SCIENCE INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

GROUP#3
BANANA PEEL AS SHOE POLISH

SUBMITTED TO:

MS. THELMA PARTIBLE

BY:

6 Jean Bardon 21 Gerica Lim

10 Sofia Dancel 24 Juliana Ordona

18 Maria Jacinto 29 Marga Relos

6-(2) Mary of Nazareth

 ABSTRACT
This study aims to find out if there is a similarity in the components of a shoe polish
and a banana peel. If there is any, then, this study would find out if a banana peel can
serve as an alternative for shoe polish, in order for us to spend less and help in
preserving our nature. It is then said that a shoe polish contains potassium in it, which is
also present in a banana peel. To find out more about the effectiveness of a banana
peel to the shoes, two set-ups were made. In the first set-up, a clean and soft cloth was
used to shine and clean muddy and filthy shoes. On the other set-up, banana peel is
used to shine and remove mud stains from the shoes.

The result of the first set-up did not work well. The cloth did not help in shining the
shoes and removing the mud stains from the shoes. The shoes still look dirty and
unpleasing. But, fortunately, on the other set-up, the banana peel did function the same
as a real shoe polish. The banana peel immediately polished the shoes, all the dirt
stains and the dust were removed with just one rub. After rubbing the banana peel
through the surface of the shoes, the shoes is wiped with a damped cloth to get rid of
the peeling and the smell. In one article, it is said that with the use of banana peel, the
shoes would maintain its cleanliness for a long period of time. Indeed, using banana
peel as an alternative for shoe polish would be very efficient for many, not only because
it functions the same as a shoe polish but, also because it costs cheaper than the usual
shoe polish.
 INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Many of us are already used to eating different fruits before or after meals, for their
diet and to keep their healthy lifestyle. Banana is a fruit is a fruit usually eaten by many,
one of its reasons is, because it helps us to lose and maintain a healthy weight and
also, the potassium it contains is necessary for our heart, kidneys, and other organs to
function normally. It is very usual to many that after eating a certain food, we get rid of
its wrapper, container, or for the case of the fruits, we throw their peels. But, instead of
throwing its peels again and again and disregard them, we should be aware that its
peels can be used and is helpful in many different ways, especially in the household as
an alternative use for cleaning materials.

Shoe polish is what most of the people use to make their shoes look new and
presentable again, but it costs too much for others. That is why, the purpose of this
study is to find an alternative for a shoe polish which would cost less for the people.
There are already other researches that have studied the different use of banana peels
when it comes to shining things, like silverware. It is because it contains potassium
which is an ingredient commonly found in an ordinary shoe polish. So this study would
aim to find out if banana peels would also be effective on shining shoes.

Statement of the Problem

The questions that this study aims to answer:

1) What are the other uses of banana peels in household?

2) If banana peels are effective/ useful as an alternative for floor wax, then could it
also be effective in polishing things?
3) Will the banana peels give a shine to the shoes like a real shoe polish?
4) What is particular component of a banana peel that helps in shining shoes?

Significance of the study

If this study would prove that banana peel is effective as an alternative for shoe
polish, many people would surely benefit from this. This is because they will be able to
spend less and save more for their shoe polish. One of those who will benefit the most
from this study are the students. Every day, when they go to school, they are required to
use black shoes as a part of their daily uniform, and most of them uses black leather
shoes. Students are sometimes careless that they tend to step on each other’s shoes
while walking or playing which brings dirt to their shoes. That is why, instead of using
shoe polish most of the time and buy again and again, they can use banana peels as an
alternative for their shoe polish. And at the same time, they can save more money for
banana costs less than a shoe polish.

Workers, or the elderly will surely also benefit from this study. Most of the elderly
who works use leather shoes every day at work and some even use leather shoes for
their daily schedules. Of course, their shoes are also prone to being dirty and be
stepped on. Therefore, instead of maintaining their shoes’ cleanliness with the use of
quite expensive shoe polishes, they may use the banana peels as a substitute for their
shoe polish.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

This study only looks into the different uses of fruit peelings, specifically, banana
peelings in the household particularly in shining shoes. It also studies how
effective/practical it is to use a banana peel as an alternative for shoe polish; if it results
exactly the same as a shoe polish to a leather shoes or if there is a difference between
using a banana peel as a shoe polish and using a real shoe polish to shine a leather
shoes. This study also looks into what particular component of a banana peel that
shines the shoes.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND CONCEPTUA FRAMEWORK

Review of Literature
The blog article “Banana Peel as a Shoe Shine” that can be found in
http://hildablue.com/2013/02/06/banana-peel-shoe-shine/ , it says that banana peel
could be used as a shoe shiner. This is because of the potassium the banana contains
which is also used as a component in a typical shoe polish. This blog article also
indicates that the extract found in the banana peel will be absorbed by the leather which
would result and bring a shine on the leather shoes that would last in longer period of
time. On the other hand, a research preview "Shine your shoe with Banana", found on
http://www.academia.edu/7706837/Shinana_Shine_your_shoe_with_Banana_-
_Utilization_of_Banana_Peel_to_create_shoe_polisher , it is said that this study may
help in the promotion of environment preservation and restoration. And instead of using
a shoe polish, which may have flammable hazards or harmful chemicals, to shine our
shoes, we may use a banana peel, which is less harmful and expensive.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
The study states that instead of using a costly shoe polisher to maintain and clean
our leather shoes, we could use a banana peel instead, as an alternative to spend less.
Those who tend to use shoe polish or just a piece of cloth to clean their shoes may use
this banana peel, this may be more efficient to them because despite the fact it costs
less, it also results and effects the same as an ordinary shoe polish.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE

