Orange Peels in a Bottle of Water: A Simple Household Trick That Can Help Reduce Waste

Orange peels are usually tossed straight into the trash, but they can still be useful around the home. With a little preparation, they can be repurposed into a simple citrus-based cleaning mixture that may help reduce waste and cut down on the number of specialized cleaning products you buy.

Oranges are widely enjoyed for their fresh flavor and vitamin C content, but the peel also contains aromatic oils and natural compounds that make it interesting for household use.

Why Orange Peels Are Useful

Orange peels contain natural citrus oils, including limonene, a compound commonly associated with the fresh scent and grease-cutting properties of citrus-based cleaners.

This is one reason orange peel is often used in homemade cleaning preparations. While a homemade citrus solution is not a replacement for a registered disinfectant when sanitation is required, it can be useful for routine cleaning, deodorizing, and loosening light grease.

Reusing orange peels also gives kitchen scraps a second purpose before they are discarded or composted.

Orange Peels for Household Cleaning

A simple citrus cleaning mixture can be made with orange peels, water, and a small amount of baking soda. The result is best used as a general-purpose household cleaner rather than as a disinfectant.

How to Prepare the Orange Peels

Start by peeling one or more oranges. You can remove the peel in strips with a small knife or simply peel the fruit by hand.

Rinse the peels thoroughly under running water to remove dirt and surface residue. There is usually no need to scrub aggressively, but visibly dirty peels should be cleaned well before use.

Cut the peels into smaller strips or pieces so they fit easily inside the bottle.

The next step is where the ordinary orange peel begins turning into a practical household cleaning solution.