7 Essential Uses for Grapefruit Around the House
Texas red grapefruit is a delicious and healthy treat, but it’s so much more than just a fruit. Did you know you can use grapefruit around the house for a wide range of purposes?
There are plenty of uses for grapefruit and the good folks at Winter Sweetz want to show you how to get started.
Tips for Using Grapefruit Around the Home
Grapefruit in the Kitchen
Since you will be enjoying your Texas red grapefruit in the kitchen, it makes sense to put them to use to clean and freshen up the room. Using Texas red grapefruit can be a great way to start spring cleaning this year.
1. Deodorize the Drain
If you’re dealing with foul smells coming from your kitchen sink, drop the peels from your latest grapefruit snack down the garbage disposal, then run your garbage disposal until it sounds clear.
The oils in the peels will give your sink that lovely citrus scent.
2. Give Your Pans New Life
Everyone has that one pan they hide that’s covered in old grease or burns. Getting all those stains off can take some serious muscle, but you can make this much easier with some fresh red grapefruit juice and some salt.
Sprinkle salt over any greasy spots or burns; coarser salt tends to work best but you can use whatever you have available. Once you’ve spread the salt on, squeeze some grapefruit juice over it and let it soak in for about half an hour.
After that, you’ll find it much easier to tackle the grease with a sponge. If you want to give your pans some shine, rub half a grapefruit over them and wipe them down clean with a cloth.
3. Clean Your Microwave the Easy Way
Microwaves frequently end up with splattered food stuck in the worst places to scrub. You can make this cleaning process a breeze by filling a microwave-safe bowl with water and half a grapefruit.
Set the microwave for three minutes and you’ll find that stains can be removed with ease. You’ll also banish any funky smells that have been lingering. Just be careful with the bowl as it will be full of very hot water.
4. Make a Multi-Purpose Cleaner That Smells Great
Save your used grapefruit leftovers to make a multi-purpose cleaner with just some peels, vinegar, and patience.
Put the peels and vinegar in a tightly sealed jar and leave in a dark place for about a month. After that, just filter out the peels and dilute the solution with some water in a spray bottle for your own citrus cleaner. Use it just like any other multi-purpose cleaner; just give it a good shake before doing so.
Be aware, however, while it won’t sanitize your counters, the mix will keep them clean.
Grapefruit in the Bathroom
You can also use grapefruit to make spring cleaning around the house and bathroom much easier. There are plenty of great ways to do this, but here are some of our favorite uses for Texas red grapefruit besides enjoying their delicious flavor.
5. Scrub the Tub
Scrubbing down the stains in your tub can be a massive pain. Thankfully, grapefruit’s natural pH level can make this chore much easier on you.
Take half a grapefruit and cover it with about ¼ cup of kosher salt. This should make lifting stains much easier, just be sure to rinse with warm water once you’re done.
6. Tackle Mold and Mildew
Grapefruit and vinegar can make it easy to clean up stubborn mold. Mix up half a cup of grapefruit juice, a cup of vinegar, and half a cup of borax in a spray bottle. Spray all the mildew and moldy spots you can see and leave them alone for about an hour.
Following the wait, the stains should come off easily with a damp sponge. As a bonus, this can help kill mold and mildew so it doesn’t reappear.
Citrus for Laundry and Fabric
Did you know that grapefruit can also be used to help clean your clothes and upholstery? Just be sure to test it in an inconspicuous spot before you go to town cleaning your laundry and furniture fabric.
7. Stain Remover
A paste made with grapefruit juice and baking soda can lift tough stains quite easily.
Spread the paste over any stains on your fabric furniture or clothing and leave it for half an hour. You can then toss the clothing in the washer as normal or use a damp cloth to rinse the spot and lift the stain.
Order Grapefruit Online and Discover Your New Favorite Fruit
Even with all these amazing household benefits, Texas red grapefruit like our Winter Sweetz is sure to win you over with its unbelievably sweet flavor.
Order a box online or ask your grocer to stock them today!