The skins of oranges, lemons, tangerines and other citrus fruits don’t have to end up in the trash bin. Citrus peels can be recycled and reused in the home and garden. Besides adding them to the compost pile, consider other practical and creative ways to recycle both fresh and dried citrus fruit skins.
Step Two
Simmer cut-up citrus peels in a small pan. Add cinnamon sticks and whole cloves to give your house the fragrance of sweet home cooking. Multitask by doing this with a pan that you want to clean; the boiling citrus peels will help loosen burnt food stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Step Three
Scrape off the top layer of the skin of an orange or lemon with a zester tool. Use the zest fresh (or dried) in desserts, soups, stews and casseroles.
Step Four
Dry citrus peels and include in potpourri mixes. Cut the peel into different shapes before drying and use them as decorative accents on handicrafts and centerpieces.
Step Five
Use dried orange peels in the fireplace; as fire starters, they burn longer than wood shavings and smell fragrant too.
Step Six
Wrap dried citrus peels in used dryer sheets and tuck in closets and drawers to help reduce stale odors.
Step Seven
Use squeezed-out lemons and oranges to clean kitchen sinks, stovetops and countertops. Rub the citrus slices on the kitchen surface, letting some of the leftover juices and skin oils loosen the dirt and disinfect the area. Rinse out or wipe clean with a damp cloth. Do the same for cutting boards.
Step Eight
Use an orange peel as a bird feeder. If you peeled the orange using the circular pattern (the whole skin is one long twisty strand), you can douse the strand with peanut butter, sprinkle some birdseeds, then hang it out in the backyard.