Why You Should Start Cleaning Your Cheese Grater With A Lemon
If you are a person who loves to cook but hates to clean afterwards, this one's for you. Whether you are a novice or a pro chef, you more than likely have several kitchen gadgets necessary for a meal. The cheese grater is one of those kitchen staples that helps with shredding foods into finer pieces (fruits, vegetables, and the most obvious, cheese).
A cheese grater is an extremely versatile utensil, which is why it can be the biggest pain in the neck to clean. Food can easily get stuck in the minuscule holes and shred your sponge while trying to get out the gunk. If this is a scenario that you can relate too, then we have a simple solution that is one drawer away.
A lemon, another kitchen staple ingredient, can solve the toughest cheese grater problems. According to Southern Living, lemons are naturally astringent. The acidic level of the fruit forces a decrease in oil production, which makes for a great cleaning hack. That's why many people may also use lemons as a facial cleanser (via Healthline).
How to actually use the lemon
In order to get maximum usage out of the lemon, cut the fruit in half or smaller wedges. Then, The Kitchn recommends running the pulp side over the grater's holes — even if it seems like the messier option. Make sure to wait a bit for the lemon juice to sit and the acidity to cut through leftover food.
After some time has passed, run the appliance under extremely hot water and voila! You have a perfectly clean cheese grater that should rinse the excess gunk right out. If the metal still looks a bit dirty, scrub the lemon again while under the hot water.
Real Homes explains that drizzling dish soap over the grater before scrubbing the lemon can quicken the process, as well. Trust us, this simple cleaning hack will make your life so much easier. When life gives you lemons, you can top off your pasta dish without worrying about the cleanup after.