Laura Walters
There are tons of quirky houseplant hacks scattered around online, but using a banana peel to clean plant leaves is a particularly weird one. But according to some folks on the Internet, a banana peel is the perfect way to keep leaves clean and help plants breathe easier—and give them an added boost of nutrients.
Dust can pile up quickly in stuffy indoor environments and impede growth, so cleaning your houseplants properly is an important task. When learning how to care for houseplants, however, you have to be careful about the advice you find in online forums that often promote these kinds of tips and tricks.
There are lots of indoor plant hacks you can find online that sound great, until you actually try them. And with all the houseplant cleaning products available these days, using a banana peel to clean plant leaves could be a cheap and eco-friendly alternative—if it actually works. I took a close look at whether this viral cleaning trick really holds up, or if it's just a fleeting trend.
Why Everyone Is Talking About This Viral Hack
The idea of using a banana peel to clean plant leaves took off because it’s a simple method that takes advantage of something many of us already have in our homes and would normally throw out.
From my experience as an expert garden writer, I know that people are drawn to reusing kitchen scraps to give plants a lift. And it's easy to see why. These kinds of hacks are good for your wallet and the planet.
What makes this particular method stick, though, is how simple it is. There's no need for pricey sprays or gadgets. Just grab a banana peel, give it a go, and call it a day. That's why this trick has garnered so much attention, especially for those who enjoy a bit of gardening ingenuity.
How the Banana Peel Cleaning Trick Works
The theory goes that banana peels, which are loaded with potassium and natural oils, can buff leaves to a nice shine while sneaking some much-nutrients into your plants.
The banana peel’s soft interior acts like a gentle rag, brushing off dust and leaving a healthy gleam without any rough chemicals. Some proponents of this method even say it might improve plant health over time by letting plants absorb nutrients through their leaves.
The thought is that as the peel's gentle texture scrubs off grime it also lets healthy oils and minerals soak into the leaves. A leaf might look perkier after a rub, hinting at the promise: cleaner leaves and a happier plant, all from an item you’d normally toss in the trash.
Does the Science Back It Up?
Here’s where things gets tricky. Despite the popularity of this viral hack, science hasn’t fully jumped on the banana peel train just yet.
Cleaning dust off of plant leaves does help with photosynthesis, but the claim about transferring potassium through the leaves is a stretch. Roots are the true gateway for plant nutrients. Composting banana peels can help add potassium into the soil, but there’s no evidence that the nutrient seeps into leaves with a quick wipe.
That shine probably comes from the oils in the banana peel, but slathering it on too thick is a bad idea. Until some solid research rolls in, it’s more of a playful experiment to mess around with. Fun to give a go, but don’t count on banana peels as a sure bet for fertilizing indoor plants. Instead use a high-quality, all-purpose indoor plant food, like this one you can get on Amazon.
How To Use Banana Peels To Clean Plant Leaves
If you’re still tempted to use a banana peel to clean plant leaves, take it easy. Use a ripe banana peel. This is a good way to use brown bananas in your garden that have been sitting around on the counter too long.
Rinse off the banana to ditch any leftover pesticides and lightly rub the inside of the peel on a leaf. Don’t push too hard, just a gentle touch will do. Start with a sturdy plant and keep an eye on it for a couple days. If the leaves hold their green, you’re golden. If plant leaves turn yellow, stop using this trick.
Don’t go overboard, either. Rubbing banana peels on plants can leave a sticky film or block up leaf pores. Follow up with a damp cloth if your plant leaves feel oily. Start small and see how the plants take it before wiping down your whole houseplant collection.
Better Alternatives to Banana Peels
To clean plants, ditch the banana peel and go for a damp microfiber cloth instead. These microfiber cloths from Amazon are my preferred plant cleaning tools. A clean, damp cloth is straight-forward, effective, and doesn't leave a mess.
You can also try out microfiber gloves, like these ones from Amazon, to make it easier to get into all the nooks and crannies of your plants.
For an extra boost of cleaning power, mix a drop of mild dish soap with water on your cloth and wipe gently. This method tackles dust and pests. Another old-school trick is milk. Thin out a little milk with water in a 1:10 mix for a nice shine, but be sure to rinse leaves afterwards for the best results.
Neem oil sprays, like the kind I use from Amazon, also offer a natural glow and reliable protection against common houseplant pests. These alternative options offer real results and keep plants in top shape, compared to the banana peel method.
More Tips for Healthy Leaves
Beyond the banana peel debate, keeping leaves happy takes a few easy steps. Run a cloth over leaves every couple of weeks to stop dust from building up, especially when dry indoor air is kicking around in winter. You can even try making a DIY leaf shine spray for an easy houseplant glow up.
A light splash of water will perk up leaves a bit, but don’t go overboard with soaking plants as too much water will cause trouble. Give plants a little turn every few weeks so each side gets its share of light. Also, frequently take a look underneath leaves for crafty pests that love to hide away.
While using a banana peel to clean plant leaves is a fun trick to try for a quick shine, it's not a good long-term solution. Try it out if curiosity strikes, but rely on a clean cloth and a drop of diluted soap for the long haul. Those leaves will glow all year!
