TL;DR
Get kitchen staples and gadgets delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
A Kitchn writer tested a viral tip by running orange peels through a dishwasher cycle. She reported a noticeable citrus scent afterward, but only a small possible change in visible cleanliness; the test does not establish that peels replace dishwasher cleaner.
A Kitchn writer tested a viral dishwasher tip by placing orange peels in the utensil compartments and running a cycle, reporting a stronger citrus smell afterward but no clear evidence of substantial cleaning. The personal test offers a limited account of the hack’s effect: it may freshen the dishwasher’s odor, but it does not show that peels can replace a dedicated dishwasher cleaner or degreaser.
In her report for The Kitchn, writer Nina Derwin said her dishwasher had begun to smell less fresh after four years in her apartment. She tried the tip after seeing it circulate online, using peels from two Cara Cara oranges. She loaded them into the dishwasher’s utensil compartments and ran a regular cycle.
After the cycle, Derwin let the dishwasher cool briefly before opening it. She described an immediate, bright citrus scent and said the kitchen smelled fresher as well. On visual inspection, however, she thought the dishwasher looked only “maybe a little bit” cleaner. She noted that it had not looked especially dirty before the test, making any change difficult to judge.
Derwin reported that the peels remained intact and left no pulp or residue in the machine. She did not say that she measured grease, soap scum, limescale or odor before and after the cycle. Her report is a single informal trial, not a controlled test of cleaning performance.
A Fresher Smell, Not Proven Cleaning
The appeal of the tip is its simplicity: orange peels are a common kitchen leftover, and the test described by Derwin produced a noticeable scent without visible mess. For someone looking for a quick odor refresh, that is the result she said she experienced. But a pleasant smell is not the same as evidence that the dishwasher has been cleaned or that buildup has been removed.
The report’s limits matter for readers deciding whether to rely on the hack. Derwin said she would not use orange peels instead of a proper degreaser or dishwasher cleaning tablet. Her account supports a modest conclusion about fragrance in one machine, not claims that the method reliably removes limescale, soap scum or grease. People dealing with persistent odors or visible buildup should not treat the anecdote as proof that those issues have been addressed.
dishwasher odor freshening tablets
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How the Orange-Peel Tip Was Tested
The online idea described in the report is that oils in citrus peels could act as a natural deodorizer and degreaser, helping neutralize smells and break down residue. Those effects were presented as the rationale for the hack, rather than as results established by Derwin’s test. Her article does not provide laboratory evidence or a comparison with a dishwasher-cleaning product.
Derwin’s trial used thick Cara Cara orange peels in one dishwasher, on one occasion. She wondered whether thinner peels from other citrus fruits, such as clementines or navel oranges, might produce a different result. The report does not describe testing those varieties, repeating the cycle, or comparing the machine with and without peels. Its findings are therefore specific to her experience and should not be generalized to every dishwasher.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
What One Cycle Cannot Establish
The report does not establish whether orange peels remove grease, soap scum or limescale, or whether they reduce odors beyond masking them with citrus fragrance. There was no controlled comparison, objective measurement or repeated trial, and the dishwasher was not visibly very dirty before the test. It is also unclear whether other citrus varieties or dishwasher models would produce the same result.
Derwin’s observation that the peels stayed intact and left no residue applies to the peels and cycle she used. The source does not give guidance about how often to try the method or whether it is suitable for every appliance. Its suggestion that orange-peel oils may clean is an explanation for the trend, not a verified finding from the test.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Further Tests Would Clarify Results
The source report does not announce a follow-up test or independent evaluation. Derwin said she might use the method again when her dishwasher smells especially stale, before guests arrive, or when she wants a quick refresh, while retaining dedicated cleaners for cleaning. For now, the reported outcome remains a single personal experiment; whether the hack has a repeatable cleaning effect would require more systematic testing across cycles, peel types and machines.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
Why are people putting orange peels in the dishwasher?
The tip is promoted as a way to add a citrus scent and possibly use oils in the peel to deodorize or degrease. The Kitchn report tested the scent effect in one dishwasher but did not verify the broader cleaning claims.
Did the orange peels make the dishwasher cleaner?
Writer Nina Derwin said it looked maybe a little cleaner, but she could not tell clearly because the machine was not visibly dirty beforehand. The test did not measure grease, limescale or soap scum.
Did the peels leave pulp in the dishwasher?
In Derwin’s test, the Cara Cara peels remained intact and she reported no pulp or residue. That observation comes from one cycle and does not establish what would happen with every type of peel or machine.
Can orange peels replace dishwasher cleaner?
The report does not support using peels as a replacement. Derwin said she would not use them instead of a proper degreaser or dishwasher cleaning tablet; she described them as a possible quick refresh for odor.
Source: rss
Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day Picks
long weekend sales
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
