🥔 Don’t toss those potato peels! These kitchen scraps can fertilize your garden, fight pests, and even clean your chimney — no joke. One old-school trick even turns them into a natural fireplace scrubber 🧼🔥 Freeze or dry them, and you’ve got a multi-use hack stash at your fingertips. Full guide (with storage tips!) in this article 👇♻️
You might think potato peels are just food scraps meant for the trash — but think again! These humble leftovers can actually be incredibly useful around the house, garden, or even at your weekend cabin.
Instead of tossing them out, consider giving those peels a second life. Here are three clever and unexpected ways to use them that might just change how you look at food waste.
How to Store Potato Peels for Later Use
Before you can make the most of them, you need to store them properly. The easiest method? Freeze them. Just pop the peels into a container or plastic bag and keep them in the freezer until you’re ready to use them.
If you’d rather save them for the gardening season, try drying them out. Spread the peels in a thin layer on a baking tray and dry them in the oven at 100°C (about 212°F) for an hour or two. Once they’re dry, transfer them to a glass jar — they’ll stay usable for a long time.
Smart Ways to Use Potato Peels Around the Home and Garden
1. A Natural Plant Booster
Potato skins contain valuable nutrients like potassium, phosphorus, and starch — all great for improving soil quality.
You can use them in two ways:
Dried & Crushed: Blend the dried peels into a powder using a food processor or coffee grinder. Sprinkle it into the soil when planting or repotting your plants.
Liquid Feed: Add boiling (not scalding) water to fresh peels, cover, and let the mixture sit for 2–3 days. Strain and use the liquid to water your plants every couple of weeks. It’s an easy, natural fertilizer!
2. Chemical-Free Pest Control
Dealing with underground pests like wireworms or mole crickets? Place chunks of potato peel in the soil where these pests tend to hide. After a couple of days, check the traps — the bugs will be drawn to the peels. Collect and dispose of both the peelings and the pests. It’s a simple, eco-friendly solution that doesn’t involve any harsh chemicals.
3. Cleaning Out Your Chimney the Natural Way
If you have a wood-burning stove, fireplace, or outdoor grill, this one’s for you! When the fire is going strong, toss in a handful of dry potato peels. The natural starch in the peels reacts with the soot buildup inside your chimney or flue, breaking it down into fine ash that drifts out with the smoke. It’s an old-school trick that still works today.
Next time you peel potatoes, don’t be so quick to throw the scraps away. Whether you’re feeding your garden, fighting off pests, or keeping your fireplace clean, those peels are a handy little secret hiding in plain sight!
