What is it?
Citric acid is a natural acid found in citrus fruits like lemons and oranges. It’s what gives them their sour taste. In its pure form, it looks like a white powder, kind of like fine sugar - but it’s not sweet at all. It’s made by fermenting sugars with a special type of mould (similar to how vinegar or sourdough is made). Even though it’s made this way now, it’s still the same acid that naturally occurs in fruit.
Why it's in the toolkit?
Citric acid is a naturally occurring weak acid that plays a critical balancing role in DIY green cleaning. Most of the heavy-lifters in your toolkit, like washing soda, borax, and bicarb – are alkaline. They break down grease, grime, and stains brilliantly, but they can leave behind mineral residues or soap scum, especially if you're using hard water or making your own soap-based cleaners. That’s where citric acid steps in.
It neutralises leftover alkalinity, breaking down that invisible build-up that causes things like stiff towels, cloudy glassware, or a residue feeling on your clothes. Basically, it's the yin to all that alkaline yang. In proper cleaning, there’s always a wash and a rinse – think shampoo and conditioner, dish tablet and rinse aid. Citric acid is the rinse. It finishes the job, makes your surfaces sparkle, softens your fabrics naturally, and helps everything feel... actually clean.
