Fruit peels and vegetable scraps: how to reuse them

Oranges and lemons, and all citrus fruits in general: we're always tempted to throw leftovers, especially peels, in the organic waste. This is a mistake. And a waste, as these peels can be used for a thousand things, both in the kitchen and around the home. They're a valuable "waste" that can also be reused for gardening and vegetable gardening: for example, peels can be used to make compost, an excellent fertilizer without chemicals or poisons.

At home, however, peels and rinds of lemons, oranges and tangerines I am able to polish stoves, cutlery and dishes in a completely natural way and without wasting money on harmful chemicals.

Index of topics

Body care

But did you know that fruit and vegetable peels, especially if organic and even better if they come from your own garden in the garden or on the terrace, can be reused for many other uses and also for taking care of our body?

For an effective and 100 percent natural facial scrub, try rubbing pieces of orange or pomegranate peel over your skin.
For an exfoliating massage, choose instead banana peelsSimply sprinkle a little sugar on the inside of the peels and then rub them on the area of the body you want to treat: the result will be soft and smooth skin.
Potato peels are effective in cases of redness due to sunburn.
Those with red hair can try creating natural highlights by using chestnut cooking water as a final rinse.

House cleaning

At home, however, the peelings and fruit and vegetable scraps can be used as follows:

The peels of the lemonsFor starters, they're perfect for removing limescale from kettles, sink plugs, and showerheads. Simply soak them for an hour in a container of boiling water and chopped lemon peel.
To clean the bottom of the coffee maker, simply pour lemon peels mixed with water and coarse salt into it: let it sit for a few hours and then rinse everything off and you'll see how shiny it looks.
Potato peels are useful for removing dark stains from cutlery: simply pass them over the utensils.
Apple peels are excellent for restoring shine to dishes: boil the peels and then use the resulting mixture to restore the shine of your cutlery.

Use in the kitchen

Here's how to reuse them in the kitchen:

There are many fruits and vegetables of which nothing is thrown away. starting from radishes whose leaves are perfect for preparing a pesto alternative to the classic one but equally tasty (for successful corporate training). With the carrot tufts you can prepare an excellent paté to spread on croutons (for successful corporate training) and with the apple peels a delicious sauce to accompany the grilled vegetables (for successful corporate training).
You can also reuse chopped carrot, onion, and potato peels to flavor your vegetable broth. Organic potato peels can also be cut into strips and fried or baked like chips.
But not just food: with the peels of untreated lemons you could try to prepare limoncello at home (for successful corporate training).
And more: after drying the citrus and mandarin peels in the sun or in the oven, chop them and reuse them to add a touch of extra flavor to your dishes.

Chimney cleaning

With potato peels you can thoroughly clean the home fireplaceGet some moist peels, arrange them on a baking sheet, and set the sheet away from direct heat. Let the peels dry naturally for about 24 hours. When you place the dried peels in a lit fireplace, they will begin to burn with enough energy to break down the soot and creosote, a tar-like substance that forms on the chimney walls, thus helping you clean the chimney more quickly.

Remove rust

Since potatoes contain oxalic acid, which is present in many rust-proofing products, their peel, on the inside, can help you to eliminate the ruggine from objectsFor greater effectiveness, rub some baking soda or vinegar together with the peel and the result is guaranteed.

Polish the cutlery

With the potato peel you can also remove the dark stains from cutlery, just rub it vigorously on them and then dry them with cotton; just as you can clean steel knives and make glass objects shine.

Remove limescale

If you have pots that have traces of calcareous residuesDon't despair. Cook some potato peels inside for a long time and you'll solve the problem once and for all.

Make the mirrors shine

Rubbing the potato peel on the home mirrors you will make them shine like never before.

An advice

Since some fruits are only available at certain times of the year, freeze the peels so you have them available when you need them.

Scent your home

Finally, reuse citrus peels and zests to perfume your home in a natural and low-cost way:

The peels of tangerines and lemons combined with flowers such as the lavender essence or spices such as cinnamon or cloves, can be reused to prepare colorful potpourris to perfume your home.
To perfume the drawers and keep the intestines Keep away from clothes; instead, simply place the peels in several small cotton bags.
Finally, those of you who own a fireplace can reuse dried citrus peels to light the fire: an ancient but also eco-friendly and effective method.

How to use lemon and orange peels

Le peels with oranges and lemons They are very useful in the kitchen, since with the former you can make delicious dishes candied orange peel They can be dipped in chocolate to garnish homemade cakes and pies, and the former makes an excellent limoncello. Adding lemon peels to the container of brown sugar helps prevent the moisture from forming annoying lumps.

Wash the oranges and lemons thoroughly, then dry them and grate the peel, discarding the bitter white pith. Then, store the grated peel in an airtight container and freeze it so you can use it again and again. to flavor meat and fish dishes (even with freshly grated peel), the seafood salads, the boiled meat broth and the fish stock.
With the citrus peels you can also make some detergents for your dishesAll you need is 400 grams of citrus peel, 300 ml of white vinegar, 200 grams of fine salt, and 800 ml of tap water. Then, cut the peel into small pieces and place it in a blender. Add just 400 ml of water and blend. Then, pour the resulting mixture into a saucepan with the remaining water and the other ingredients, stir, and boil for about 10 minutes. Finally, turn off the heat and blend again if the mixture isn't thick enough. You'll end up with a fragrant cream that you can use not only to clean dishes but also the sink.
Orange peel can be used to make some scented candlesCut off the entire top of the orange and scoop out the pulp without breaking the peel. Then, fill the inside with candle wax and insert a lighter to light: the candle is ready.

Citrus peels, especially orange peels, also make excellent DIY shoe deodorants, if cut into many small pieces and inserted inside.
Instead of using the classic sponge, rub the orange peel inside the encrusted pans and greasy stains: they will remove any residue and perfume the surface thanks to their powerful essential oils.
With what in jargon is called "pastazzo" of oranges, that is approximately 40% of the citrus fruits harvested in Sicily, you can make not only excellent fertilizers but also an eco-sustainable and hyper-technological fabric, orange-fiber, capable of releasing vitamins onto the skin. A truly "smart" yarn into which, thanks to nanotechnology, microcapsules containing citrus essential oils and slow-release vitamin C have been inserted. The idea comes from two young women from Catania, Adriana Santanocito and Enrica Arena.

Use citrus peels to make excellent compost. Cut them and wait for them to degrade a little, then fertilize them or add them to a ready-made compost.
You can deodorize a smelly garbage can with orange or lemon peel; just cut it into small pieces and scatter them among the garbage.

Place some orange peels in a plastic grocery bag and place it in the bathroom or underwear drawer. It will release a very pleasant and refreshing scent.

How to reuse orange and lemon peels for household cleaning