10 everyday uses for citric acid around the house

One bag of citric acid powder can replace several single-purpose cleaners. Here are ten ways people use it every day.

Citric acid is a mild, food-grade acid that dissolves mineral scale and soap scum. It is odorless and gentle, and a little goes a long way.

Around the kitchen

1. Descale your kettle. Add a tablespoon to a kettle of water, boil it, let it sit for 20 minutes, then rinse well.
2. Clean your coffee maker. Dissolve 1 to 2 tablespoons in a full reservoir, run a cycle, then run two or three cycles of clean water.
3. Freshen your dishwasher. Put a quarter cup in the detergent cup and run an empty hot cycle to clear scale and film.
4. Brighten cloudy glassware. Soak it in warm water with a spoonful of citric acid to remove hard-water haze.
5. Canning and preserving. Many tested canning recipes call for citric acid to make tomatoes safely acidic. Always follow a tested recipe for the amount.

Around the house

1. Remove hard-water stains. Spray a solution of 1 tablespoon per cup of warm water on faucets and shower glass, wait a few minutes, then wipe.
2. Unclog a showerhead. Soak it in a warm citric acid solution for an hour to dissolve mineral buildup.
3. Clean the toilet bowl ring. Sprinkle a few tablespoons into the bowl, let it sit overnight, then scrub and flush.
4. Descale your washing machine. Add a half cup to an empty hot cycle to help clear mineral buildup.
5. Make bath bombs. Mixed with baking soda, citric acid creates the fizz in homemade bath bombs.

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