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6 Indigenous Ways to Reuse Banana Peels

By Louisa Price

I have 6 kids in the house, and each kid generates at least 1 banana peel a day. So imagine the number of banana skins I get at the end of the week! I thought I was super cool when I started adding banana peels to my compost bin. But surprise! There are many indigenous ways to recycle or reuse banana peels, and I have compiled a list of my favorite banana skin uses below.

What Can I Do with Banana Peels?

Make Banana Peel Vinegar

Sweet and tangy; great as a topper for seafood dishes! You need about 1 lb banana peels (sliced), 4 cups water, ¾ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon bakers yeast, ½ vinegar (for a starter).

Place banana peels in pot and add 2 cups water, then boil. Extract the juice of banana peel, decant and filter through cheesecloth.

Add remaining cup of water, sugar and pasteurize for 10-15 minutes at 150º F. Pour into a sterilized container, half-filled. Allow to cool.

Add ½ teaspoon baker’s yeast for every 4 cup mixture. Leave it to ferment for 1 week.

Decant to separate sediments (dead yeast). Then, add ½ cup vinegar starter for every 2 cup liquid. Cover with clean cloth or paper.

Let it ferment at room temperature for 2-3 weeks or until you get a sour (vinegar) odor. Decant once more, to separate the sediments.

Fill container to full capacity. Age for 1 month to produce quality vinegar.

Pasteurize at 140º F for 5 minutes. Filter, bottle, seal tightly, label and store.

Meat Tenderizer

Banana leaves are used in many Asian countries to wrap and make meat more tender. Some people believe that if you put the banana skin in the pan you are cooking the meat in, it gives the same effect as using the leaves.

Polish Silverware and Leather

Rub the inside of the banana peel on your silverware, or anything made of leather such as shoes, purses, jackets, sofas etc. Buff with a dry lint-free soft cloth, or paper towel. Your old items will be as good as new! However, I suggest you try on a small area first.

Keep Aphids Away

If you want to get rid of aphids in the garden, bury a few chopped up banana peels below plants. Those aphids will be gone in a matter of minutes!

Brighten Your Household Plants

Simply rub the inside of the peel on each leaf. It will remove all the gunk on the surface and give it with a lustrous shine.

Reduce Mosquito Bite Swelling

Rub inside of the peel on mosquito bites. It should reduce any swelling or irritation caused by the mosquito bite.

Who would have thought there would be so many ideas to recycle and reuse banana skin. So save those banana peels now!

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