Easy DIY Orange Peel Cleaner (With Vinegar)

Don’t toss your orange or citrus rinds; instead, use them to make a natural cleaning concentrate. Here’s how to save money, reduce waste, and make an easy DIY orange peel cleaner with vinegar. And 4 incredible ways to use this powerful cleaner in your home.

PS: You can use any citrus to make this awesome cleaner: lemon, orange, lime, or grapefruit peels!

Citrus peels and sage in a glass mason jar infusing with vinegar. — Citrus peels infused with vinegar = a powerful DIY cleaning concentrate that can be used to naturally clean your home.

Baking soda, vinegar, and Sal Suds are my go-to non-toxic cleaning products. Every time I mention vinegar, I get a few comments like this, “But I can’t stand the smell of vinegar in my home!”

I get it. A house that smells like vinaigrette salad dressing isn’t for everyone.

This recipe is the solution!

It infuses citrus rinds, fresh herbs (optional), and warm pantry spices (also optional) with white vinegar. This infusion turns the vinegar into a deliciously-scented orange vinegar concentrate that you can use to make your own DIY cleaners.

Why Turn Orange Peels Into a DIY Cleaner?
Hint: Because it’s frugal, easy to do, and has amazing cleaning power!

Cheap, Frugal, and No Waste: A great way to combat food waste. Use leftover orange peels to make a natural cleaner that costs just pennies per bottle! Use any kind of citrus peels: orange peels, lemon peels, grapefruit peels, or lime peels!
Easy-to-Make: Just add the vinegar and citrus rinds to a jar, cover, and let the natural process of infusion take place.
Fresh Scent: If you’ve been apprehensive about using straight vinegar to clean your home, today’s recipe will change your mind. The natural oils from the citrus rinds infuse with the vinegar to create a delicious scent for your home.
Multiple Uses: The citrus oil from the rinds infuse with the vinegar, creating the most amazing cleaning concentrate which can then be turned into natural cleaning products like an all purpose spray, window cleaner, bathroom cleaner, degreaser, etc.

Ingredients Needed

First thing, you need to make a cleaning concentrate with the citrus peels and vinegar (AKA: a citrus-infused vinegar). You’ll then use this concentrate to make your natural cleaning solutions (like all purpose spray, window cleaner, etc.) Here’s what you need to make the concentrate…

3-4 cups distilled white vinegar (should contain somewhere between 4-6% acetic acid, like this)
a handful or orange peels, lemon peels, lime peels, or grapefruit peels
(optional) 1 cinnamon stick or a few cloves
(optional) a few sprigs of a fresh herb: sage, thyme, or peppermint (one or a combination)

Equipment Needed

1 quart-size glass jar (like a wide mouth mason jar) for infusing the vinegar and citrus rinds
glass or plastic lid to seal the jar during the infusion process
fine mesh sieve or strainer to separate the rinds from the infused vinegar
large bowl for straining the vinegar from the rinds

Pro Tip: If you’d like to make a big batch of this concentrate, use a large jar and enough citrus peels to fill the jar. You’ll also need enough vinegar to cover the peels with the vinegar.

Q: Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar?

A: I don’t recommend using apple cider vinegar to make this orange peel vinegar cleaner. White vinegar is considered to be the most acidic vinegar and the strongest option for making a household cleaner. Save the apple cider vinegar for homemade salad dressing.

How to Make: Step By Step Instructions & Video

Adding orange and lemon peels to a glass quart-size jar. — First, gather your citrus peels and add them to a quart-size jar. Use one kind of citrus (like orange peels) or a variety.

Step 1: Add Citrus Peels to a Jar

You can use just one kind of citrus peel, like orange peels, or a variety of different citrus peels mixed together in the jar.

Pro Tip: I collect citrus peels in a bag and keep the rinds in the fridge. After about a week, during citrus season, I can make a big batch of this cleaner with all the leftover rinds.

Picking sage leaves from a bundle of sage on the counter. — Optional, add fresh herbs (one or a variety).

Adding a cinnamon stick to the jar with orange peels inside. — Optional, add fresh herbs (one or a variety).

Step 2: Add Fresh Herbs or Spices (Optional)

This is optional. I love to add a sprig or two of fresh sage, mint, or thyme to the jar. Add both the stem and leaf.

You can also add a cinnamon stick or a few whole cloves as well. All of these ingredients add a lovely scent to the concentrate.

