There are several fruits that can be enjoyed with or without peel. There are also fruits, such as oranges, that must be peeled before they can be eaten. So, when you have leftover fruit peels, what do you do with them? Most of us throw them in the trash or add them to our yard compost. However, there are many other great uses for leftover fruit skin.

 

At home

Clean up greasy dirt with a pinch of salt or baking soda and a few lemon halves. If you have sensitive skin, be sure to wear gloves. You can also use lemon peels, salt and ice to liven up your coffee pot. Just shake the mixture for a couple of minutes, throw everything away and rinse well. Clean your teapot by filling it with water and adding a handful of lemon peels. Bring to the boil and then turn off the heat. Leave to rest for about an hour before draining and rinsing. Pomegranate peels can be used to color fabrics. You should use a stainless steel pot and fill it with hot water and the peels. Leave to rest overnight and then simmer the next day before removing the fruit skin. Add the damp cloth and leave to cook for an hour. Then let it cool overnight, remove the fabric the next day and rinse with cold water.

 

In the kitchen

You can use citrus fruit skin to make a powdered extract. Good examples include oranges, limes, lemons and grapefruits. Dry them and grind them for future use. Citrus sugar can be made using powdered citrus extract by adding it to sugar. Alternatively, you can add a touch of freshness to your sugar bowl. Lemon zest is a popular ingredient in many recipes. You can collect the zest of any lemon you use and place it in small bags in the freezer. When you need some zest, just pop out a bag without having to thaw the whole batch. You can also infuse honey or vinegar by adding twists and letting their flavors infuse.

 

Beauty

Banana sugar scrub can be made using the fresh side of banana peel sprinkled with sugar. Rub gently over your body like a natural fruit skin loofah and then rinse off in the shower. You can also use orange or grapefruit peels to create a refreshing skin toner. Avocado peel can be used on the face as a rich, deep moisturizer.

Now that you know what you can do with your fruit skin, you will no longer need to throw any away. Of course, if you are not able to use a particular peel, remember that you can always start your very own compost heap in your garden which will provide your plants and flowers with some much-needed nutrients.