Some time ago I wrote a post on some money-saving ideas using lemons. I thought I would share more tips that I have since come across. After all, finding little ways to save a little money each day can add up to a pretty nice savings before you know it.

1. Use lemons, save a lettuce! Add the juice of half a lemon to a bowl of cold water. Then put soggy lettuce in it and refrigerate for 1 hour. Make sure to dry the leaves completely before putting them into salads or sandwiches.

2. Get rid of mineral deposits and polish tarnished chrome  without buying expensive cleansers: simply rub lemon rind over the chrome and watch it shine! Rinse well and dry with a soft cloth.

3. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to your dish-washing soap to dissolve grease on dishes and pans.

4. Clean tough food stains on wood and plastic cutting boards by squeezing lemon juice on the stains. Wait 20 minutes then rinse.

5. Use lemons to neutralize odors: Simply cut a lemon in half and place both halves, cut side up in a dish. The air will smell fresher with a lemony scent soon!

6. Use lemons to help remove warts: Just apply a little lemon juice right on the wart. Do this for a few days until the acids in the juice dissolve the wart completely.

7. Got dandruff ? Use lemons to help stop the itch and get rid of flaky dandruff. Massage 2 Tbs. of lemon juice directly on the scalp, then rinse with warm water. Next, mix 1 teaspoon lemon juice in 1 cup water and rinse your hair with it. Repeat this daily until your dandruff disappears. No more itchy scalp, and your hair will smell lemon-fresh.

8. Before spending money on expensive age spot creams, try applying lemon juice directly on the age spots.e Leave on for about 15 minutes, then rinse your face completely. Lemon juice is known to safely and effectively lighten skin spots. 

9. Instead of buying bleach, use 1/4 to 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the rinse cycle to brighter up your favorite whites.

10. Did you know that fleas and roaches hate the scent of lemons? To naturally repel these bugs, mix the juice of 4 lemons (along with the rinds) with 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water and wash your floors with it.

There are endless ways to use lemons around the home it seems. What are your favorite lemon tips?

Got kids? Then you probably have stains! In our house, we have dealt with all kinds of munchkin-inspired stains, from markers on the wall to juice stains on t-shirts. And of course, the stubborn grass stains. I have a few DIY stain tips to share and would love to hear more --if anyone has some to share too?!

1. My budding Picasso, aka my 3 year old son, loves to practice his artistic skills on our walls. What I find works well to remove the marker stains is good old rubbing alcohol. Just dip a clean soft cloth in the rubbing alcohol, and gently buff away the marks.

2. For the spilled fruit juice, a simple trick is to boil some water while the stain is fresh. While the water heats up, gently blot away the the excess juice, then pour the boiling water (carefully!) through the stain to make it disappear.

3. Grass Stains have been my nemesis for a very long time. But of all things, a little meat tenderizer works well at removing those stubborn stains! Just sprinkle meat tenderizer on the stains before laundering the clothes. When the tenderizer mixes with water, it dissolves those stains like magic!

4. For crayon stains on your kids clothes, try a combination of liquid dish soap and WD-40. Put the clothes on a few sheets of paper towels or some other cover to protect your surface, then spray both sides of the stain with it. Next, rub the soap into the stain until the crayon marks are gone. Then toss the clothes in the wash.

5. For dried chocolate stains, try using an iron on low setting. First, scrape off excess chocolate with a butter knife. Then place paper towels over the stain and lightly iron over the stain to lift the chocolate. Then toss the clothing in the wash.