Lemons are handy and can be cleverly handled, says household expert-author Mary Ellen Pinkham. For instance:

If you need only a few drops of juice, prick one end of the lemon with a fork and squeeze the desired amount. Cover the holes with a bandage, and return the lemon to the refrigerator to preserve the flavor.

Freeze lemon rinds and grate them when a recipe calls for zest.

Keep mushrooms white and firm when sautŽing them by adding a teaspoon of lemon juice to each quarter-pound of melted butter.

Use leftover lemonade mixed with a little white wine to poach apple slices.

Use half of a lemon to clean the lime scale off a sink or faucet. Rub the cut end over the lime spot.

Use lemon to freshen the air by making a mixture of equal parts lemon juice and water and putting it in a spray bottle.