Do you eat clementines and mandarins to get your fill of vitamins this winter? Don't throw away the peels!
Recycle your clementine peels—it's both economical and environmentally friendly.
So, how can you recycle your clementine peels?
Contents
5 ways to recycle your clementine peels
👃 A naturalsuper deodorizer
Clementine peelings are a natural and effective way to deodorize your cupboards or shoes. Citrus fruits have similar deodorizing properties. Place a few clean, dry peelings in a small cloth bag in your cupboards or shoes, and their pleasant scent will help neutralize unpleasant odors. You can replace the peelings regularly to maintain freshness. It's a simple, natural way to keep your spaces fresh and pleasant!
There's no better way to rid your closets or shoes of unpleasant odors.
🐈 A repellent to keep cats away from your plants
Did you know? Cats hate the smell of citrus fruit.
No need for chemical repellents. Place your clementine peelings around or inside your plant pots, and they'll keep away any pets that might be tempted to nibble at the contents.
This method is also effective in deterring cats from places you don't want them to go to claw or relieve themselves. They should therefore stay away.
Note that the effectiveness of this method may vary according to the cat and its individual sensitivity to certain odors.
🍊 Bake delicious treats
Do you like candied fruit or orangettes? This tip is for you.
Give your peelings a new lease of life by turning them into delicious candied peel.
- Wash the clementines thoroughly and peel them, taking care to remove as much of the white pith from the skin as possible.
- Cut the skins into thin strips or pieces of the desired size.
- Boil the peels in water for about 5 minutes to remove the bitterness. Drain.
- In a saucepan, prepare a syrup by combining 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat.
- Add the mandarin peels to the syrup and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the peels become translucent.
- Remove the candied peel from the syrup with a skimmer and leave to cool on a wire rack or sheet of baking parchment.
- Once cooled, you can enjoy them as they are, or coat them with extra sugar for a little extra crunch.
Candied mandarin peel is a delicious treat to enjoy as a dessert, or to give as a gift. They're also ideal for adding a touch of citrus to your pastry and dessert recipes. Enjoy!
🍶 Flavoring herbal teas or sugar
For your herbal teas:
You can recycle your clementine peels to flavor your herbal teas and give them a sweet citrus taste. Of course, for this culinary tip, choose organic clementines that have not been treated with pesticides to ensure a healthy infusion.
Once dried, add a few pieces of peel to your cup during infusion, or to your tea ball to infuse them more easily.
Leave to infuse for a few minutes to release the aromas. The longer you leave it to infuse, the stronger the taste.
Remove the mandarin peelings from your cup and enjoy your citrus-flavoured herbal tea!
Feel free to experiment by combining various plants or peels with your mandarin peelings. Combine them with thyme, verbena, rosemary or even lemon peel - the possibilities are endless! These combinations are perfect for adding a touch of originality to your herbal teas.
For your sugar pots :
Add a few dried clementine peels to your sugar jar. This will give your plain yogurt or strawberries the perfect citrus flavor!
It also works against humidity in your sugar jars!
If the sugar tends to harden and form large lumps due to humidity, simply add an orange peel. This trick will prevent the sugar from crystallizing, saving you the headache of having to break it up before use.
🕯 A great DIY for kids: plant-based candles
You can create scented plant candles using the skin of tangerines or clementines. We'll explain:
- Start by cutting your clementine in 2 about 0.5 cm deep.
- Gently peel the rind from the clementine, taking care to keep both halves intact while leaving the central white membrane on one of them to make a wick! Leave your clementine peel to dry for around 24 hours.
- Cut a 5 cm square from a sheet of toilet paper, then roll it up to form a stem.
- Melt your wax in a bain-marie for a few minutes, then pour it directly into the clementine peel.
- Wait a few moments for the wax to solidify, and then you can light your gorgeous clementine candles!
Now you've got the perfect clementine candles to decorate your tables or shelves. Recycle your clementine peelings and make a beautiful winter decoration. This activity can also be done with mandarins, oranges, grapefruits...
Can clementine peels be composted?
Find out everything you need to know about composting citrus fruits in our comprehensive article.
Avoid adding citrus peels to your vermicompost, or add them in very small quantities. They are acidic and antiseptic, and therefore not very popular with compost worms! 🪱
👉 To make the most of your waste, think about composting! Discover our range of compact, designer apartment composters.
