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 can I do with leftover citrus peels? ›

Citrus peels can be dried and ground into a zesty seasoning blend, or steeped in water to make infused drinks. They can even be used to make aromatic oils for cooking, adding a burst of flavour to every recipe.

What can I do with old citrus fruits? ›

Juice any citrus fruit and freeze in ice cube trays. You can use them in drinks or cooking. Peel off the rind and 'blanch and refresh': bring some water to the boil with the rind in it, plunge into iced water, repeat six times. Then coat in sugar and keep in an airtight container for up to a month.

What are leftover orange peels good for? ›

The zesty essence of citrus will make any savory dish pop, and peels are the perfect delivery mechanism for releasing the flavor into a slow-cooked braise or sauce. Add them to the braising liquid of a meat dish, or if roasting a bird, stuff them into the cavity alongside other aromatics like onions and rosemary.

What can you do with orange peel waste? ›

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. I tried this using my homemade scrap vinegar.

Can you boil lemon peels and drink it? ›

Some people even claim that it can boost weight loss, clear up your skin, and enhance immunity. The beverage is made by boiling lemons or lemon peels in water. In some cases, people add other ingredients, such as ginger, honey, cinnamon, or cayenne pepper.

Are lemon peels good for anything? ›

Lemon peels are a great source of antioxidants including vitamin C and D-limonene, which help your body fight free radicals and cellular damage. Regular consumption of antioxidants such as D-limonene has been linked in studies to a decreased risk of type II diabetes and heart disease.

What does rubbing fresh lemon on your face do? ›

In fact, vitamin C in lemons is essential for the production of collagen, which is the main building block of youthful skin. So, when applied topically, it helps fight wrinkles and other signs of ageing. Lemon is also a natural exfoliant, which makes it a great treatment for acne and blackheads.

What to do with extra citrus zest? ›

Add a pinch to salad dressing, pancake batter, cookie dough, meringue, ice cream, granola, herb butter, meat marinade—there isn't much that a little citrus zest won't improve. Use it as a garnish and sprinkle some on top of whipped cream, chocolate bark, or meringue before baking.

What can you do with old satsumas? ›

GIVE YOUR SATSUMAS THE BIG FREEZE

Of course, at this time of year making the juice into ice lollies is a no brainer! Of all of the fresh fruit ice pop options available to you, this is up there with the simplest and most delicious.

What to do with fallen citrus fruit? ›

Put this item in your organic waste (formerly green waste) cart.

What can I do with a lot of orange peels? ›

You can dry orange peels and grind them up in a food processor to grind into a fine powder. Store in a glass jar until you use the powder in recipes. It's a popular ingredient in making beauty products at home for your hair, skin, or teeth. You can find different ways of using orange peel in beauty recipes here.

What do boiling orange peels do? ›

Orange peels make a home smell cozy and clean. You can boil orange peels with mulling spices like cinnamon and cloves to send a fresh autumnal aroma through the air. Boiling orange peels with lemon and grapefruit peels create a fresh, vibrant, and energizing aroma that makes your house smell clean and pristine.

What can I do with old 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

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