How to Re-Use Orange Peel

Posted on March 30th, 2009 by Elaine

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After eating and squeezing juice out of a bunch of oranges, you’re now left with nothing but the peel. Before you start thinking of throwing it out, don’t. Orange peel isn’t the garbage you think it is, and there are many great ways to reuse it. Here are a few ideas you can try.

What You’ll Need:

Orange peel
Blender
Cinnamon sticks
Pot of water
Cloves
Grater
Candied orange peel ingredients
Orange jam ingredients

Use The Zest

Using the zest for cooking is the most popular way to reuse orange peel. Just grate some and add it to your dishes, such as chicken, rice, or soup. It’s also great mixed in pastry and even some beverages. One tip: make sure you use fresh orange zest, to get the most flavor.

Make Yummy Orange Jam

You can make delightful and tasty orange jam from the peel, since it still contains the fruit’s flavor. Here’s how.

Get the orange peel, then scrape off the white part using a knife. Wash the peel, then cut it into thin and long slices.
Put in a pot of water and bring to a boil, along with some sugar.
Keep boiling until the mixture has a medium-thick consistency, juicy but not very liquid.
Add some lemon juice and vanilla extract.
Put in jars and store in your fridge. Now you can enjoy the sweet citrus goodness of orange, whatever season.

Candied Peel

You can make delicious candy out of your orange peel. Cut it into strips, then boil in water and sugar. When they turn crystalline, almost translucent, cover them with sugar. You’ve got yourself a nibbly treat to put on cookies, dip in chocolate or sprinkle over a salad.

Soften Your Brown Sugar

Brown sugar stored too long can become grainy and dry. Slip a small piece of orange peel into the container, to give the sugar moisture. You’ll get fluffy and soft brown sugar in a few hours.

Use As Firewood

Believe it or not, orange peel can replace the materials you use for making fire, such as newspaper. Orange oil is flammable, making it a great fire starter. Dry some peel, and use them for your wood stove or fireplace. It’ll remove the creosote that builds up inside your chimney, too.

Remove Foul Odors

Everyone knows how fragrant oranges are. Their citrus scent is even used in various air fresheners or sprays. You can make your own organic freshener using orange peels. Put some on the vents of your radiator. You can also simmer them in a pot of water, along with cinnamon sticks and cloves to freshen the air. Keep an eye on the pot, though, and don’t leave it boiling alone.

Orange peel can also freshen your stinky garbage disposal unit. Run some through the disposal. If you add some ice cubes, the disposable blades would become sharper, too.

Clean Your Sink

Give your kitchen a fresh and gleaming look using orange peel. Rub a fresh piece all over the sink. The natural oils in it will act as an excellent cleaner and make the sink smell good, too!

Train Your Pets

Do you know that cats and dogs detest the smell of orange oil? If you have a kitty who uses your flower garden for a litter box, or a dog who digs up your flower beds, here’s one good idea: Get some orange peels and scatter then around your garden. You can also rub them on the leaves onto your plant once a month. Your dear pets will soon find themselves staying away where they shouldn’t be.

Repel Insects

Like cats and dogs, bugs also hate the smell of orange oil. This means you can use the peel to make some natural bug repellent. Get a handful of peel and some water and process them in a blender. Once done, pour it down an anthill, or spray around your house to prevent the ants from coming in. You can also rub some on your skin, and it will keep away mosquitoes.

Orange peel, like the fruit itself, is very versatile and useful. Try these ideas, and you’ll realize that orange peel belongs anywhere but the trash can.