Do not throw away the remains of the orange peel. Use them to clean your kitchen - CNET

keep the orange peel. Rather than tossing the scented bowl in the trash or compost, you can use it for a variety of purposes around your home, including giving your kitchen a natural shine when cleaning.

Orange peels produce a natural oil called d-limonene, which is used in many cleaning products because it helps keep surfaces shiny, clean, and smelling nice. And the scrubs have antibacterial properties to kill germs around the home. So you can skip the expensive cleaners and go straight to the source. But remember: the "peel" is the entire peel of an orange: the outside is the peel, while the white inside is known as the pith.

Here are some helpful tips on using different parts of an orange peel to brighten up countertops, appliances, trash cans and more. For more household tips, check out how to kill and keep away mold in your washing machine and how to remove cat pee from your couch .

1. Make your stainless steel shine

Use the bark or the outside of the bark to buff and grease stains on your refrigerator, stovetop, or faucet. (I think the fresher the orange, the better this trick works.)
You can use the pith side to rub your cutlery to make it shine like new.

2. Clean the inside of your microwave

Toss your orange peels in a microwave-safe bowl of water and zap for 60 seconds. The steam loosens dried food for quick cleaning, and the bowls freshen up bad odors in the microwave.

3. Make a natural cleanser

You can also use orange peel to make an all-natural utensil cleaner. Place several bowls in a jar and fill with white vinegar. Let the mixture soak for two weeks, then pour it into a spray bottle. This cleaner is ideal for stovetops, refrigerator doors, microwave ovens and stone, marble and laminate countertops.

Do not use this spray on wooden furniture as it may stain the furniture.

Orange peels contain natural oils that are great for cleaning and removing strong odors.

Alina Bradford/CNET

4. Cancel your garbage collection

Does your disposition taste of rank? Grate some orange zest in the grinder and let it steep for a few minutes. Hold the disposer under hot tap water for a few seconds and the bad smell will turn into a clean citrus smell.
You can also throw some peels in the trash to deodorize.

5. Make your fridge cooler

Smelly fridges can be caused by many different problems , but to make yours smell better, make some powdered orange peel.

Dehydrate your mussels in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for two to three hours. Then, using your food processor, grind the peels into a powder. Mix the powder with baking soda, put the mixture in a bowl and set it on the bottom of your fridge. Your fridge will never smell better.

6. Clean cloudy glasses

Fill your sink with lukewarm water and pour in plenty of orange zest. Soak the jars in it and let them soak for about 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing. Even your dishwasher can't get glassware that shiny and clean.

Pro tip: Rubbing orange peels on coffee mugs can also remove those pesky coffee stains.

7. Clean cupboards and wooden counters

Put a drop or two of vinegar on the pulp and rub it on wooden tables and cabinets. Then wipe the surface with a clean, soft cloth to achieve a lustrous shine.

For more cleaning tips, see How to Get the Organized TikTok Fridge Look and How to Clean a Cast Iron Skillet .

More cleaning tips and tricks

Try Adblock (Why?)