12 Uses for Orange Peels
Updates on July 30, 2019
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Lots of things that we think are garbage can often be given another life. Orange peels is one of those products that we can use in several ways to help us stretch our dollar even farther.
Here are the top 12 uses for orange peels
Cleaning Ideas
Use the white side of an orange peel to polish that dull-looking wood furniture. This is one of my favorite ways to make them look as good as they used too.
Make a great scented cleaners. Add a few orange peels in a jar with white vinegar and cover it with the lid. Keep it in the fridge for a few weeks. Shake it occasionally. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Use this cleaner to clean floors, windows and surfaces.
After you eat the orange use the peel to clean a dirty stove or sink. The peel contains oils that de-grease the surfaces. Be sure to use it before the peel dries out. Plus there aren’t any added chemicals making your home even greener.
Have hard brown sugar??
Add a few orange peels to some brown sugar to draw the moisture from the brown sugar and keep it from solidifying.
Orange peels are a great camping snack. Use those orange peels to start your campfire they make great kindling.
Boil some orange peels in a pot of water to add a fresh scent to the air. In the winter when you have that beautiful fire going in the fire place, toss a paper bag with some dried orange peels into the fire. Your house will be filled with a wonderful orange scent.
Take half an orange peel and fill it will salt. Put it in a bowl and in the fridge to deodorize it.
Health & Beauty Uses
Try wrapping a few orange peels in some gauze and while in the shower rubbing it on your skin. This amazing body scrub will brighten your skin.
Limonene is something that is naturally found in citrus fruits including oranges. Mosquitoes, flies and ants don’t like limonene so to keep them away place ground up orange peels in areas where these pests are usually scene.
You can also repel those nasty mosquitoes by rubbing fresh orange peels on your skin. It smells so much better than store bought brands!
Gardening Tips
Are the neighborhood stray cats digging up your flowers? Put some orange peels around the outside of your house to keep the cats away. They do not like the smell of the orange peels. This also works if your house cat gets into things he/she shouldn’t. Just rub the peels on or place them around the places or things around your house that you want to keep your cat away from.
The peels are also a great addition to your compost pile! What other uses do you have for orange peels?
Dynal Roberson says
Yup orange peels are super useful! Thanks for some of the extra tips!
ashley says
Wow. Didn’t realize there was so many uses for orange peels. I’m not a big fan of oranges, except orange juice, so probably won’t be able to try any of these.
Michele Pineda says
I didn’t know orange peels could be used that way! Wow lots of great options on how to use them, I am going to pin this for future reference.
Mia E. says
Such good ideas especially using the orange peels to repel mosquitos.
Kathy Haury says
I love the scent. I know someone who saves them up and uses them in her garbage disposal.
Vickie says
LOVE this, natural is always best.! I have been saving my peels for a couple years now. Works.
Rochelle Haynes says
Thanks for the tips
NANCY says
I love oranges, so it’s good to know I can do something with all those peels. 🙂
athena j graeme says
Stray cats hate orange peels? How random! My step-dad will definitely need to hear about this, he is over run with the strays!
Heather! says
wow…some of these I knew, but orange peels repel mosquitos?!?! How am I in my 4th decade of life and only learning this NOW?!
Kim Pincombe-Cole says
I’ve heard that orange peels are great degreasers for cleaning!
Amanda J Skeens says
Very interesting! Some things I didn’t know on this blog entry
Sharon Rooney says
Thank you for the great tips for using orange peels. I love the scent of anything citrus.
Juliet says
Will try the body scrub some time thanks for the tips
Susan Hartman says
Thank you for this list. Liked it so much I pinned it.
Brianna @Flippin' Delicious says
I didn’t know that you could clean things using an orange peel. Genius! I can’t wait to try it on my stove top.
Lavende & Lemonade says
I love the shower idea! Can you really eat them plain while camping…they seem like they might be bitter? Interesting!
Rachel Cotterill says
I always bake with mine – I love orange cakes 🙂
Jenne Kopalek says
I use orange peels to make candy. You can blanch them and then sugar them and dry or dip in chocolate!