I was inspired by the previous story I wrote, Fuel Starts Going Bananas, to read more about the reusability of bananas. Besides throwing the peels into my backyard composter, I didn't really know any other things to do with the leftover banana waste.

So I did some research and discovered a bunch of eco-friendly ways to reuse bananas instead of just throwing them away. Here are a few of the most interesting alternatives:

• A tip from ThriftyFun says that if you happen to get bitten by red fire ants, by rubbing the inside of a banana peel on the bite you will prevent it from itching and getting inflamed. This also works for mosquito bites.
• You can use bananas as fertilizer, either by putting them directly into your composter like I do, or by cutting them into little pieces and mixing them in the soil. Bananas are great for plants because they are rich in phosphorous and potassium.
• Rubbing the inside of a banana peel onto your brown leather shoes is a great way to clean them and keep them shiny. Also works for non-leather shoes.
• The potassium in banana peels can cure you of warts in less than 2 weeks.
• By gargling with water and salt, and then rubbing a mixture of banana peels onto your teeth for about 2 weeks, they will get significantly whiter.
• If you fall and get a scrape on your knee or elbwo, the oil in a banana skin is the all-natural way to make the pain go away.
• A banana hair conditioner on Care2 says that if you mix bananas, cream and honey together, you have an excellent way to restore damaged and dry hair.
• If you get a splinter that is deeply embedded into your skin, tape the banana peel over the splinter and the enzymes will both take the splinter out and heal the wound.

It's hard to believe that the main ingredient in tasty banana splits can revitalize your hair and heal bug bites at the same time. But it's true, and now you can reuse the complete banana, from inside out, to assist you with some of life's every day challenges.

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