Here are 10 fantastic things you could be doing with banana peels, rather than chucking them in the garbage.

There’s a lot to like about bananas. They are rich in vitamin B6 and C and minerals like copper and manganese. Furthermore they contain loads of antioxidants like lutein and other powerful nutrients that give your hair and skin a healthy glow. However, the benefits of the fruit aren’t just in its flesh. That’s why you should think again before chucking your banana peel in the garbage. In fact, the next time you peel a banana, you might just think about keeping the peel for one of the following brilliant uses.

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10. Polish your shoes

Why blow cash on chemicals to get your shoes to shine? Instead, wipe the inside of the banana peel on your shoes and buff them with a soft cloth to get great results.

9. Itches, rashes and bug bites? Say banana!

You might not guess it, but banana peels are nature’s healers and can bring great relief. If you rub them over rashes, bug bites or patches of psoriasis, they can alleviate itchiness and redness.

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8. Fertilizers

What’s more bananas also make fantastic fertilizers. Just drop the peels into the soil or mulch of your potted plants, and the nutrients contained within will begin to seep out, helping your plants to bloom!

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7. Dust the houseplants

No joke! Use the inside of the peel to wipe away dirt and dust from the mucky leaves of your houseplants – and leave them simply shining.

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6. Polish leather

By this point, bananas might seem like an all-in-one perfect polish product. Just use the inner side of the peel to rub on a leather furniture surface, or a leather jacket, and buff it with a cloth. That’ll put the shine right back on it!

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5. Do away with stubborn warts

You can even use banana peels to polish stubborn warts right off your own skin. You can kill a wart and prevent it from returning by wrapping a banana peel on the affected area. Incredibly, it will be gone within seven days!

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4. Blast away acne

Treat your acne by scrubbing your face with ripe banana peels for about 10 minutes and leaving the residue on for some time before washing it away. See your acne peel off!

3. Get rid of splinters

Splinters can be painful, but once again banana peel can come to the rescue. Tape a piece of the peel over the area where the splinter has entered, and the peel will help dislodge it so you can remove it easily.

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2. Whitening your teeth

When you’re next wondering what the best brand of toothpaste is for you, you might be surprised by this alternative. If you’re eating a banana, keep the peel intact and rub the inner side on your teeth to make them shine bright and white. Another thing that banana peel can put a shine on!

1. Eat them!

Surprisingly you can actually eat the peel along with the fruit inside. Furthermore, they’re also very good for your health. While they might be thrown away in the West, they are often eaten in Asian countries. And whether raw or cooked, they are great providers of nutrients. So, the next chance you have, you should get munching on the peels along with the fruit they contain.