Pouring white vinegar into the jar to cover the orange peels and herbs in the jar. — Add white vinegar until the peels (and herbs/spices) are completely submerged.

Step 3: Top with Vinegar

Pour vinegar over the peels and herbs/spices so they are completely submerged by the vinegar. Fill the jar to the top. Then secure the lid.

Orange peels, lemon peels, and sage leaves infusing in a jar with vinegar. — Infuse the vinegar with the citrus peels (and herbs/spices) for 2 weeks.

Step 4: Infuse for 2 Weeks

Place the jar under your sink, or on the counter, and allow the mixture to infuse for 2 weeks. Sunlight will speed up the process.

During this time the orange oils (in the rinds), herbs, and spices will infuse with the vinegar. The vinegar will turn a visible orange or yellow (depending on the citrus used).

Step 5: Strain the Peels from the Vinegar

After 2 weeks, the orange concentrate is ready to use. Yay!! Your patience has paid off and you now have a natural and incredibly powerful cleaning solution.

Using a fine mesh strainer and a large bowl, pour the contents of the jar into the strainer, allowing the beautiful cleaning vinegar to fill the bowl underneath and the strainer to catch the rinds. Discard the peels (and herbs or spices).

Return the infused vinegar to the storage jar (or use a clean jar) and secure the lid. Use this concentrate to make your own cleaners (see recipes below).

Storage

Store the infused vinegar in the jar with a lid until you need to use it. The vinegar can be stored at room temperature for a couple of months. Or kept in the fridge for up to 6 months (or longer).

All purpose cleaner made with the orange peel vinegar concentrate in an amber bottle with a spray top. — Now you can use this powerful cleaning concentrate to make your own natural cleaning solutions!

Why & How This Cleaner Works

Vinegar, used to make this DIY orange cleaner, has incredible cleaning power! Most household vinegars (used in the kitchen) contain 4-6% acetic acid, which is what makes vinegar such a great cleaning ingredient.
Vinegar has been shown to have antibacterial properties. To quote Dr. Alan Taege, an infectious disease expert at the Cleveland Clinic, in a recent interview with Women’s Health Magazine, “Vinegar does have disinfectant activity. Vinegar is acetic acid, which has the ability to destroy bacteria and viruses.”
The skin of citrus fruits contain something called d-limonene, which creates that lovely citrus scent we all love. If you’re not a fan of a vinegar smell, this cleaner is the solution: it has a pleasant citrus odor and a fresh scent!
Beyond the scent, d-limonene is also a natural solvent. A solvent dissolves and lifts dirt from surfaces. Thanks to the citrus peels, this cleaner is a natural way to clean soiled surfaces effectively.
The fresh herbs infuse antibacterial properties into this non-toxic cleaner. Yes, you could add essential oils, but I’d much rather go the sustainable and economical route and use fresh herbs. I love to add thyme, mint, sage, and/or a cinnamon stick.

Homemade garbage disposal tabs made with orange peel concentrate and orange peels. — Use the concentrate to make different cleaning products, like pods that freshen and clean the garbage disposal.

4 Ways to Use Orange Peel Vinegar for Cleaning

Your orange peel vinegar concentrate is ready, now what? Use this concentrate to make your own household cleaners.

1. All-Purpose Spray

Use the concentrate at full strength or add 1 cup water and 1 cup concentrate to a 16-ounce glass spray bottle (my favorite bottles). Shake the bottle to combine the ingredients. Use throughout the home: bathroom, kitchen, counter-tops, sink, cutting boards, the tub, shower, garbage can, or inside the fridge. Always wipe the surface with a clean, damp cloth after spraying.

Caution: Never use vinegar (which is acidic) on granite or marble kitchen counters or bathroom counters.

2. Clean Windows

Use the concentrate to make this homemade window and glass cleaner instead of using white vinegar. Don’t use vinegar on your smartphone screen or computer monitors since acid can strip the special coating.

3. Garbage Disposal Pods

Finely chop 2-3 lemon or orange peels and add them to an ice cube tray. Pour the concentrate over the top of the peels and freeze the ice cube tray. Once the pods are frozen, remove from the ice cube tray and store the pods in a freezer-safe bag. To deodorize, de-grease, and clean the garbage disposal, run cold water in the sink, place 1-2 pods in the garbage disposal and run the disposal.

4. Kitchen Degreaser Spray

For a simple kitchen degreaser, add a few drops of natural dish soap or Sal Suds (not castile soap, remember the reaction issue?) to either the full strength concentrate or 1 cup water and 1 cup concentrate in a 16-ounce spray bottle. Spray on the surface and wipe clean.

