17 awesome uses for banana peels

Bananas themselves are so versatile, but what about the skin? We usually throw it out but did you have that it too has a multitude of uses?

Here’s 17 of our favourites. Will you be saving your peels from now on?

1. Get juicier chicken: Skinless chicken breasts can dry out very quickly when you grill them. So next time, place a banana peel on top of each breast while you cook. The peel will create a barrier that acts like skin, helping the meat seal in its natural juices.

2. Polish your shoes: Just rub the inside of a banana peel around your shoe and then buff off with a clean microfibre cloth.

3. Whiten your teeth: Rub the inside of a peel on your teeth to whiten them – they have manganese, magnesium and potassium, all of which help to bleach enamel.

4. Cure a wart: It only takes 1-2 weeks to remove a wart with a banana peel. Apply to the area every day and do not wash off residue.

5. Soothe an itch: Banana peels can help relieve bug bites and itches. Simply rub on and leave on.

6. Polish your silver: Blend banana peel with water and use on your silver to take the polish off with a soft cloth.

7. Tenderise your roast: Add a banana peel to your next roast and it’ll add just enough moisture to ensure that roast doesn’t get too dry.

8. Remove a splinter: Banana peels help ease splinters out of your skin. Place banana peel on a splinter with tape for a while – the splinter should come out easily.

9. Feed your roses: Place cut up banana peels in your soil – they’re great fertiliser.

10. Make a bruise disappear: Rubbing the inside of a banana pill will aid in making a bruise disappear.

11. Replenish dry skin: If you have psoriasis or dry skin, try rubbing the inside of a banana peel on your affected areas twice a day.

12. Treat hemorrhoids: Banana peels, when apply cold to the spot, will relieve symptoms associated with hemorrhoids.

13. Cure depression: Researchers have found that drinking boiled banana peel water (or juicing the peel) can ease depression.

14. Make a face mask: You can use a banana peel as an all-natural face mask that moisturises your skin and leaves it looking and feeling softer. Simply place warmed up skins on your face and let sit for 20 minutes.

15. Attract birds and butterflies to your garden: Put overripe banana skins on a raised platform and poke holes in the skin to encourage butterflies and birds. They’ll love it!

16. Get ink stains off your hands: If your hands a covered in ink from a pen, and you can’t get it off with soap and water, rub the white side on your hands and watch the stains disappear.

3. Stop a scratched CD or DVD from skipping: If your favourite disc just won’t play smoothly, fix it with a banana peel by rubbing the back of the disc in a gentle circular motion with the inside of the peel. Wipe off any residue with a soft cloth, then lightly spray the disc with glass cleaner and buff it until it looks clean.

Share any of your other tips below!