Always wash the peel extremely well before use. If possible, prefer organic sources rather than those which have been sprayed, especially for any food or internal use. If you can’t get organic fruit, use a very good fruit and vegetable scrub to remove chemical traces. See “Warnings” below for the possibility of dermatitis and allergic reactions to citrus peel.
Use the peel of a kumquat to make marmalade. Just cook the chopped peel with sugar-water until it’s like a syrup — use your favorite marmalade recipe.
Peel a lemon and use it to bathe yourself in the shower. It leaves your body and hair smelling fresh and clean. Infuse lemon peel in your tea to add a delicious lemony taste. Prepare fresh lemon peel Make candied lemon peel Make lemon brandy Citrus peels such as peel of lemon work well for roasting chicken. Put peel into the chicken and roast. You will find a great smelling and good tasting chicken. Lemon is often used as a cocktail garnish.
Use the peel to keep your brown sugar soft by putting it in the packaging with the brown sugar. Make candied orange peel. Make preserved orange peel. Use as a garnish on fruit juice drinks, cocktails, and salads. Use dried and powdered citrus peels to brighten your teeth.
Use grapefruit peels to cut into shapes to brighten up your salad. All you have to do is sprinkle them over the salad. It will make the salad smell great too. Make grapefruit marmalade or candy it as with other peels. Use the oil distilled from the peel for perfume. [1] X Research source
Use to flavor water. Add any citrus peels to a pitcher of water and put in the refrigerator. Now you can enjoy the taste of water even more. Use any type of citrus peel and candy it. It is very sweet and a great snack for the kids. Make marmalade, chutney, jam, and savory sauces using citrus peel. [2] X Research source Add a slice of citrus peel to brown sugar to stop the sugar from going hard. Use citrus peels of any kind to freshen up that smelly garbage disposal. All you have to do is cut up the peel and put it in the disposal.
Peel the skin off the mandarin. Pour 100 °C (212 °F) of boiling water into a cup until 3/4 of the cup is filled. Add in the mandarin peels and enjoy your lovely tea.
Use as kindling. Any type of citrus peel makes a great kindling for your fireplace in the winter. Use dried citrus peels to freshen up that smelly sock or underwear drawer. It is best to place the peels inside a sachet first. A sachet is a small perfumed bag used to scent clothes. Use citrus peels for your bath. It will create a beautiful scent.
Compost your peels. Citrus peels can aid in cleaning burnt pots when applied with common salt. They can also remove any stains from porcelain pots. These are particularly known to brighten metal pots or any metallic thing for example your metallic staircase. [3] X Research source Citrus peel is a great addition to the compost pile. Just be sure to chop them a little to help them to degrade faster. You can use any of the peels to add to a compost pile. It will make the compost pile smell fresh and clean too. Just be aware that some people claim that the anti-bacterial nature of orange oil slows down decomposition,[4] X Research source while others don’t find it has any impact at all and call this an “urban myth”. [5] X Research source Be your own judge of whether or not there is an issue by observing! Use any of the citrus peels to keep cats from digging or using your garden as a litter box. Just peel the citrus and place around the garden to keep Fluffy away from your petunias.
Chew the peel. You can use preferably orange or lemon peels to make your breath smell great. Chew the peel for a little bit; you’ll find it’s a good substitute for mints and gum. Place any citrus peels in a pan of low simmering water to freshen up the house.
Orange peel applied to your skin at night will ward off the insects. Simply rub the peel over your exposed skin and repeat whenever the insects start bothering you again. [6] X Research source Place orange or other citrus peel from 2-3 oranges/citrus into a blender with a cup of warm water. Blend into a mixture that can be poured into an anthill that is causing you problems. [7] X Research source Rub citrus peel over the leaves of plants monthly to keep cats away from the leaves. [8] X Research source Place dried citron peel into closets and wardrobes to ward off the moths. [9] X Research source
Use citrus peel as a fixative for potpourri. Dry the peel until it turns crisp. Once dried, grind it coarsely and add to potpourri as needed. [10] X Research source It should be stored in a glass jar until needed. This can also be added to sachets to keep away moths and to sweeten your clothes. [11] X Research source Read How to make citrus potpourri for specific details. The ground powder can be added to the bath for a scented treat. [12] X Research source Extract the oil from citrus peels for use in home-made perfume. Make citrus perfume. Make summer citrus soap.
