More Lemon Peel Uses Than You Can Shake a Stick At!
To understand how I feel about lemons, you don’t need to look much further than my lemon-themed Pinterest board and its 400+ pins. But really, who can blame me? Lemons are an amazingly useful fruit, and every part can be put to good use in a myriad of ways!
In this post, I wanted to focus on the usefulness of lemon peels specifically. That fragrant, sunshine yellow zest has a lot of useful properties, which made it easy to track down some brilliant uses for lemon peels!
21 Uses for Lemon Peels
1. Make Lemon-Scented Cleaning Vinegar
If making big pitchers of homemade lemonade is a summertime staple for you, you’ll have a steady supply of lemon peels you can use to make your own lemon-scented cleaning vinegar. It’s an easy process, and so worth it (both because it smells divine and works great for all sorts of cleaning tasks!) Learn how to make lemon-scented cleaning vinegar.
2. Brighten Skin
Lemon makes a great natural skin brightener, thanks to its naturally high levels of citric acid, a well-known bleaching agent. Apply lemon peels to your hands, elbows, heels and other areas to brighten skin and tighten pores.
3. Deodorize Your Garbage Disposal
You can clean the blades of your garbage disposal and make your whole kitchen smell fresh and clean with the help of a few chunks of lemon peel. Learn how to use lemon peels and vinegar to make disposal-cleaning lemon and vinegar ice cubes that will eliminate odors and clean the blades.
4. Ant-Proof Your Kitchen
Scatter small pieces of lemon peel along thresholds, windowsills, and near any cracks or holes where ants or pests may be entering your home. Ants don’t like lemon and will be deterred by it. (This also works with roaches and fleas too.)
5. Simmer on Your Stovetop
Along with cloves, cinnamon sticks, and orange peels, lemon rind makes a wonderfully fragrant addition to a simmering stovetop potpourri. Not only is it a great way to make your home smell nice, but it helps restore moisture to dry air too!
Related: This Is the Best Way to Make Your Home Smell Like Christmas
6. Remove Stains From Coffee Cups
Put a section of lemon peel into a stained coffee mug and add water. Let it sit for several hours, then wipe with a cloth. The stains should disappear.
7. Lemon Dust Cloths
With a few lemon peels, some olive oil, and a bit of vinegar, you can make a jar of lemon dusting cloths that grab onto dust and leave behind a fresh, clean scent. These cloths makes my least favorite chore a lot more pleasant!
8. Freshen Your Refrigerator
Cut lemon in half and stash it in your fridge to absorb any lingering food odors.
9. Clean Your Kettle
For mineral deposit build up in your tea kettle, fill the kettle with water, add a handful of thin slices of lemon peel, and bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat (or turn off) and let the kettle sit for an hour, then drain and rinse well.
To clean a coffee pot, add ice, a splash of white vinegar, and a handful of sliced lemon rind to the empty pot. Swish and swirl for a minute or two, then dump and rinse.
10. Clean Your Microwave
Add lemon rinds to a microwave-safe bowl filled halfway with water. Cook on high for 5 minutes, allowing the water to boil and the steam to condense inside. Carefully remove the hot bowl and wipe away the condensation and loosened grime with a damp towel.
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Related: How to Clean a Microwave With AND Without Vinegar
11. Polish Chrome, Copper, Brass & Stainless Steel
Cut through mineral deposits on chrome fixtures by rubbing them with a previously-juiced half of a lemon, then lightly buff with a soft cloth. Brighten copper, brass, or stainless steel by dipping a previously-juiced lemon half in salt (or baking soda and cream of tartar) and rubbing it on the affected area, letting it sit for 5 minutes, then rinsing with warm water before polishing with a dry cloth.
12. Makeshift Humidifier
If your home suffers from dry heat in the winter, put lemon peels in a pot of water and simmer on the lowest stove-top setting to humidify and scent the air.
13. Refresh Cutting Boards
The antibacterial properties of lemons make them a good choice for refreshing cutting boards. After disinfecting give the surface a rub with a halved lemon, let sit for a few minutes, and rinse. You can remove stains from cutting boards as well, with just half a lemon, salt, and sunshine!
14. Use the Zest in Food and Drinks
Zest is simply grated citrus peel, and you can use it fresh, dried, or frozen. If you don’t have a zester, use the smallest holes of a box grater. To dry zest, spread it on a towel and leave out until dried, then store in a jar. To freeze, use a freezer-safe container. Use zest in salads, marinades, baked goods, grain dishes, etc.
For lemon twists, use a vegetable peeler or a knife to cut a lemon peel into long strips, cutting away the bitter white pith and storing in a freezer-safe container or bag. Add them to cocktails, sparkling water, or tap water!
15. Make Lemon Powder
Using the method for lemon twists described above, dry the strips skin-side down on a plate for 3-4 days, then use a blender or spice grinder to turn it into a powder. Use the powdered peel in place of extract or zest in recipes, add it to pepper to make a great lemon pepper, or add to sugar as a delicious addition to drinks or homemade cookies.
16. Make Candied Lemon Peel
Candied lemon peels can be eaten plain, or dipped in melted chocolate, used in cake, cookie, candy, or bread recipes.
17. Create a Lemon Sugar Scrub
A lemon sugar scrub not only smells delightful, it brightens and softens your skin as well. All you need is some sugar, chopped lemon peel, and enough olive oil to make a paste. Use your DIY lemon sugar scrub before shaving or showering for silky smooth skin.
