Amazing Uses for Lemon Peels

Lemons are a great staple during the winter months, and can be found in most homes. They are full of nutrients and vitamins which help strengthen the immune system and keep away colds and flu.

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Although lemons are often just used for the juice inside there are many amazing ways to use the peels as well. 

For cleaning the home:

1. Coffee cup stain remover

Put some lemon peel into a coffee stained cup, add some warm water and allow to sit for a few hours. Pour out the peels and then scrub. The coffee stains should disappear!

2. Make dishes sparkle 

Lemon not only acts as a degreaser, but the citric acid found in lemons also helps remove spots from dishes. Throw lemon rinds with the pulp into your dish water to help remove grease and make glasses and silverware sparkle.

3. Polish chrome and stainless steel 

Sprinkle a small amount of salt onto a citrus peel and use it to scrub the metals.

4. Keep brown sugar soft

Overtime brown sugar becomes hard and clumpy. Place a citrus peel inside the bag to help keep the sugar soft.

5. Coffee pot and tea kettle cleaner

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 to a boil. Turn off heat and let sit for an hour, drain, and rinse well. For coffee pots, add ice, salt and lemon rinds to the empty pot; swish and swirl for a minute or two, empty, and rinse.

6. Sanitize the cutting board

Lemon’s natural acidity provides great antibacterial properties to home cleaning. After properly cleaning your cutting board, rub the surface with half a lemon. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then rinse. 

7. Cheese grater cleaner

Remove dried food from your cheese grater by rubbing with the pulp side of a cut lemon and rinse. 

8. Clean the microwave

Place citrus peels in a microwave safe bowl. Fill halfway with water and microwave for a few minutes. Carefully remove the bowl and wipe clean the inside of the microwave.

9. Freshen the garbage disposal 

Toss some peels into your garbage disposal on a regular basis in order to ward off odors.

10. Trash can freshener 

Throw some lemon peels into your trash can to kill bad odors and freshen up.

11. Air freshener 

If you don’t have a fireplace, you can simmer lemon peels on the stove top. In a medium sized pot, combine lemon peels with vanilla, cinnamon sticks, and water. Simmer over low, periodically adding more water when needed.

12. Citrus vinegar cleaner 


Vinegar is an incredible natural cleaner but has a pungent smell that not many people like. Infusing citrus peels in the vinegar gives a fresh aroma that masks the nasty smell and adds extra cleaning properties!

13. Remove hard water stains 

Sprinkle a bit of salt inside a lemon rind and scrub your shower walls and doors to remove mineral deposits.

14. Remove rust stains

The acid in lemons helps remove rust stains. This can be helpful in showers where shaving cream cans have left a rust ring, or sinks where iron pots have been left. Sprinkle salt on the rust stain and rub with half of a lemon that still has pulp inside. Allow the salt and lemon to sit for several hours, scrubbing periodically if needed. Allow the lemon to rest on the surface overnight if the stain has not yet disappeared, then rinse well with water.

For clothing:

15. Freshener packets

Dry your lemon peels (either out in the sun or insert a dehydrator) and place them inside of fabric sachets. Add spices, as desired such as cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and cardamom. Place in drawers to freshen.

16. Get rid of shoe odors

Place some dry orange peels into small sachets, and then place them into the worst offenders on your shoe rack. The peel will absorb the odors naturally, making your life more pleasant and fragrant!

17. Get rid of underarm stains

If you've noticed a bit of discolouration around the underarms of your shirts, you can take a squeezed lemon half and rub it vigorously on the stain, if It looks like a really tough stain sprinkle some baking soda on top for good measure. Let it sit overnight and then wash as normal. This works for grease stains too.

Personal:

18. Remove odors from your hands 

Rub lemon rinds on your fingers and hands to get rid of lingering odors from chopping things like garlic or onions. 

19. Nail whitener 

Whiten fingernails by rubbing with a lemon wedge.

20.  Soften dry elbows 

Take half a lemon and sprinkle with baking soda on elbows. Just place your elbow in the lemon and twist the lemon (as if you are juicing it) for several minutes. Rinse and dry.


21. Get rid of dandruff 

Rub lemon peel all over your scalp, making sure that it reaches problematic areas where dandruff typically comes out. Do this repeatedly for several days or even weeks until the problem is resolved.

Other uses:

22. Deter ants, cockroaches, and other insects

Scatter small slices of lemon peel along thresholds, windowsills, around door entrances, and near any cracks or holes where ants or pests may be entering. Ants do not like lemon and will not enter your home. Lemons are also effective against roaches and fleas.

23. Cat deterrant 

If you have cats using your garden as a potty then sprinkle some citrus peels or juice in your bushes, flowers or plants and they will stay away.

24. Remove pet stains 

Cats and dogs can get dirty after a day of just playing and lazing under the sun. When you notice dirt spots however, there’s no need to give them a full-on bath. Simply rub the lemon peel on their fur and this should get rid of the problem. This works wonderfully well for white fur, giving your pets an excellent shine.

25. Freshen up the car

Cut up the lemon peel into tiny bits and place them inside a stocking. Place it on your car dashboard and you have an instant car freshener. Replace the lemon peels whenever you feel like it’s not providing you with sufficient scent anymore.

What amazing uses do you have for lemon peels?