What makes every dessert better? Bananas, of course! And do you know what else bananas can improve? Your home and garden.
I’m a huge fan of trendy hacks, and those with bananas are definitely my favorite. This includes hacks with both peels and the fruit itself.
Whether it’s an overripe banana, leftover peels, or even banana leaves, they all contain nutrients and have many benefits. So, instead of throwing them away, turn them into magical ingredients!
Among the sea of hacks I have tried over time, these 10 steal the spotlight – and here’s the kicker: they’re super easy to implement in your own home and garden!
1. Boost The Nutrients In Your Mulch
I have great news for all of you who use mulch in your garden! You can improve it even more by adding bananas. This time, your secret weapon is banana peels.
All you need to do is put a layer of peels on the surface of the soil. Then, take some regular mulch and add it over the peels. Remember, fruit flies enjoy munching on banana peels and an additional layer of mulch will keep them at bay!
I also save banana leaves and make my own mulch. It’s an excellent way to save money you would otherwise spend on standard mulch.
So, what exactly do you get by using bananas this way? Calcium found in peels improves soil structure, sulfur makes the roots stronger, and magnesium enhances photosynthesis.
Who would’ve guessed that a simple kitchen scrap could have so many benefits?!
2. Speed Up Avocado Ripening Rate
I have to admit that I love avocados as much as I love bananas. But there’s one thing that drives me crazy when it comes to avocados. It seems like they need eternity to ripen once I bring them home.
Luckily, bananas save the day! Unripe avocado and ripe banana are a match made in heaven. You simply put these two in a brown paper bag, fold it, and put it in a warm spot.
With this brilliant method, my avocados take only a day to fully ripen.
If you thought this was just some old wives’ tale, you were wrong. Bananas produce ethylene, and this potent ingredient speeds up the ripening of other fruits. And a paper bag is a bonus here because it traps gas!
You can also try this amazing hack with other fruits, such as apples and pears. How remarkable!
3. Bath Your Plants With Banana Water
I always say that outdoor plants also need some extra TLC. And with a little banana magic, this becomes super easy!
Banana tea aka banana water will give your plants a boost and you don’t need any special skill to make this solution.
For this recipe, you’ll need a few leftover banana peels, water, and a bowl. Simply slice the peels, add them to a bowl filled with water, cover the bowl, and let it soak for a few days.
Always dilute this mixture before using it on your plants. I used it undiluted the first time and I ended up with too many fungus gnats to count.
Interestingly, there’s no scientific evidence about this since bananas must decompose to release nutrients. However, this technique is used by many gardeners and not a single one has complained.
But you know what they say, ditch the hack if anything goes wrong!
4. Make Your Old Wood Shiny Again
Wood is an incomparable material not only because of its appearance but also its durability. The only problem is that it can become pretty dull over the years.
If you have this issue, all you need are a few overripe bananas to fix it. Peel them and rub the inside part of the peel on the desired wooden furniture. Wait for about 10 minutes, wet an old piece of cloth, and carefully wipe the area.
I have a huge wooden dining table and it would take ages to rub it. To speed up the process, I boil the peels, dip a cloth in that water, and wipe.
The reason why this hack works is because the inside part of the peels contains salicylic and citric acid, as well as potassium. These ingredients are natural solutions for cleaning and waxing wood!
5. Don’t Forget To Polish Your Silverware
Are you done with polishing your old wooden furniture? Now move on to your silverware. Put some banana peels and water in a blender and blend until you get a paste.
Then take a piece of cloth or an old toothbrush and scrub your silverware. This hack works best on silverware with some smaller tarnished areas. Rinse to remove excess paste and pat everything dry.
I also use this paste to clean my silver jewelry and other smaller silver items in my home.
I have to warn you that this solution may not be the best choice for cleaning severely tarnished items. Such items require additional cleaning and care.
6. Bring Your Leather Furniture Back To Its Old Glory
The only bad thing about leather furniture is that it loses its shine over time. But, don’t worry leather fans, bananas have something for you, too!
There’s no need to spend a fortune on shining products because banana peels have it all. Again, the inside part of the peels does the magic.
After you rub everything, finish with wiping using a wet cloth.
Did you know that shoe polish products have potassium as their main ingredient? Banana peels contain potassium, so that’s a simple explanation of why this hack works!
The only thing the peels lack are artificial colors, so don’t expect the color of your leather furniture to renew. But who needs anything artificial anyway?
7. Keep Annoying Aphids At Bay
Aphids, your time’s up! If you’re one of the gardeners whose plants were a victim of severe aphid infestation, banana peels are at your service.
After you identify some aphids on your plants, add a layer of banana peels over the soil surface and cover them with more soil.
I had a minor aphid infestation last year and after I used banana peels, they were gone. But that isn’t the most interesting part. Listen to this: the aphids did not come back!
That was the reason why I kept using this hack even though there wasn’t any scientific evidence to prove it.
8. Rub Banana Peels On Your Houseplant Leaves
We’ve seen the power of banana water for outdoor plants. Now it’s time to learn how to improve the overall health of our indoor green buddies with bananas.
Peels are the stars of the show again. And when I say the stars, I mean it because your houseplants will shine!
If you haven’t been dusting your wax-leaved plants, you should definitely start because dust may be responsible for poor growth.
So, rub the foliage with peels and wipe it with a wet cloth to make them glossier than ever.
9. Attract Those Butterflies
Nothing feels better than seeing some butterflies flying around your garden. Not to mention the benefits they have for our prized plants.
If you want more of these spectacular creatures, banana paste can help you with that. Put a few older bananas and some water in a blender to get a paste. Transfer the paste onto a shallow dish and place it somewhere in your garden.
It won’t take long for the butterflies to notice it and reward you with their presence.
The fruit contains a lot of carbohydrates and minerals, especially when it starts to rot. But make sure to monitor and swap out the solution regularly because some unwanted critters can stop by!
10. Say Goodbye To Fruit Flies
How many times have you heard that fruits attract fruit flies? Of course, it’s true, so how on earth bananas can help us with that?
Well, they’ll attract them for sure, so why not turn the tables and make a trap? For this zero-cost solution, you’ll need a few banana slices, a piece of paper, a cup, and tape.
Put the slices in the cup and make a funnel from paper. Secure its larger end to cup rims using tape and then place the smaller end in the cup.
You can put the cup anywhere in your house and trap a lot of curious fruit flies!
Are you impressed by the power of bananas? That makes the two of us. Now the only thing you need to do is to try these hacks and thank me later!