21 Money Saving Uses For Your Discarded Citrus Peel (2024)

What Can You Do With Your Orange Peel And Lemon Rind?

After you have enjoyed the juicy goodness of citrus what do you do with the leftover peel? Do you toss it, or compost it?

Examples Of Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits are full of morning sunshine and vitamin C. Some great examples are oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit.

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Citrus Fruits That Have A Rind Or Peel

Lemons, oranges, limes, grapefruit and most citrus fruits have a peel or rind you can grate, zest or peel to remove. You generally do not eat the peel or rind leaving it to be composted or placed in the garbage.

Can Orange Peels Be Used For Anything?

Yes, they can be candied or dried and used in room deodorizers. Orange peels can also be added to vinegar to give it a fresh citrus scent. Clean out your garbage disposal by adding ice and orange peels to the on cycle.

Did You Know You Can Put That Citrus Peel To Use?

Yes, you can and the uses are amazing and beneficial. You can deodorize your home with citrus peel. Add it to your next DIY facial. Citrus peel makes a great addition to baking and preserves.

So next time before you toss that rind dry it out and save it for later.

Must Have Citrus Tools

Making Citrus Peel

It is real easy to grate, zest or make citrus peel. When you peel an orange to eat you have done most of the work in separating the fruit from the peel.

Citrus Zest

You can purchase citrus zesters and graters to help you save the citrus rind and peel in different forms. Zesting or grating lemons and limes is the act of scraping the outer peel.

Citrus Rind

Where with oranges and grapefruits peeling the rind as you eat the fruit is the easiest way to harvest both the rind and enjoy the fruit.

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How To Store Citrus Peel

Citrus peel, or citrus zest can be stored in the freezer, dried and stored in a jar or added directly to vinegar or oil.

How To Save Citrus Rind

Citrus rind or citrus peel can be dried by placing the rind on a paper towel or cloth and left out on the counter to dry. You can also dry citrus peel or zest in a dehydrator.

Common Uses For Citrus Peel

Citrus peel is commonly used in baking and Asian cooking. You will also find it used to flavor water and other beverages. Discover numerous other uses for your discarded citrus rind below.

What Can You Do With Leftover Lemon Peel?

Lemon zest is great for cooking and baking. You can also add zested lemon peel to spiced apple cider and other Asian cooking. Dried lemon peel is great in room scents or added to mint and rosemary to help keep the bugs away.

Lemon Peel

Lemon peel is also great in tea and other beverages or as an ingredient in homemade candy.

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21 Uses For Your Discard Citrus Peel:

  1. Use to flavor water.
  2. Make candied citrus peel.
  3. Add citrus peel, cinnamon sticks, water & whole cloves to a pot. Simmer to deodorize your home.
  4. Put the peel in the garbage disposal to clean and deodorize.
  5. Add citrus peel to vinegar. Allow to soak for two weeks. Use as an all purpose cleaning solution. Mix with water 50/50 solution.
  6. Spread peel around yard perimeter to deter skunks.
  7. Dehydrate citrus peel for use in potpourri.
  8. Air dry citrus peel, grind and use in spice mixes.
  9. Boil peel for 10 minutes, cool, strain and use liquid as a natural mosquito, flea and tick spray for animals.
  10. Dry peel for use in soaps.
  11. Zest the peel and freeze it for use in recipes.
  12. Slice and grate the peel for use in soups and stews.
  13. Infuse olive oil with citrus peel.
  14. Dry your citrus peel and use it in tea.
  15. Use dried ground citrus peel in do it yourself facials.
  16. Add your citrus peel to the compost.
  17. Dry peel and use in Asian cooking and medicine.
  18. Make citrus extract by soaking thin slices of peel in vodka for 6-8 weeks.
  19. Dry rind and use in holiday baking.
  20. Add rind to vinegar for use in dressings.
  21. Dry, grate, zest and add citrus peel to homemade laundry soap and cleaning solutions.

You Have No More Excuses For Tossing Your Orange Peels Anymore

Whether you are saving them to deodorize your home or to add them to baking, citrus rind has multiple uses in your frugal home.

