Never waste another orange with these clever uses

If you thought oranges were just a great tasting source of vitamin C you’d be wrong! It turns out oranges can give their citrus cousin, the lemon, a run for the money when it comes to uses around your house.

From sweet smell air fresheners to natural cleaning agent, here are five household uses for the humble orange you might not have considered.

1. Ward off ants

The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! However, if you want to avoid the appearance of ants in your house grate some orange peel into a glass of warm water, allow to steep and then pour that water into the areas through which ants make their way into your house.

2. Give mossies the flick

Mosquitoes, like ants, aren’t terribly fond of orange scent either. If you want to keep them at bay — a good idea as the it gets a little warmer in the southern hemisphere — use the same mix of the ant repellent in a bowl and place the bowl somewhere in the house.

3. Smell that?

Do you know what a pomander is? They have been used for centuries to fill small spaces with a delightful fragrance while also being somewhat successful in ridding homes of moths. Take a handful of cloves and stick them into the skin of an orange, making sure to cover the whole surface. Then suspend the pomander from a piece of string or wool inside a wardrobe or cupboard, and it’ll keep things smelling fresh.

If you’d like the rest of your home smelling as fresh as a, well… an orange, bring 2 cups of water to a simmer on the stove and add one orange peel. Keep things simmering for as long as you like by adding more water to the pot when needed.

4. Get cleaning

Use an orange as an ingredient in your homemade cleanser. Place orange peels in a jar and pour vinegar over them. Leave it to sit for a week. After that, strain the liquid and pour it in a spray bottle for a great smelling, effective cleaner.

5. You look beautiful!

Oranges are the best all rounder when it comes to your skin. You can use the peel to the juice to keep you glowing and healthy. It’s rich in antioxidants and helps your skin to get smoother and better. If you wish for younger looking, healthy skin, consider an orange a day.

The best way is to cut the peels into thin slices, spread them on to a tray with enough surface area, dry the skins under the sun for about a week or until they become hard and completely dry. The water should have evaporated and the peel must look dehydrated. Then grind them into a fine powdery texture and store in a jar and keep it for later use.

Here’s a handy face mask for future reference, great for removing dead skin, lightening and brightening skin, getting rid of dark spots.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons orange peel powder
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon yogurt

Method
Mix them all in a bowl and apply a thick coat on your face. Let it work its magic for 15 minutes until it dries out. Then rinse with water and dry your face with a towel. Apply a moisturiser immediately to avoid dry skin.

Have you used oranges in ways other than eating? Tell us how.