15 Surprising Uses for Bananas

The banana peel, like coffee grounds, tea leaves, and orange peels has a lot of beneficial qualities that’ll make you think twice the next time you toss it in the trash. We've gathered 15 of the best banana  uses for you to try:

 1)   Shoe Polish: Did you know banana peels (on the inside) make a great shoe polish? Just rub it around your shoe and then buff it with a white cloth.

 2)  Itch Soother: Banana peels can help relieve bug bites and poison ivy. It won’t remove the oils that cause the itching but it’ll soothe the bite or rash altogether.

 3)   Treat Bruises, Cuts, and Scrapes. Potassium also helps with the healing process for cuts, scrapes, and bruises.

4)   Splinter Removal: Banana peels help ease splinters out of your skin. Place banana peel on a splinter with athletic tape for a while and then try to ease the splinter out.

5)   Get Rid of Splinters. Can’t get that pesky splinter out of your skin? I feel your pain. Luckily, if you press banana peels onto the splinter, the fruit’s natural enzymes will work to get that sucker out.

6) Bruise Patrol: Banana peels on the inside, if rubbed on a bruise, will aid in making it disappear.

 7) Purify Water. OK, this is perhaps best left to the professionals, but research has suggested that banana peels can actually absorb toxins in polluted rivers. But, if you ever find yourself lost in the woods with only a banana peel, you’ll be prepared!

 12) Compost: Banana peels break down pretty quickly and add wonderful nutrients to your soil. Throw them in your compost!

 13)    Make “Ice Cream.” Craving the sweet stuff but don’t have the time, calories, or budget to spare? Simply blend a frozen solid banana in a food processor or blender. You’ll be surprised how much it tastes like soft-serve ice cream! For more info on frozen banana ice cream

14 )   Dry Skin Cure: If you have psoriasis, try rubbing the inside of a banana peel on your affected areas twice a day and you'll see the dry scaly skin dissipate.

15 ) Banana Peel Message: Leave a message for your child on their banana peel by pricking out letters with a toothpick, the skin will bruise and there will be a dark brown message for your sweetie by lunchtime.