Lemon is a great household cleaning product. It's cheap. It smells great. It's even non-toxic, so it's safe to use around pets and kids. Those are all great reasons to familiarize yourself with its hundreds of uses. So, here are some to get you started.

First of all, lemon is awesome for cleaning certain metals. For example, if you have copper bottomed or stainless steel pots, break out the lemons. Cut them in half and salt one of the halves. Then just rub it on the metal.

The above treatment also works on brass, but not on brass plated objects. Also, lemon can be used to shine up aluminum. Just be sure not to use salt on aluminum.

Another useful cleaning tip is to use lemons to brighten up white shoes. We all know how fast white shoes fade. All you have to do is rub them with lemon juice and put them out in the sun. Once they dry, they should be a lot whiter.

Lemon is also great because it's acidic. That acidity allows it to cut through nor only tough stains, like hard water stains, but also disgusting soap scum. That makes it a great bathroom cleaner. Just fill a spray bottle with lemon juice and start spraying your shower, tub and bathroom sinks. You can even use it on glass shower doors or to freshen up your toilet.

Finally, you can use lemon juice to whiten your laundry, too. Just put half a cup of it into any load that you want to bleach. You'll be surprised at what a difference it makes.