Olde Hornet
Well-Known Member
If you toss your orange peels directly into the trash can, you might want to consider saving them because they have quite a few uses. You can use orange peels to make candied orange or create fragrant essential oil. In the same way that you can use orange peels to keep pests out of your plants, you can also scatter them around your patio to repel bugs. This is a safe, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional bug spray.
Research findings from a 2001 study published in Bioresource Technology confirm that extracts from the peels of the Citrus sinensis (sweet orange) species of orange and the Citrus aurantifolia (lime) species were effective repellents against mosquitoes and other insects, including cockroaches and houseflies. It's worth noting that this study was done using a liquid spray made of orange peel extract. However, some pest control professionals, like Orkin, claim that you can use just the peels to repel insects, too.
A 2023 study in the International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research recommends leaving orange peels around outdoor spaces to repel mosquitoes, in particular. Given this information, you might want to consider leaving orange peels around your patio to keep mosquitoes away, along with other bugs and pests.