Make Your Leather Shoes Shine Like New With The Cleaning Help Of An Unexpected Fruit

Who doesn't love a good hack to save us when we find ourselves in a pinch? We sure do! Like these 20 game-changing makeup hacks that every girl should know. Today, we are here to share a surprising but effective lifestyle hack.

Have you ever found yourself heading out the door only to notice that your shoes could do with some extra shine? You may quickly start scrambling for that shoe polish you bought eons ago that's stashed away, god knows where. Even worse is if you are traveling and realize that the only pair of shoes you packed are dirty and worn-looking. Fortunately, you don't have to worry. There is a simple way to get rid of this worn-out and decrepit look on your leather shoes. Just use a banana peel to wipe the grime away.

Yes, you heard us right. A banana peel (not the insides, mind you) can take the place of a shoe-shining product because it is high in potassium, an ingredient that is also the mainstay of shoe-shining products.

Once you have eaten the inside of the banana or used the banana extract in your skincare routine, you will be left with the banana peel. According to Lori Taylor, the founder and CEO of The Produce Moms, you should then examine your shoes and see if you have large clumps of dirt or mud stuck onto them. If you do, remove those by hand or wash them off before attempting to shine them with the banana peel.

Next, take the banana peel you have put aside and rub its inside portion around the body of your leather shoes. Be sure to go around every portion so you don't miss a spot. Afterwards, you must run a soft cloth over the areas you have just applied the banana peel to so that you remove any portions of banana that remain stuck inadvertently on the surface of the shoes and also remove any sticky residue that may have collected as a result of rubbing the banana peel on that area.

That said, there are a few things to keep in mind while attempting this hack. For one, use the inside of the peel, not the outside. And definitely don't try this hack on regular canvas or plastic shoes — it will not have the same effect as it does on leather goods.

You will be surprised to learn that banana peels have a number of other nifty uses as well. For starters, you can use banana peels to soothe irritated and raised skin after a bug bite, as it helps to reduce the itching in the affected area, according to Business Insider.

Banana peels, when rubbed on wrinkled skin, can help reduce the signs of aging because of the natural antioxidants the fruit contains. That said, they're also considered a natural remedy for warts on the bottom of the feet. For this, experts suggest covering the wart with a piece of banana peel so the lump can fall off in a couple of weeks. Aside from using bananas for the skin, consuming them also comes with benefits. After all, they're rich sources of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, so you may want to consider adding them to your meals by cooking them in innovative ways.

Entrepreneur Melissa Maker, who runs the popular YouTube channel and website Clean My Space, shares more useful tips for repurposing your banana peels instead of throwing them away. For example, they can be used to clean the dirt and dust that collects on houseplants. Plus, if your hands are stained with stubborn ink, you can just rub a banana peel and watch the stain fade away.