Taste of Water: Add a drop or two of lemon oil to your glass of water to improve the taste.
32. Flavor Enhancer: Add a drop or two of lemon essential oil to bland food to liven it up. Make sure you are using therapeutic grade lemon oil. You will know this by the supplement information on the label.
33. Prolong Shelf-Life of Fresh Produce: Fill a bowl with cold water, add 2–3 drops of Lemon oil. Drop cleaned fruit into the water, coating all surfaces. This will extend the shelf life of fresh produce.
Precautions
Lemon oil can make your skin more sensitive to the sunlight. So, if you apply lemon oil directly to your skin, stay out of direct sunlight for at least 8 hours and use a sunscreen before venturing outdoors.
Also note that although lemon essential oil is non-toxic, some individuals will find that it can cause skin irritation. This is true of any essential oil. If that happens, or if you are concerned, dilute the lemon oil in a carrier oil such as coconut oil, Plain Ole’ Salve, or another carrier oil of choice.
The Final Word
The nice thing about essential oils is that a little goes a long way. Not only that, if kept cool, dark place and they will keep for years. I say this because at first, the cost for a small bottle may seen pricey but the reality is that when compared with over-the-counter remedies and toxic household cleaners, the cost is nominal.
It goes without saying that not all essential oils are created equal. You want to purchase a pure, 100% essential oil and not an oil that is premixed with artificial or chemical derivatives. They can be used both topically and internally, if that is your choice. That said, there are many fine brands and the nice thing about lemon essential oil is that is eminently affordable.
Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye
Further articles by Gaye Levy:
- Survival Medicine: Insect Bits and Stings
- Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew
- Cooking Lessons from the Great Depression
- Six Ways to Get Ready for Going Off-Grid
- DIY Miracle Healing Salve
- The Powerful Healing Qualities of Rosemary Essential Oil
- 15 Alternative Uses for Honey
- Vermiculture: How To Build A Worm Bin the Cheap and Easy Way
- Spices for the Survival Pantry
- 21 Home Remedies for a Toothache Emergency
- The Miracle of Tea Tree Oil: 80 Amazing Uses for Survival
- 10 Simple Steps Toward Self-Sufficiency
- Creating a Healing Garden: 9 Healing Herbs You Can Grow Yourself
About the author:
Gaye Levy, also known as the Survival Woman, grew up and attended school in the Greater Seattle area. After spending many years as an executive in the software industry, she started a specialized accounting practice offering contract CFO work to emerging high tech and service industries. She has now abandoned city life and has moved to a serenely beautiful rural area on an island in NW Washington State.
Through her website at BackdoorSurvival.com, Gaye lives and teaches the principles of a sustainable and self-reliant lifestyle, speaking her mind and delivering her message of prepping with optimism and grace, regardless of the uncertain times and mayhem swirling around us. Gaye is also the author of 2 kindle books, The Prepper’s Guide to Food Storage and 11 Steps to Living a Strategic Life, available now on Amazon.com
You can find Gaye through her website BackdoorSurvival.com, on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
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