If you've got a few over-ripe bananas lying around (as most of us do), and you're not the banana bread type, it turns out they have a few household uses before you toss them in the garbage—like homespun shoe polish.


Bananas, while delicious, are annoying because they release gases that cause fruits (including other bananas in the bunch) to ripen quicker, giving you a small window in which to eat them. However, bananas also contain potassium, which is useful even after the bananas are past the edible stage—in fact, it's a key ingredient in shoe polish. Thus, you can use the inside of the banana peel to polish your shoes—and still have the fruit left over if you decide you really do want that banana bread. Of course, the banana doesn't have to be over-ripe to do some shoe-shining, since the peel is the important part.

We hear they actually sell products specifically designed to polish shoes (who'd've thunk?), but the banana-peel polish is a tried and true trick if you're in a pinch.


How to Polish Shoes With a Banana [VideoJug via DIY Life]