Orange Peels + Water: A Simple Trick That Can Help You Save Money
Before throwing away your orange peels, you may be able to give them a second use around the home.
One simple option is to make a light citrus-infused cleaning solution—but don’t treat it as a replacement for disinfectants or specialized cleaners.
🧴 How to Make It
- Wash the orange thoroughly before peeling it.
- Place the peels in a clean jar or bottle.
- Cover them with water.
- Refrigerate and let the mixture infuse for several hours.
- Strain it before use.
You can use the resulting scented water for simple household purposes such as wiping surfaces that are already relatively clean.
💰 Why It Can Save Money
Instead of buying a separate lightly scented solution for every small household task, reusing food scraps can reduce waste and make use of something you would otherwise throw away.
But don’t expect it to replace a proper household disinfectant.
⚠️ Important Safety Tips
- Keep homemade citrus water refrigerated and use it promptly.
- Discard it if it develops an unusual smell, cloudiness, mold, or fermentation.
- Never mix it with bleach, ammonia, or other cleaning chemicals.
- Avoid using acidic citrus mixtures on natural stone such as marble or limestone, because they can damage the surface.
- Don’t use homemade citrus water on food-contact surfaces unless you subsequently clean them with a product appropriate for that purpose.
🍊 Another Great Use for the Peels
If you don’t need a cleaning solution, orange peels can also be composted, dried for crafts, or used to add citrus flavor to certain recipes when the peel is suitable and properly prepared.