Banana Peel & 5 min. of Observation Shoes

HYPOTHESIS
The hypothesis that is formed for this experiment is, “If an ordinary shoe polisher
that shines a leather shoe contains a potassium in its components then, the banana
peel, which also contains a potassium, also has the ability to polish a leather shoe.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
The definition of the different terms in the study:

 alternative - available as another possibility

 Potassium - the chemical element of atomic number 19, a soft silvery-
white reactive metal of the alkali metal group
 fruit peelings - the outer covering or rind of a fruit or vegetable
 polish - a substance used to give something a smooth and shiny
surface when rubbed in
 METHODOLOGY
METHOD OF RESEARCH: Pure Research (Experimental)

MATERIALS:

 a pair of leather shoes

 1 banana peel
 clean cloth
 water

PROCEDURE:

1) Peel the banana.

2) After you get the banana peel, start rubbing its inner lining to the shoes, and use
it like an ordinary shoe polish.
3) Observe the shoes for 5 minutes.

4) After wiping the shoes with the banana peel, damp a clean cloth with water and
gently rub it to the shoes’ surface.

FINISH PRODUCT
DATA
Set-up Before After

A. Controlled Set-up

 filthy The dust were slightly

 dull removed by the cloth but,
 dusty the mud stains were not
 muddy removed.
B. Experimental Set-up

 filthy Unlike the other set-up,

 dull the shoes shined with the
 dusty use of a banana peel was
 muddy polished neatly. The
shoes looked neater,
shinier, bright, and tidy.
Not only the dusts are
removed but, also the
mud stains were removed
and the shoes looked
newer and hygienic
again.

RESULTS AND FINDINGS

To clearly understand the outcome of the experiment done in this study, the
observations and the data were expressed through the pictures that are documented
throughout the experimentation and through the different observations seen before and
after the procedure. The data shows that before we apply the banana peel to the shoes,
the shoes looks very untidy, even if it is wiped with a clean cloth, the shoes wouldn’t
look neat and does not look fully polished. But after the banana peel is wiped unto it, the
shoes look new, tidy, and fully polished, as if the it is applied with a real shoe polish.

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary
The objective of this study is to find an alternative for a shoe polish, that costs
cheaper than the real shoe polish. This study aims to find out if a banana peel could
serve as a shoe polish to a leather shoes. In one blog article, it is said that one of the
components of a shoe polish is potassium, which is also one of the components of a
banana peel. That is why, this study would find out if the banana peel would be effective
and useful as a shoe polish alternative because of the potassium it contains.

After the research for this study, the experimentation is done. In the set-ups, the
first made use of a clean cloth to clean and shine the shoes, but the cloth only removed
the dust in the shoes, the mud stains aren’t removed by the cloth. On the other set-up,
banana peel is used to clean and polish the filthy shoes, and fortunately, it shined the
shoes and removed the mud stains from it and made it look like a real shoe polish is
used to clean and shine the shoes.

Conclusion
The hypothesis that the presence of potassium in the banana peel would help in
using this as an alternative for a real shoe polish, for a shoe polish also contains a
potassium. The banana peel is therefore very effective and efficient as an alternative
for a shoe polish that is less expensive than the usual shoe polish. It shines and cleans
the shoes like a real shoe polish because it also has the ability to wipe out the mud
stains that cannot be removed by just an ordinary cloth.

Recommendation
There are also different studies and researches that aims to look for a cheaper
alternative for a shoe polish. One of these is using a toothpaste to clean a white shoes.
The other alternatives you can use to polish your shoes and make them look appealing,
tidy, new, and hygienic are olive oil, vinegar, lemon, and beeswax. Try and find out if
this is also an effective alternative shoe polish or cleaner to spend less and be more
practical, instead of buying an expensive shoe polish again and again. These
alternatives would clean your shoes and maintain your shoes’ cleanliness and
attractiveness.
 REFERENCES
http://www.academia.edu/7706837/Shinana_Shine_your_shoe_with_Banana_-
_Utilization_of_Banana_Peel_to_create_shoe_polisher

http://www.wikihow.com/Polish-Shoes-with-a-Banana

http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_purpose_of_potassium_in_shoes_polish

https://prezi.com/u2wc0_efcw3k/banana-peeling-as-shoe-polish/

https://studymoose.com/banana-peel-as-an-alternative-for-a-shoe-polish-essay

https://studymoose.com/banana-peeling-as-an-alternative-shoe-polish-essay

http://hildablue.com/2013/02/06/banana-peel-shoe-shine/

MEMBER’S CONTRIBUTION
6 Jean Bardon- Compilation

10 Sofia Dancel- Experiment Materials

18 Maria Jacinto- Printing/Compilation

21 Gerica Lim- Written Report

24 Juliana Ordona- Reporter

29 Marga Relos- Reporter & Powerpoint