5 Unexpected Uses for Bananas

Took a trip to the grocery store and overindulged in produce?

If you have over ripened bananas sitting around your house, here are 5 ways to put them to good use that DON’T include tossing them out (or at least not until your done cleaning with them!).

Leather like New

Leather starting to look a little scuffed and dull? Rub the inside of a banana peel on anything made of leather to spruce it up. This can include dress shoes, a leather jacket, or even running shoes. The potassium in bananas will be absorbed into the leather and will help diminish any scuff marks. Then wipe away any remaining residue and buff with a microfiber cloth for a glossy, looking-like-new sheen.

Leaf it behind

Although they help to provide oxygen and clean the air in a home, house plants need to be cleaned and maintained regularly. They can collect dust and dirt on their leaves which can travel throughout your home. To prevent that from happening, wipe down house plants with a banana peel to remove dust and dirt. Using a microfiber cloth, wipe away any remaining residue. The texture and oils in banana peels serve as a mild abrasive and polish.

Wood Revival

If your wood has lost its sheen and you’re looking for a quick, inexpensive way to spruce it up (pun intended), then we have the answer for you. Remember that ripened banana we keep talking about? Well here’s yet another way to make use for it. Smear a bit of an over-ripened banana onto wood furniture with your fingers then wipe off with a microfiber cloth; it’ll shine like a crystal.  Now, how easy was that?

Th-INK about it

Pen exploded? Sharpie leak? We’ve all been there. You can spend hours scrubbing your skin until it’s tender and red using soap and water to no avail. Instead, get your grubby little hands onto a banana peel and get to work. To help remove ink stains from your skin, use the inside of a banana peel and rub on the affected areas. Voila, instant stain removal!

Scratch that

Although Ipods and mp3 players are all the rage, some of us still like listening to our music the old-fashioned way. For those of you that still own CDs and have scuff and scratched them from extended use, find yourself a good ol’ banana to fix it. You can remove scratches from a cd by smearing bits of banana onto the scratch in a circular motion with a banana peel for 30 seconds. Wipe with a microfiber cloth, adding a bit of glass cleaner to help make it sparkle.