How can I reuse or recycle … orange peel?

An orange, half peeled(Sorry for the missing post yesterday – our internet connection died. Boo.)

Anyway, orange peel. I know large quantities are bad for compost heaps and wormeries because the worms don’t tend to be fond of it (particularly when it’s fresh) but it’s such a shame to just throw it away.

Any suggestions for it or related peelings?

(Photo by canoncan)

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28 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle … orange peel?”


  1. Rosie says:

    Supposed to keep cats off your plants but no personal experience of this..
    however if you dry the peel you can grate it for use as a flavouring or to sprinkle
    Rosie

  2. Joey says:

    I think orange peel leaves a nice smell. So you could keep it around the house for a while, or drop it in your laundry basket.

  3. colin says:

    the zest (oil) within the peel of a orange is known to lower cholesterol

    • akindele femi says:

      colin wrote:

      the zest (oil) within the peel of a orange is known to lower cholesterol

      good day sir, am a student of biochemistry and i want to know how the oil within the orenge peel can lower the chol. if possible the partway. thanks

  4. lindsey says:

    i cut the pieces and put in a pinch of ginger and a pinch of cinnamon and mixed it together in a bowl in my room to make it smell better, if you dont think its strong enough, you can add more cinnamon or ginger or any other sweet smelling spices, it ends up smelling similar to potpourri

  5. Em says:

    When dried it makes good fire lighter – open fires or bar-be-que. Much better than the petrochemical white blocks that make your hands smell horrible.
    cheers, Em:-)

    • hazel:) says:

      hi there:) im a 7th grader and i have a question. how will i use the orange peel to lit up fire? i need an answer because it might help me with a project. thank you so much! pls email me at hazelhernandez@yahoo.com for answer,thanks a lot!

  6. Jory says:

    Around the x-mass holidays, I mix orange peels, and old spices (cinnamon, oragano, whatever) in my cabinet & assorted stuff I find in my fridge and simmer in small pot of water, on the stove as a potuorri. Looks aweful, smells great, reminds me to clean out old spices, lemon juice, etc., lasts for about a week.
    Also, it’s a good way to keep dogs & cats away from plants, shoes etc., they hate citris smell & it wont mold or hurt them.

  7. There are quite a few uses for it. You can make an orange dessert if you shave or “zest” it. Also, if you pinch it outward tightly, you can see the oil squirt from it. This is particularly good as personal protection if you spray it into the opponent’s eyes, sincce the oil burns the eyes.

  8. Joan says:

    Dry it before using as a firelighter

  9. Rosalind says:

    Make candied peel. You need to boil it in plain water till tender, then change the water and boil again for 20 minutes (don’t skip this). Bring 300g/10 oz white sugar to the boil with 150 ml/5 floz water, stirring well at first to dissolve. Add the pieces of peel (with the pith still on) and simmer gently until the syrup has more or less disappeared. Dry the pieces on Bakewell or greaseproof paper on trays – a warm airing cupboard is a good place. It will take about 3 days. This works best if you peel the orange neatly to start with – you can cut it smaller either after the 2nd boiling or when candied. Of course you can do this for grapefruit, lemon, pomelo, citron, ugli fruit… I suspect it works best with thick-skinned fruits, so tangerine/clementine skin might be a little skimpy – though what a flavour, worth a try.
    You can use this peel chopped up in cakes, biscuits or puddings, or as a very delicious and sophisticated after-dinner chocolate – just dip the strips in melted dark chocolate (fair trade of course!) and have with your coffee. You pay a lot for these in Paris.
    Peel made this way is much more luscious than the bought kind. Just Google “candied orange peel” for squillions of recipes.
    The above recipe is adapted from Jane Grigson’s Fruit Book, published by Penguin.

    • Mimi says:

      I make these every Christmas. Everyone loves them! They taste just like orange wedges, and don’t have any bitterness at all!

  10. Thierry says:

    Open a candle and pinch the undried peal near it. It makes like a sprinkle of orange juice and makes fun sparks. :P

  11. trish says:

    send them down a disposal, makes it smell nice.

  12. Lesley says:

    Acid Reflux cure! Grate the orange peel and put it in capsules, take them, (you have to take all the peel from 1 orange to get the effect)1/2 an hour before breakfast to get the best results. Or 1 hour after eating. Dont take if you have an ulcer or other disease but for acid reflux it is good. You don’t need to take it every day, take every other day for 20 days then as needed. Mine is 90% better than it was ans I no longer spend a fortune on antacids. Try not to take antacids on this use something like gaviscon liquid till it settles down. You should notice a great difference by day 6 or 7.

  13. Lesley says:

    Leave it outside if you have a rodent problem, there is a chemical in it that makes certain kinds of male rats sterile. Doesn’t do this to other animals..the chemical joins to another one on the gonads of certain male rats, cheap poison?

  14. Fishcake says:

    try making an orange box out of them. ive made these myself and there really easy to do

    http://www.grand-illusions.com/toycollection/orange_box/

  15. hane says:

    pomelo peelings use as an oil liniment.

  16. dette says:

    dried peelings are acceptable to use as mosquito killer

  17. Renee says:

    Take equal quantities of sugar, vodka and peel. Place in a jar and leave for 6 months, shake occasionally. At the end you have a home made orange lquiour (however you spell it!)

  18. L.J says:

    after taking a warm bath dry ur body well and aply on your skin the oil of the peeling which u can get by tightly squzing the peel. It helps keeping you skin soft + it gives u that amazing smell!

    also try drying the peel and makeing it in to powder (which u can eazyly do by breaking the dry peels into small peaces then just use your cofee blender to make them powder) apply to ur dry skin it give a shin and softness too!

    bye :)

  19. Gives off a nice scent when you put it into an Essential Oil Diffuser — the kind with a candle underneath and a little bowl of water on the top.

  20. Bertie says:

    I put lemon or orange peel in with my homemade wine to give it an extra crispness

  21. Petra says:

    If you add some dried orange skin (ecological) to your herbal tea, it gives a nice fresh taste and smell.

  22. Kgaugelo Mohai says:

    Hi, i’m a design student and i’ve been given a project 2 design and make a dress only by using recyclable materials. So i was wondering if Orange Peels are recyclable because i was thinking of using them on my dress…

  23. Kgaugelo Mohai says:

    And what other recyclable materials can i use 2 make my dress besides plastic,paper and cardboard?

  24. Prince Ejims says:

    Orange peels can be reused to ward of of flies and other insects. Because insects do not like the smell of the peels. Cut the top of the orange open, but don’t cut the peel open rather use it to make a bowl you can use to stand your candle.


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