Lemons are a kitchen essential in many homes and can be used for a variety of purposes. Whether you prefer to add a slice to a glass of water or squeeze some juice into a vinaigrette, the citrus is also great for .

An effective cleaner thanks to the citric acid that helps to kill bacteria and remove stains, there are a number of ways lemons can be used for cleaning in the kitchen. From to cleaning sinks and microwaves. But if your lemons have gone off, they won't be very useful for or cleaning, as when lemons go bad, the citric acid concentration generally decreases. Knowing how to properly store them can prevent this from happening, ensuring they stay fresh for longer.

It's likely you keep your lemons in a fruit bowl along with other bits of fruit, but this could be causing them to go bad. As fruits ripen, especially apples and bananas, they release ethylene gas, which can speed up the ripening process of lemons too.

Lemons should be stored away from other fruits to avoid ripening too quickly, and ideally, they should be kept in the fridge in the crisper drawer, which is specifically designed to prolong the lifespan of fresh produce.

But instead of simply chucking them into the drawer, it's advised to keep them in a sealed bag, as this also helps to retain the fruit's moisture.

Storing lemons using this method will help them last even longer, meaning you can hold onto them anywhere from three weeks to one month, according to .

If you want to keep them for even longer, especially if you're getting through lots of lemons, you can also consider freezing them whole or cutting them into slices.

Once frozen, they'll last for up to four months, and you can also freeze lemon juice using ice cube trays, simply boiling them when you need to use them and adding them to sauces or dressings.