16 Interesting Ideas for What to Do With Limes

Limes are a popular fruit for recipes and drinks, but did you know that they offer health benefits too? Wondering what to do with limes around your home? Well, they’re a versatile fruit. There are many different uses for limes, including some unexpected ones.

These different techniques are all ways to take advantage of the properties of limes. Many approaches only rely on one or two limes, so you don’t need a large supply of the fruit.

Limes in Food and Drinks

Lime juice is a very common addition to recipes. Whole limes are often used too.

Limes are often chosen for their distinctive flavor, which can make meals much more interesting. In some cases, lime becomes the dominant flavor in a recipe, other times it is one of many components. There are plenty of examples – and the sections below highlight some of the most interesting ones.

Lime Water

Lime water isn’t as popular as lemon water, but it offers many of the same advantages. You might even prefer lime water, as limes often aren’t quite as acidic and can have a pleasanter flavor.

You’re not getting much juice per glass, so you don’t get many health benefits from the limes. Even so, the drink is a simple way to increase water intake. It’s powerful for that reason alone.

You can also make infused water. This simply involves adding various ingredients to a jug or a bottle of water and leaving it to sit. The water takes on some of the flavors, creating an interesting drink. The combinations are limited only by your imagination, but here are some examples to get you started:

• Lemon slices + lime slices
• Lemon slices + lime slices + mint leaves + cucumber slices
• Lime slices + mint leaves
• Sliced strawberries + cucumber slices + lime slices + mint leaves
• Lime slices + basil leaves + sliced strawberries

Alternatively, the Krissy from Self Proclaimed Foodie has a Refreshing Lime Water recipe that’s a little bit different. She focuses on lime ice cubes. This style is perfect if you don’t buy limes often. Limes are sometimes used in other types of drinks too, including keto juice recipes. 

Lime Desserts

Lime is a great ingredient in sweet recipes. Like lemon, the citrus fruit helps to balance out some of the sweetness, making the dessert that much more appealing. The unique flavor of lime helps as well.

• Lime and Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies – from Cook Nourish Bliss
• No Bake Mango Lime Pie Dessert – from Adore Foods
• Coconut Lime Cream Chocolates – from Unconventional Baker
• Mini Key Lime Cheesecakes – from Live Well Bake Often
• Deliciously Fresh Lemon Lime Loaf – from The Endless Meal

We can’t forget key lime pie either. This is one of the classic lime-based desserts. There are many variations to consider, including these ones:

• Key Lime Pie in a Jar – from Kitchen Treaty
• No-Fuss Key Lime Pie (Gluten-free, Keto & Paleo) – from Gnom-Gnom
• Keto Lime Pie – Australian Lime Style – from Aussie Keto Queen
• Key Lime Pie Fat Bombs – from Real Balanced
• Paleo Key Lime Pie with Coconut Pecan Crust – from Paleo Running Momma

Savory Lime Dishes

Limes aren’t limited to desserts. You’ll find plenty of savory recipes using the fruit too. Some of them rely on lime as a garnish, while others include it as a key ingredient. The list below shows some key recipes. You’ll probably know many others as well.

• Lime Beef and Basil Stir Fry – from Sweet Peas and Saffron
• Crispy Cilantro Lime Chicken – from Cafe Delites
• Express Shrimp Ceviche – from The Foodaholic
• Thai Nachos with Crispy Pork – from Food Bloggers of Canada
• 15 Minute Garlic Lime Cashew Zoodles – from Salt & Lavender

Limes and Seafood

Lime is common in seafood dishes. Even if it’s not used as an ingredient, a dash of lime juice can make a seafood dinner taste so much better.

Smoothies

Lime isn’t especially common in smoothies, but some recipes do call for it. The lime adds an interesting tartness. If you plan to use protein powder, you might want to focus on one with a neutral flavor. This prevents the lime flavor from getting drowned out.

That being said, some strong flavors do combine well with lime. Here are some interesting recipes to get you started:

• Key Lime Pie Protein Smoothie – from The Seasoned Mom
• Coconut Lime Protein Shake – from Maybe I Will
• Vanilla Lime Green Smoothie – from Kitchen Treaty
• Cherry Limeade – from Minimalist Baker
• Strawberry Key Lime Banana Protein Smoothie – from Carlsbad Cravings

Alcohol

We can’t talk about limes without highlighting alcohol. After all, limes are often used as a garnish. They’re also a key component in plenty of cocktails, including mojitos and margaritas. Tequila and lime are often combined too.

