Orange peels are one of the most useful kitchen scraps you can hold onto. After juicing, those leftover rinds still contain fragrant oils, natural acids, and enough flavor to earn a spot in your cooking, cleaning routine, garden, and more. Here’s what to do with them.
Dry Them for Long-Term Storage
If you’re not ready to use your peels right away, drying them is the simplest way to keep them useful for months. Spread peel strips on a baking sheet and dry them in your oven at the lowest setting (around 170–200°F) for one to two hours, checking periodically until they’re brittle and completely moisture-free. A food dehydrator works just as well. You can also air-dry them on a wire rack in a warm, dry spot for two to three days.
Once dried, store them in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Research on dried citrus peel storage found that fungal growth begins around 240 days, so plan to use your stash within about eight months. During hot, humid summer months, microbial activity spikes, making it especially important to keep dried peels sealed and dry.
Dried peels are the starting point for several of the uses below. You can grind them into a fine powder with a spice grinder or blender and keep that on hand for cooking, baking, or skincare.
Cook and Bake With Them
Fresh or dried, orange peels add a concentrated citrus punch that juice alone can’t match. The simplest move is to zest the outer layer before you even juice, then freeze the zest in small bags. It keeps for months and drops right into muffin batter, salad dressings, marinades, stir-fries, or grain dishes.
For something more indulgent, make candied orange peel. Cut the peels into strips, blanch them in boiling water to remove bitterness, then simmer them in a simple syrup of 2 cups sugar to 4 cups water. Start by simmering the blanched strips in plain water for about 15 minutes, then add the sugar and remaining water and hold at a gentle simmer for roughly an hour until the strips turn translucent and the syrup thickens. Toss the finished strips in granulated sugar and let them dry on a rack. They keep for weeks in an airtight container and make a great snack on their own or dipped in dark chocolate.
Ground dried peel works as a spice. Stir it into spice rubs for chicken or pork, blend it into smoothies, fold it into cookie dough, or steep it in hot water with cinnamon for a quick tea. A little goes a long way since the flavor is more concentrated than fresh zest.
Make a Citrus Cleaning Spray
Orange peels are loaded with a natural oil called d-limonene, which cuts through grease and leaves surfaces smelling fresh. To make an all-purpose cleaner, pack a mason jar with peels and cover them completely with white vinegar. Seal the jar, stash it somewhere dark, and let it infuse for at least one week. Two to four weeks gives you a stronger scent and deeper color.
Strain out the peels and dilute the infused vinegar 1 part citrus vinegar to 3 parts water in a spray bottle. Use it on countertops, sinks, glass, and floors. For tough hard water stains or greasy buildup, you can use it full strength. The vinegar does the heavy lifting as a disinfectant, and the citrus oil boosts its grease-cutting power while replacing vinegar’s sharp smell with something far more pleasant.
Add Them to Your Compost
Orange peels break down well in a compost bin, but they need a little extra attention. Fresh peels are quite acidic, with a pH between 3 and 5, and they contain d-limonene, the same oil that makes them useful for cleaning. In large amounts, limonene can temporarily slow down the microbes and worms doing the composting work.
The fix is simple: chop or tear the peels into small pieces to speed decomposition, and mix them thoroughly with carbon-rich “brown” materials like dried leaves, shredded cardboard, or straw. This balances the nitrogen the peels contribute with the carbon your pile needs. Don’t dump a huge batch of peels all at once. Spread them out over time so they never dominate the pile. If you vermicompost with worms, go especially light on citrus and bury the pieces under bedding so the acidity and oils have time to mellow before worms encounter them.
Repel Garden and Household Pests
The d-limonene in orange peels isn’t just a cleaning agent. It’s a legitimate insect repellent. Research on citrus-based repellents has documented effectiveness against mosquitoes, spider mites, grain beetles, weevils, and cockroaches. In laboratory testing, citrus peel extracts achieved repellency rates above 70% against spider mites and over 90% against certain stored-grain beetles.
For a simple garden application, scatter small pieces of fresh peel around the base of plants you want to protect. The scent fades as the peels dry out, so replace them every few days. You can also steep peels in warm water overnight, strain the liquid, and spray it on plant leaves as a mild deterrent. Indoors, placing fresh peels near entry points or in pantry corners can discourage ants and cockroaches, though this works best as a supplement to other pest management rather than a standalone solution.
Use Peels for DIY Skincare
Dried orange peel powder has a mildly gritty texture that works as a gentle facial exfoliant. Mix a teaspoon of the powder with honey, yogurt, or aloe vera gel to make a simple face mask. The powder helps slough off dead skin cells, while the natural acids in the peel provide a light brightening effect. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing. If your skin is sensitive, test a small patch first, since the acidity can cause irritation.
A Note on Pesticides
If you plan to eat or apply peels to your skin, the source of your oranges matters. Conventionally grown citrus is commonly treated with post-harvest fungicides that concentrate on the peel’s surface. Testing by the Environmental Working Group found imazalil, a fungicide classified by the EPA as likely carcinogenic, on citrus at average levels roughly 20 times what EWG scientists consider safe for children. Another common treatment, thiabendazole, has been linked to immune and nervous system effects in animal studies.
Scrubbing peels under warm running water with a vegetable brush removes some surface residue but not all of it. For any use where you’re consuming the peel or putting it on your skin, organic oranges are the safer choice. For composting, cleaning spray, or pest control, conventionally grown peels work fine.