18. Soothe Travel Sickness
Suck on a piece of lemon skin to soothe a queasy stomach and overcome feelings of nausea.
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19. Make Fire Starters
Bake discarded orange or lemon peels until they darken to turn them into natural, fragrant fire starters.
20. Clean Your Grater
Remove dried food from your grater by rubbing with the pulp side of a cut lemon.
21. Trash Can Deodorizer
Throw a few lemon peels in the bottom of your garbage can from time to time to keep it smelling fresh.
For even more lemon-scented tips and tricks, check out these 22 uses for lemons.
Looking For More Posts Like This?
- I’ve written dozens of blog posts about creative alternative uses for everyday items, and now there’s a quick and easy way to peruse them!
- Check out all of my “Uses For” posts here.
Do you have a favorite use for lemon peels?
I have a Meyer lemon tree and right now it has dozens of lemons in various stages of ripening. I just love it and give away lots. Thanks for all the tips! Last year I made Limoncello from lemon rinds using Giada’s recipe. Delicious!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I was going to recommend making Limoncello too! I have a Meyer Lemon tree (it’s a lemon crossed with a tangerine I think?) and my Limoncello turns out orange, but is super delicious! I buy French lemonade at World Market (with the wire swing tops) and after I drink the lemonade, I sterilize the bottles and use them for my homemade limoncello.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.i dry the lemon peels. when they are completely dried out i grind them down in a coffee bean grinder. i mix this in with my homemade dishwasher soap to use as the ctiric acid. has been working great and smells divine
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That’s brilliant!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I clean my white sink with lemon and baking soda. I sprinkle baking soda in the sink and then scrub with non scratching sponge (I use the new one natural one that can go through the dishwasher to sanitize it). Then go through with a couple of lemon slices, the lemon juice reacts with the baking soda on tough spots. Scrub the sink with the lemon (mostly the pulp, but use the peel like a scrubber on dark marks from utensils), let dry then rinse away. Run left over lemon down the disposal.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I LOVE CITRUS ALSO.. so glad to see this post, as it reminds me to get some, and freeze it while its still fresh. i hate not having fresh citrus and Cilantro in the Winter months. My mouth waters at the thought of squeezing them.. lol LOVE your blog and so happy to get the daily post with all your hard work.. THANKS Jillee =)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Cirtus is a winter fruit. This time of year it should be cheap and easy to find.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks, Summer, for the winter tip. ;)
I will never throw away my lemon peels again!!! Never knew how wasteful I was. Live and learn. Thanks, Jillee, for the education.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You’re welcome Lolalo. :-) I love learning new things with all of you!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We’re going to have to start calling you Dr. Jillee – as in PhD. You know, Professor of Home Discoveries.
I second the proposal :-)
The posts are always so educational & informative.
And the writing Motivates us into action !
I agree! Jill(ee) is amazing, the BEST!
You’ve just reminded me about a tip I heard about the lightener. You can supposedly put lemon juice on sunspots and greatly reduce it’s appearance. I keep meaning to do it on an accidental souvenir from Kauai on the side of my face and this was a perfect reminder!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Do not go outside with lemon or lime on your skin, you will get your skin burned=phytophotodermatitis.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have one with lemon going right now. I can’t wait to use it – I opened it and it smells wonderful! I did one with orange peels the first time but the lemon one seems much stronger and very lemony. I love this stuff. Can you put the flesh in too or just the peel?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Since you are going to strain it before using, you can put it all in.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I tear lemon peel into ½” pieces and sprinkle them outside in areas that I don’t want the neighborhood cats to, uh, use. They really do seem to hate the smell and avoid the area now!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That’s a good one Nancy! I will have to tried that in my garden next summer! Darn cats were always digging in it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Will it work with mice too? They are eating up my winter garden! If not, do you know what will work?
Try sprinkling black pepper around your vegetables in your garden if the lemon doesn’t work. Black pepper kept the squirrels and rabbits out of our summer garden. I would imagine that it would work on mice.
Red Cayenne Pepper is effective also.
Peppermint is one they hate, next year I’m planting mint everywhere!
Revving up this conversation: Here’s a link to a repellent recipe tested by the Colorado Division of Wildlife for squirrels. We found it useful for rabbits and slithery things as well– could just do the trick for wandering cats. Won’t hurt plants.
http://www.ehow.com/way_5744291_homemade-hot-pepper-squirrel-repellent.html
Oh my! I must try this! All the neighborhood cats think that my deck belong to them. And I really don’t like cats!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m totally going to try this around my garden…apparently the neighborhood cats think my raised beds are a port o potty!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.First, Thank you for the work involved in this daily blog. Second, I have been making the lemon enzyme for months, and two weeks ago I pulled out my most recent batch and it had the mother of all ‘mother’s growing. It smells like vinegar and not at all like previous batches, My question…how is this different? I’m not talk’n techno stuff…I’m curious as to smell, color, clarity, general cleaning….
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks again to you and your forum for us ‘not so hard core’ living frugal individuals.
Laura…I’m not quite sure but I would try giving it a good shake, strain it, dilute it and clean as usual. Shouldn’t hurt anything. If you find it’s not as effective as before you might want to start another batch. I’m going to look into this some more.
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