You can also make healthier versions of many recipes, like this Strawberry Mojito from The Clean Eating Couple. There are plenty of non-alcoholic alternatives too, like this Ginger Lime Mocktail from Elana’s Pantry.

Limes Around the Home

The advantages of limes aren’t just limited to your diet. They are also effective around the home.

Microwave Cleaning

Limes offer a fast and easy way to clean a microwave. Simply add the following into a bowl: two tablespoons baking soda, half a lime and half a cup of water. Microwave the combination for around four minutes.

The steam produced allows you to simply wipe away any buildup from inside your microwave. You end up with a subtle lime scent too.

Reducing Odors on Your Hands

Some ingredients leave a distinctive scent on your hands, like garlic and onions. Scrubbing some lime juice onto your hands can help dramatically. You can also simply rub half a lime across your hands.

Tackling Household Odors

The same advantage applies to household odors. For example, you can put half a lime through the garbage disposal after fish to dramatically improve the smell. Lime juice works well too.

Target Those Bugs

Insects are often repelled by citrus scents, including lime. This is largely because of the compound d-limonene. PETA explains how citrus-based insect sprays are a good choice around the home, as they will not harm animals or children.

Some products are designed with this use in mind. There are also homemade recipes, although most rely on lemon juice or lime essential oil. The site Style Craze highlights a range of examples. 

Get Rid of Mosquitos

The video below highlights an interesting trick for repelling mosquitos. It has just two components: a lime (or a lemon) and cloves.

Preserve Flowers

Lime juice is a neat way to make flowers last longer. The following combination sounds odd but is very effective:

• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of bleach
• 2 teaspoons of lime juice (lemon works too)
• Roughly a quart of water (lukewarm)

The lime helps to slightly acidify the water, while the bleach fights off bacteria and the sugar provides nutrients.

Limes For Your Body

The compounds present in limes aren’t just good in your body – they’re effective on it too. This is why you’ll sometimes see lime juice as an ingredient in homemade skincare products.

If you plan to use limes in this way, try to avoid sun exposure immediately afterward. The juice from citrus fruits reacts in sunlight. The reaction is sometimes used as a way to lighten hair, but can cause burns on the skin if you’re not careful.

For Your Skin

Like other citrus fruits, lime contains powerful antioxidants, including citric acid and vitamin C. These help to promote healthy skin. The compounds are present in lime flesh and juice, but they’re particularly concentrated in the peel of the lime.

One way to take advantage of this is to squeeze the juice of a lime into a bowl. Then cut the rind into small pieces and add that too. Put the liquid in a bottle and store it overnight. It can then be applied to your face the following morning. Leave it on your face for five minutes or so and then wash it off.

Lime juice can also help to decrease acne and improve the appearance of your skin.

Skincare Recipes

Making your own skincare products is a good way to take advantage of the benefits of lime juice. Many of these combine honey and lime, as the honey helps reduce some of the acidity and has benefits as well.

For example, the site Acne Skin Site offers directions for making a Lime Honey Face Mask. Additionally, Genius Kitchen has a recipe for a Honey, Lime and Yogurt Facial Cleanser.

Most recipes that include lime juice are designed to be used soon after creation. If you want something that lasts longer, you would want to focus on lime essential oil, along with ingredients like cocoa butter or shea butter.

Improve Your Products

One simple trick is to add a few drops of lime juice to any commercial shampoo or facial cleanser. This can make them more effective and is easier than making homemade versions.

Dandruff Removal

Lime juice can help to remove dandruff. One simple trick is to rub the juice into your scalp. You can also rinse your hair with lime juice and water. If you find that this dries your skin out, mix the lime juice with a carrier oil like coconut oil.

Final Thoughts

Limes and lemons are both very versatile fruit. They provide many health benefits, are popular in cooking, and can even promote skin and hair vitality.

Due to their similarities, you can often substitute lemons and limes for one another – although this isn’t always the case.