Citrus infused vinegar on the counter with an all purpose cleaner in a glass bottle next to the jar. — The concentrate can be stored for many months and used to make different cleaning products, like an all purpose cleaner spray.

Easy Orange Peel Cleaner (With Vinegar) + Uses

Don't toss your orange or citrus rinds; instead, use them to make a natural cleaning concentrate. Save money, reduce waste, and make an easy DIY orange peel cleaner with vinegar. And 4 incredible ways to use this powerful cleaner in your home.

Course DIY

Keyword citrus vinegar, DIY orange peel cleaner, homemade orange cleaner, orange cleaner, orange peel and vinegar, orange peel cleaner, orange peel vinegar cleaner, orange peels for cleaning

Prep Time 15

Infusion (Rest Time): 14

Total Time 14 15

Servings quart

Author Kristin Marr

Equipment

1 quart-size jar such as a wide mouth mason jar
1 lid glass or palstic (not metal due to corrosion) or use a cloth or parchment paper secured with a rubber band
1 fine mesh sieve to separate the rinds from the infused vinegar
1 large bowl to separate the infused vinegar from the rinds

Ingredients

2-12 citrus peels such as: orange peels, lime peels, lemon peels, and/or grapefruit peels (one type or a variety, amount needed depends on size)
3-4 cups distilled white vinegar (between 4-6% acidity)

Optional:

1-3 sprigs fresh herbs such as: sage, peppermint, or thyme
1-3 cinnamon sticks
5-10 whole cloves

Instructions

Make Orange Peel Cleaner Concentrate:

Add the citrus peels, herbs, and spices (if using herbs and spices) to the mason jar. There should be enough peels to fill the jar.
Pour the vinegar over the peels and herbs/spices (use just enough vinegar to submerge the ingredients, the amount used will depend on how packed the jar is with peels).
Now the vinegar needs to rest (infuse) for 2 weeks. I keep my jar under the sink during this time. During this time the orange oils and herbs and spices will infuse with the vinegar. The vinegar will turn a visible orange or yellow (depending on the citrus used).
After 2 weeks, the orange vinegar cleaning concentrate is ready to use. Yay!! Your patience has paid off.
Using a fine mesh strainer and a large bowl, pour the contents of the jar into the strainer, allowing the beautiful cleaning vinegar to fill the bowl underneath and the strainer to catch the rinds. Discard the peels (and herbs or spices).
Return the infused vinegar to the storage jar (or use a clean jar) and secure the lid. Store the cleaning vinegar concentrate at room temperature for a couple of months, or in the fridge for up to 6 months.
Now you can use this concentrate to make a cleaning solution. Here are a few options…

4 Ways to Use Orange Peel Cleaner Concentrate:

Option 1: All-Purpose Spray Use the concentrate at full strength or add 1 cup water and 1 cup concentrate to a 16-ounce glass spray bottle (my favorite bottles). Shake the bottle to combine the ingredients. Use throughout the home: bathroom, kitchen, counter-tops, sink, cutting boards, the tub, shower, garbage can, or inside the fridge. Always wipe the surface with a clean, damp cloth after spraying.
Caution: Never use vinegar (which is acidic) on granite or marble kitchen counters or bathroom counters.
Option 2: Garbage Disposal Pods Finely chop 2-3 lemon or orange peels and add them to an ice cube tray. Pour the concentrate over the top of the peels and freeze the ice cube tray. Once the pods are frozen, remove from the ice cube tray and store the pods in a freezer-safe bag. To deodorize, de-grease, and clean the garbage disposal, run cold water in the sink, place 1-2 pods in the garbage disposal and run the disposal.
Option 3: Clean Windows Use the concentrate to make this homemade window and glass cleaner instead of using white vinegar. Don’t use vinegar on your smartphone screen or computer monitors since acid can strip the special coating.
Option 4: Kitchen Degreaser Spray For a simple kitchen degreaser, add a few drops of natural dish soap or Sal Suds (not castile soap, remember the reaction issue?) to either the full strength concentrate or 1 cup water and 1 cup concentrate in a 16-ounce spray bottle. Spray on the surface and wipe clean.

Video

Notes

Big Batch: If you’d like to make a big batch of this concentrate cleaner, use a large jar and enough citrus peels to fill that jar. You’ll also need enough vinegar to cover the peels with the vinegar.