Why you should not throw away your tangerine peels

At first glance, a tangerine peel may seem like nothing more than fragrant waste after consuming the juicy citrus fruit. However, it actually has many surprising uses. Yes, we usually appreciate it for its easy peeling nature, but as it turns out, the tangerine peel has a lot to offer outside its fruit protection role.

Tangerine peel can be uniquely reused for creating extraordinary holiday decorations. For example, you can convert them into candles or tealight holders. These decorations are bound to impress, and they'll fill your room with a citrusy and slightly refreshing aroma. One zero-waste, eco-friendly way to create a candle is by cutting a tangerine in half with a sharp knife, and then hollowing out the halves with a small spoon. You can eat the tangerine pulp straight away, pour a little olive oil into the hollowed-out sections, and dip a wick into it. Just remember to trim the wick to the right length.

If you don't have olive oil, use small candles and place them in the hollowed-out tangerine peels. Also, adding cloves to the peels will release a uniquely spicy aroma when heated.

Tangerine peel can be used as a base for homemade cough syrup. Simply grate the peel, cover it with sugar, and let it sit for a few days. You can consume the thickened syrup whenever you're troubled by a cough or cold. To enhance the medicinal properties of the syrup, you can opt for honey instead of sugar and add finely grated ginger and turmeric root to the tangerine peel.

A tincture made from tangerine peel could also be beneficial for your digestive system. The recipe is extremely straightforward: steep 3.5 ounces of tangerine peels in about 1.7 cups of spirits (or vodka) for a few days in a dark place. Strain the peels and store them in a dark bottle, allowing the mixture to rest for several weeks.

However, if you plan on consuming the tangerine peel, make sure to purchase fruit from organic farming. If not, the tangerine peel could become toxic after blanching.

Did you know that tangerine peel can also serve as an ecological cleaning agent? The intense scent of tangerine demonstrates significant antibacterial action, making it perfect for a homemade cleaning solution. You can steep the peels in vinegar and let them sit for a while – the longer they're in the vinegar, the more aromatic the solution will become. This cleaning solution can be used for kitchen surfaces due to its degreasing and bleaching attributes, and it can also be used to clean floors. Because of its natural ingredients, this cleaning liquid is ideal for homes with allergy sufferers and children.

Here's an interesting fact: cats dislike the smell of tangerines. Thus, tangerine peels can act as an effective deterrent. If your cats love to gnaw on your flowers, placing tangerine peels nearby can help keep them at bay.