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Cucumber peels most often end up in the bin when preparing salads.
However, you should know that they can really be put to great use for your health and household.
In addition, they will rid you of a pesky inhabitant of your home that starts moving indoors with the first rays of spring sunshine and often persists until the end of autumn.
Don’t throw them away — they’re perfect for all of this
All cucumber trimmings are absolutely great as an air freshener — just put them in a pot with water, add a little lemon and simmer. They have a very mild and pleasant scent that is especially refreshing in summer; pour it into a spray bottle and you can enjoy a fresh and pleasant aroma. Cucumber peels also give incredible shine to dark leather shoes — just rub them on and then polish.
No more squeaky doors. Simply run the inner side of the peel over the squeaky parts and you’ll have a quiet household again.
Wipe the bathroom mirror with it and it won’t fog
Ants will leave the house
Keep ants away from your home. Alkaloids in cucumbers act as a natural ant repellent — you’ll even find them in commercial ant repellents. Find the places where ants usually enter the house, and glide the inner side of the peel over them — don’t skip the threshold, door frames, or windowsill. Repeat every few days. Remember that bitter homemade cucumber peels are the best for this job!
How does it work?
The peel contains a substance (a chemical compound) that is toxic to ants and strongly repels them. It’s actually a kind of defense mechanism — ants will not stay where they sense this compound. In addition, the substance disrupts their ability to orient themselves in space and thus interrupts their trails in your home. These substances are strongest in home-grown and chemically untreated cucumbers.
For health and beauty
It soothes and deeply cleanses the skin. Put the peel from 2–3 cucumbers into a blender, a handful of fresh mint, a tablespoon of lemon juice and an egg white. Apply the mixture to a clean face, leave it on for 15 minutes and rinse with warm water. Then simply apply your favorite moisturizing cream.
If you’ve had a hard day at work or woke up with puffy eyes, the peels will also serve you perfectly. Just place them with the fleshy side on your eyelids and the surrounding area. Leave on for at least 15 minutes and you’ll not only have fresh, brightened skin, but the swelling and heavy eyelid feeling will disappear. For the same soothing effect on the skin, it is recommended to add the peels to a bath. The body will be released to essential oils that have a restorative and refreshing effect.
Cucumber peels contain insoluble fiber, which improves elimination. It helps food move through the digestive system more quickly and more efficiently.
