Cleaning with Lemons

Lemons are best used fresh in slices stuck into the neck of a bottle of Miller but for more sober moments, I like to keep a bag of whole lemons in the freezer. I buy them when on offer and just put them in a ziplock bag and into the freezer. To defrost, just put into a cup of boiling water and it'll be ready to use in 15 minutes or so.

I use my defrosted lemons mainly for cleaning surfaces. Simply squeeze the lemon into a plastic container and add warm water. Floating pips for decoration. You could spread out the remains of the lemon and rub directly onto the surface you are cleaning. I cleaned my kitchen work tops and the high chair top with lemon juice and water this morning and they look superb. It leaves a nice neutral smell and it's so much better to prepare food on a surface that you haven't sprayed with a harsh cleaner. I do use disinfectant sprays, mainly around the sink area, but never on the high chair. I don't have any illusions that lemon is a great killer of bacteria so I do take care to use something stronger after dealing with raw meat.

Medicinal Plants to Grow at Home

As young children myself and my sister spent hours playing, what we called, Mucky Crumby. This was basically collecting muck, flowers, leaves, stones and other garden debris and making into little meals and mixtures. Somewhere buried in the backgarden of the house we moved from when I was six is a lucozade bottle filled with water and mashed up sloes in my attempt to make a some sort of an elixir.

This delight in making potions and lotions never left me and it really pleases me to add medicinal plants to my collection. Here are some plants I am growing at home that can be used as natural cures for an array of complaints.

1. Plants To Reduce Stress

Lavender

Possibly one of the most recognised floral scents, lavender is synonymous with encouraging better sleep. It produces calming, sedative effects when inhaled.

The lavender plant is quite hardy and will withstand dry conditions but a good watering before the flowering season will promote healthy blooms. It spreads, so don't restrict it too much. Place it in a sunny spot as it will not thrive without 6-8 hours of sunshine a day.

Harvest the flowers just before they come into bloom (late June-July) and to maximise the scent, collect in the very early morning. Cut the flowers at the base of the stem and tie into bunches. To retain as much colour as possible, hang in a dark place that is dry, with low humidity. A garage or shed would be ideal. You want to dry them gently. Keep space between the bunches so the air can circulate. The process can take up to a month. You can dry them quickly in the sun, but the purple colour will fade.

To lift your mood, try a homemade lavender tea. Place 1 tsp of dried lavender leaves in a cup and cover with freshly boiled water.  Leave to steep for three minutes and drain before drinking. It can be sweetened with honey.

2. Plants for Cuts, Grazes and Minor Burns

Aloe Vera

Aloe can be grown easily as a house plant. It is a succulent plant, which retains water in its leaves, so it doesn't need too much watering, particularly in winter. It likes a warm, bright location but not totally direct sunshine.

If you break the tip of a leaf off, you will be able to squeeze out the thick green gel from inside the plant. Apply the cool gel directly to a minor burn or graze. Equally you can use like a compress by slitting the leaf down the rib, open it out like a book and apply it, gel side down, straight onto the burn.

I recently used aloe vera on a graze on my toddler's head, and it was gone the next day. Maybe it was his small-child powers of healing the countless bumps he gets but I like to think my efforts helped.

Onion

Onions contain sulphur and quercetin (an anti-oxidant that has anti-inflammatory properties) which help sooth the pain and heal the burn. To help prevent a blister forming, finely dice a raw onion and apply to the burn, wrapping in a bandage to secure.

Sore Throats and Colds

Onion

Another use for onion is to help sooth an irritated throat. You can make a simple cough syrup using raw onion and honey. Make in small batches as it only lasts a few days. Simply add half a chopped raw onion to a clean jar, add enough honey to cover the onion and store in the fridge. Eat a two spoonfuls every few hours.

Garlic

The pungent aroma alone is a great decongestant when you are suffering with a head cold and garlic is also reported to have anti-viral and antibiotic powers. If you are partial to garlic, try eating a whole raw clove a few times a day until the cold passes. A gentler way of ingesting might be to mince the clove and spread on buttered toast, creating a simple garlic bread.

Indigestion

Raw potato

I can attest to this one too. Chew a small cube of raw potato to fight indigestion. Not the nicest texture to invite into your mouth but it does the job, quickly.

So there you have it, a few simple remedies for common complaints.

Homemade Wooden Floor Cleaner

I tried out this simple potion and it worked wonders for my wooden floor [albeit cheap laminate].

    

Mix:

500g washing soda

100g baking soda

Small squirt washing up liquid

200ml vinegar

7 litres of very hot water.

Don't get worried when it starts to fizz - it won't explode! You could add some scented essence to give it a nice smell.

Before

After

Natural Remedies for Colds

Since I’ve come down with a sore throat and headcold a few days ago, it reminded me to pull out some natural remedy guides I have resting on the book shelf, waiting to be needed:

Natural Remedies by Melissa Corkhill

1001 Home Remedies & Natural Cures by Esme Floyd

Here are a few easy tips:

1. Honey and Onion Syrup

Recommended for a sore throat

Add half a chopped peeled onion to a jar of honey and seal for three days (you could finely chop the onion and put through a garlic press for a smoother blend)

Take a teaspoon of the onion honey every few hours to reduce the severity of a sore throat.

2. Cinnamon and Milk

Stir a pinch of cinnamon into a glass of hot milk and add some cayenne pepper.

Drink to reduce discomfort in the throat

3. Chili, Cinnamon and Ginger Tea

Infuse half a teaspoon of chopped red chili pepper, half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a teaspoon of crushed fresh ginger in a cup of hot water.

Sweeten with honey and add lemon juice for flavour.