The Last Thing You Should Do with a Banana Peel Before You Throw It in the Compost

It’s probably been some time since you’ve worn your nice leather shoes. Stuck in the back of your closet during the summer (and, let’s face it, the pandemic), your leather shoe collection might be looking a little dusty, dull, and scuffed. But chances are, you have exactly what you need to make those shoes look sharp again — even if you don’t have shoe polish on hand.

Yes, if you’ve read the title to this post and looked at the photo above, you know where we’re going with this: The next time you finish your morning banana, take a second and use the peel to shine up your leather shoes.

Turns out, banana peels are excellent at polishing leather. If this sounds like some kind of messy, questionable trick (which, we promise, it’s not!), it might help to know why they’re a totally useful alternative to shoe polish. Bananas, as we know, are naturally filled with potassium. Surprisingly, potassium happens to be a key ingredient in commercial shoe polish to clean and shine leather!

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According to scientists, the natural oils and potassium in the banana soak into and nourish the leather, helping shoes last longer. Using banana peels to polish your shoes is easy — and may be even less work than scrounging around for a tin of actual polish.

Related: Instead of Throwing Your Banana Peel Away, Use It to Make “Bacon” (Yes, Really)

Here’s what you do: Peel a banana, as you normally would, and eat said banana. Then, rub the soft inside of the banana peel over your shoes! Make sure you cover the entire surface. Finish up by wiping a dry cloth over your shoes to remove any fibrous banana residue. (Tip: Slightly green bananas will “shed” less.) And that’s not all: You can use banana peels to add sheen to other leather accessories, such as bags and belts, too!

Do you have any other fun tips for reusing banana peels? Tell us in the comments below.