Why You Should Consider Putting Orange Peels In Your Closet And Drawers

If you've recently walked into your closet only to discover a stale or musty scent, you might want to start saving your orange peels. Over time, closets can have a mild but unpleasant odor, which can be due to the room being closed off and devoid of fresh air. By putting orange peels in your closet or stinky dresser drawers, you can get rid of that funky smell and replace it with a sweet citrus scent. Similar to how orange peels are used to deodorize smelly shoes, you can use them to remove any lingering scents.

In an interview with Reader's Digest, Meg Roberts, president of the cleaning service Molly Maid, explained how to use orange peels to keep your closet's air fresh. "Like potpourri, these [peels] can be placed anywhere in the closet, whether it's on a shelf or in drawers," Roberts said. This works to get rid of the stale scent because orange peels contain natural essential oils that give these fruit scraps such a nice, clean smell.

Putting these fruit scraps in your closet is a clever way you should be using orange peels in your home, and it can cut down on waste while improving the quality of your clothing storage space. In a receptacle of your choosing, simply set your orange peels on shelves in your closet, in the corner of the small room, on top of storage bins, or in the far back of dresser drawers. Once the peels begin to shrivel and dry, you can replace them with new ones. This is the easiest method of making your closet smell better with orange peels.

Alternatively, you might try drying and grinding your orange peels to make your own DIY potpourri bags. Bake the peels for at least half an hour at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. After the orange peels have lost all moisture, toss them in your blender to create the powder. You might also be able to smash the peels into a powder. When finished, pour your processed orange peels into cheesecloth bags or a similar thin sachet. This could be thrown into your drawers or hung in your closet.

The peels of oranges are known to contain essential oils (such as linalool and citral) that contribute to the citrus scent and are also capable of acting as antimicrobials. A 2017 study published in the Natural Product Research found that peels from 12 varieties of oranges had high levels of d-limonene, between 73% and 97%. D-limonene is an aromatic compound used to manufacture fragrances and is often an ingredient in natural cleaning products. This component of orange peels explains their odor-removing capability.

Now, you can get a naturally fresh-smelling home with just an orange or two. However, you should note that while this hack is an inexpensive and easy solution to deodorize closet or drawer spaces, it's not an automatic fix-all. If the smell is caused by moisture or mildew, a handful of orange peels won't solve the root of the issue.