How To Dry And Store Citrus Peel

If you aren’t going to use them right away, no worries. Allow the rind to dry on the kitchen counter or add them to a freezer bag and store in the freezer till you are ready to use.

⭐You can find numerous citrus peelers and zesters here to assist you.

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Updated June 15, 2022

21 Money Saving Uses For Your Discarded Citrus Peel (6)

21 Uses For Your Discarded Citrus Peel

21 Money Saving Uses For Your Discarded Citrus Peel (2024)

FAQs

What is citrus peel waste used for? ›

4 Clean your home. Citrus peels contain d-Limonene, a natural compound that breaks down oil and grease. In a sealed jar, submerge orange peels in white vinegar for at least two weeks. Strain and use your cleaner around your home, either full-strength or diluted with water.

What are dried citrus peels good for? ›

Dried lemon and orange peel are wonderful mixed with herbs for tea blends. They add a wonderful flavor to your homemade teas or even add them to to regular black tea. You will be amazed at how easy it is as to how to dry citrus peel.

What can I do with leftover fruit peels? ›

6 clever uses for your leftover fruit peels instead of tossing...
  1. Use mango peels to make an easy chutney. ...
  2. Turn banana peels into "pulled pork." ...
  3. Use watermelon rind to make pickles. ...
  4. Turn citrus peels into candies. ...
  5. Turn citrus peels into homemade cleaning solution. ...
  6. Use pineapple peels to make tea.
Apr 21, 2023

What do boiling lemon peels do? ›

The bottom line. Boiled lemon water is a beverage made by boiling lemons or lemon peels in water. In addition to keeping you hydrated, it may help promote weight loss and prevent kidney stones. However, most of the potential health benefits of boiled lemon water come from its water content, not its citrus flavoring.

What can you do with citrus husks? ›

Citrus Husks (Citrus Shells After Squeezing)
  1. See Citrus Stock below for "stocks" made from spent husks, often with added juice.
  2. Use citrus husks to make lemonade.
  3. Citrus husks are used at Seth Freidus' bars to replace fresh citrus in liqueurs such as Falernum, Swedish Punsch, Orange Liqueur, and Citrus Vodka.

Are citrus peels good for soil? ›

It is almost always perfectly fine to compost citrus, as long as it is properly prepared. The truth is that citrus – peels, fruits, and leaves – are actually beneficial to many composting mixtures. It's not that there is no basis for the myths; some of them are technically correct but are wrong in application.

Are orange peels used for anything? ›

Orange zest is often used to enhance other flavors in desserts, gravies, and even some meat dishes. Dried orange peels can also be sprinkled as a garnish.

Why shouldn't you throw out orange peel? ›

The peel incorporates the essential oils of the orange, including limonene, another compound that is currently under study for its potential anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Yet, handling orange “waste” is a problem in many parts of the world where they grow.

How to use citrus peels in the garden? ›

'Simply chop the peels into small pieces and mix them into the soil around your plants, or bury them a few inches deep to avoid attracting unwanted pests. ' This kitchen garden idea will deter pests and improve your soil's health at the same time.

How to make air freshener from citrus peels? ›

Just place either slices and/or citrus peel in a sauce pot along with a couple of cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. Fill sauce pot with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. Allow to simmer for the next two to three hours making sure to add more water if the amount of water is reduced.

What can I do with dried tangerine peels? ›

12 recipes to cook with Dried tangerine peel
  1. Chinese Hamburger-Pork Belly Buns.
  2. Orange Chicken Recipe.
  3. Instant Pot Red Bean Soup.
  4. Homemade steamed rice noodles| Ho Fun.
  5. LU ROU FAN 卤肉饭 (ASIAN-STYLE BRAISED PORK RICE)
  6. Braised Beef Noodle Soup (红烧牛肉面)

Are citrus peels good for your garden? ›

Due to their acidic nature, citrus peels, including oranges, are most beneficial to acidic soil-loving plants. This includes hydrangeas, azaleas, camellias and more.

How long does it take for citrus peels to decompose? ›

Orange peels: It is estimated that orange peels take around 6 months to decompose, although in drier environments like Central Oregon, oranges can last indefinitely. It's interesting to note that orange peels contain a natural insecticide, keeping it safe from insects nibbling on it.

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