Everyone who has ever stood over a sink and scrubbed a dish for what felt like half a lifetime would like to spend fewer of their hours on this Earth doing that.

TikToker Victoria P. (@purelyvictoria) found a way to use lemons and lemon juice to make cleaning greasy pots, pans, and even her cheese grater easier.

@purelyvictoria Who knew lemons cleaned better than sponges? 👀✨ #cleaning #grease #struggles #sahmlife #momlife #cleaninghacks #shiny #kitchenhacks #cleanwithme #dailytips #sponge ♬ Don't I Make It Look Easy - Meghan Trainor

She posted a video of her hack and said, "Who knew lemons cleaned better than sponges?"

The scoop

The hack is about as easy as they come. All you need to do is squeeze some lemon juice onto or into the item you're washing. If you're doing something flat like a cheese grater, you might want to rub the cut-open part of the lemon gently over its surface a few times.

Once you've done that, all you need to do is rinse. A few items might still need a bit of scrubbing, but Victoria says that this makes it so much easier to get the shiny, oil-free clean you want on anything that's going to touch your food.

That said, some experts warn that lemon juice can be so acidic that it can damage some surfaces, so don't let it linger for long if you're using it on anything other than metal to be safe, and consider steering clear completely if you can do some research and find the type of surface you're cleaning is particularly vulnerable to lemon juice, such as some types of stone.

How it's helping

There are so many ways to make your own cleaning products using things you probably already have around the house. These natural cleaning products get things just as clean as the chemical products you can buy at the store, without exposing you and your family to dangerous chemicals, according to the American Lung Association. You'll save money, too, because those store-bought cleaning products, even the supposedly "clean" ones, don't come cheap.

Cleaning products can create plastic waste, too, when you dispose of the bottles they come in. All of these reasons combine to provide motivation for you to find new ways to clean everything from cast iron to moldy water bottle lids. Before long, your home will be safer and you'll be saving money, too.

What everyone's saying

Other TikTokers seemed excited about trying Victoria's hack for themselves.

"Woow thats so shiny! I'm trying it today when I do dishes," one said.

Others offered additional hacks for using lemons in the home. "If your microwave needs cleaning, cut a lemon in half, zap it for a minute and wipe it down. Easiest clean ever," one shared.

"Lemons also get rid of onion smell off of cutting boards," another added.

What motivates you to wash your clothes in cold water? Saves money 💰 Saves energy 🌎 Gentler on clothes 👕 I wash my clothes in hot water 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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