What To Do With Orange Peels: Surprising Uses

An excellent source of vitamin C and recognized for its radiance and antioxidant properties, orange is one of the most popular citrus fruits in the world. In winter, many of us consume it daily in order to boost our immune defenses. So we end up with a bunch of peels that always end up in the trash. But orange peels are much more useful than you might think. There are plenty of tips to recycle them! Read on and learn what to do with orange peels!

What to do with orange peels in the kitchen?

Recycling orange peels is a very useful tip for flavoring culinary preparations that smell like the holiday season.

Enhance your meals

Use the orange zest in your recipes to add a delicious tangy note. The ingredient is perfect for cakes and cakes as well as for salad dressings.

Avoid hardening brown sugar

Add orange peels to the packet of brown sugar or directly to the container of sugar. The oils in the peelings will absorb the moisture from the sugar, preventing it from solidifying.

Make candied orange peels

Candied orange peels make excellent garnishes for various desserts, pastries and chocolate puddings. Another idea is to soak the candied rinds in coating chocolate.

Make infused olive oil

Use orange (or lemon) peels to infuse olive oil. This tip is perfect for giving your salads a clean taste.

Flavor your tea

Dried orange peels are a wonderful addition to your next cup of tea. This unusual ingredient will infuse a subtle citrus taste with each sip of the hot drink.

Tips for cleaning with orange peels

Are you looking for ideas to clean your home naturally? If so, orange peels will become your new favorite cleaning ally!

Use them as a sponge

Orange peels turn out to be a beautiful natural sponge. To clean a dirty sink or stove, just use a fresh orange peel to scrub the surface. The natural oils in citrus are an effective natural degreaser and cleanser.

Orange peels help remove lime traces from glasses

For your glasses to regain their shine, all you have to do is soak them in the sink filled with hot water, with a handful of orange peels added. Leave on for at least 5 minutes, then wash the glasses with your usual washing-up liquid. Another useful tip is to use orange peels to scrub faucets and appliances stained with water marks. They will regain their shine immediately.

Clean wooden surfaces

Orange peels are a miraculous wood cleaner that leaves treated surfaces clean and shiny. Best of all: the furniture will smell like citrus!

Prepare a natural cleanser

Prepare a natural cleanser based on: 1 handful of orange peels + 300 ml of white vinegar.

Put the ingredients in a mason jar and let macerate for 2 weeks. Filter the liquid through a colander and pour it into a spray bottle. The cleanser thus prepared is very effective thanks to the citric acid contained in the orange. In addition, white vinegar is perfect for disinfecting surfaces.

Use citrus peels to deodorize the trash naturally

Removing bad smells from the trash is easy with citrus peelings. Just put orange peels in each compartment of an ice cube tray and fill with vinegar. Freeze until solid and transfer to a lidded container. Place a cube in the trash. Ice will help that unpleasant smells are quickly replaced with a pleasant citrus scent.

A natural fridge deodorant

You can also get rid of fridge odors by relying on orange peels. Fill the peel with half an orange with salt and leave in the refrigerator. Salt absorbs odor and moisture, while citrus will leave a pleasant scent in the fridge. Once the salt is wet, remove the peel. If necessary, repeat by renewing the ingredients.

Clean the microwave with ease

Cleaning a microwave can sometimes be a hassle, especially when there are tough stains such as tomato sauce, mashed potatoes, fat etc. Don't panic, the orange peels come to your aid. Place orange peels in a microwave-safe bowl and add enough water to cover the peels. Heat the appliance at maximum power for 5 minutes. Once this time has elapsed, wipe it with a sponge. You will find that the stains come off effortlessly.

What to do with orange peels? Some interesting DIY projects

Recycled orange peels have many uses in household cleaning, cooking and more. They are widely used to make useful DIY projects or purely decorative for the home.

A natural fire starter

The essential oils present in orange peels are flammable and offer a slower combustion, that is to say, you will be able to enjoy the heat of your fire longer. Dry the peels of an orange overnight, then insert them into the fireplace and light them. It will not take long for the fire to ignite while giving off a pleasant scent.

A scented sachet for your cabinets

Flavor your cabinets and cupboards once and for all with orange peels. Put some in a small muslin drawstring bag. Place the scented sachet in a cabinet or cupboard. The white skin of the peelings absorbs and neutralizes bad odors while perfuming and refreshing the interior of the cabinet.

Make scented candles

How about making a 100% natural scented candle? If the idea tempts you, here are the instructions to follow:

Cut an orange in half and carefully hollow out the flesh. These are the bark you need and more precisely the one with the stem. The second bark can serve as a cover. Using a knife, cut a cross on the top to allow the flame to breathe and not go out. Fill half with the rod three quarters full of oil. Make sure that the "wick" is well impregnated. At this point, add a few drops of essential oils of your choice. All you have to do is light the rod and enjoy the flame.

Make a bird feeder

Nothing could be easier than making a bird feeder out of an orange! Cut the citrus fruit in half and hollow out the flesh to keep only the rinds. Drill holes and then hang the feeder on a strong string. Fill it with birdseed and hang it on a tree branch.

What to do with orange peels to spoil its beauty?

Recycled orange peels are a must-have ingredient for your homemade beauty recipes. Here are a few to try!

An effective lip scrub

Ingredients:

• 1 C. teaspoon dried orange peels

• 2 tsp. brown sugar

• ½ tsp. Himalayan pink salt

• 2 tsp. honey

• 1 ½ tsp. tablespoons of coconut oil, at room temperature

Preparation:

1. Put all the ingredients in a ramekin and stir.

2. If using a mortar and pestle, lightly grind the ingredients until you get a uniform but coarse paste.

3. Transfer the mixture to a container with a lid and seal tightly.

4. Take a small amount, apply it on the lips and rub gently for 1-2 minutes. Let sit for an additional 1 minute before wiping with a damp cloth.

5. Finally, apply a lip balm or moisturizer.

Orange scented body scrub

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of light brown sugar

• 1 cup of white sugar

• ½ cup of olive oil

• 10 drops of orange food coloring

• 5 drops of sweet orange essential oil

• 2 tbsp. crushed dried orange peels

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, put the white sugar and light brown sugar and stir.

2. Add the olive oil and 5 drops of the food coloring. If you prefer a more intense color, add 5 more drops of coloring. Stir.

3. Add the essential oils and stir.

4. Put the scrub in a glass jar with a lid.

Prepare a homemade mask for healthy skin

Dry the peels of an orange, then mix them to obtain a fine powder. Mix the powder with 1 tbsp. of honey and 1 tsp. of yogurt. Apply the mask to the face and leave on for 5 minutes. Then rinse it off with lukewarm water. Your complexion will become luminous and your skin will look healthy.

Orange peels for problem skin

Thanks to their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, orange peels are a very effective natural remedy for problem skin. To fight against pimples, all you need to do is prepare a simple ointment made from powdered dried orange peels and petroleum jelly. By applying it to critical areas, you will prevent pimples from appearing.

Orange peels for impeccable oral hygiene

After meals, swap the chewing gum for 1-2 organic orange peels. Why ? The peels of the citrus fruit will allow you to fight against bad breath while benefiting from the antibacterial properties of orange.