I have a confession, I drink A LOT of tea and after seeing the post on the B101 FB page yesterday about reusing coffee grounds, I started feeling a bit guilty about all those teabags that I throw out. When I was searching for uses of them, I found something even better!
Here’s an item that we normally throw out without giving it a second thought! Obviously, if you prefer to add milk or sugar to your tea and you plan to reuse/upcycle your used teabags, be sure to wait until After you’ve removed the tea bag to add those items so you don’t contaminate them.
Stings, Bites, Bruises- you can reduce the pain and appearance of stings, bites and bruises by applying the teabag directly to the skin (wet, used)
Deodorize sneakers/shoes (place a dry (used) teabag in the shoe overnight & it will absorb them)
If you like herbal teas, you can use tea bags to boost the flavor of pasta and grains, simply drop 1 or 2 in the pot of water while they’re cooking and you’ll infuse them with flavor!
Mirror & Window Cleaner- apply the wet used teabag to the mirror or window and then wipe it away with a cloth, paper towel or piece of newspaper. The natural tannins in the tea will leave the windows sparkling and Bonus- NO Chemical residue or smell.
Apply the used, wet (slightly cooled!!) teabags under your eyes and let rest 3 minutes to reduce puffy eyes
Add Shine to your Hair! Rebrew a couple of used tea bags and let it cool, use it as a final rinse after washing your hair normally (shampoo & conditioner). This will give your hair a beautiful shine !
Rust Proof your Cast Iron Cookware- the tannins in tea can help prevent rust from forming on your cast iron cookware, simply apply a used black teabag after each use to create a layer of tanning which prevents oxidization (which in turn causes rust to form!)
Did you just chop fresh onions or garlic, or clean a fresh fish? Wash your hands with a used teabag and the odor will disappear!
Place a few used teabags in a dish and place them in the fridge to rapidly absorb odors
Use them in your garden, fill a pot with water, add the used tea bags and rebrew them. Once you have a nice “tea” let it cool and use it in the garden to help fertilize plants. It can also be used to kill off fungus on seedlings.
Soak your Feet! Not only will you deodorize your feet, but you can kill fungal infections, soften calluses and it’s nourishing to the skin as well.
Dish Degreaser- I accidentally figured this one out on my own. I left a mug of tea on the side of the sink and dumped it into a pan, teabag and all, it actually breaks down the grease
Deodorize the House- mix the grounds with clean kitty litter to make the litter stay fresh smelling longer
Add a Couple dried used teabags to the bottom of your trashcan (under the bag!) to absorb trashy odors and help neutralize any smells that might emanate from it.
If you drink mint tea you can used the old used teabags (dry) in cupboards or places where you’ve seen spiders/bugs to repel them.
Get Rid of Bad Breath Quick! Use can make your own mouthwash by rebrewing the tea bag (of course you’ll need to use a Mint or lemon tea for this one)
Dye paper or cloth to make your own awesome labels or antiqued look.
Freshen Carpets/Rugs- allow the used teabags to dry completely, then empty the contents of several bags onto the carpet that needs to be freshened. Let them set overnight and vacuum in the morning. This will absorb odors and leave a nice fresh scent behind.
Tenderize Tough Cuts of meat- rebrew the tea and marinate beef or poultry for up to 2 hours prior to cooking, season as you normally would. The tannins in the tea help break down tough fibers in the meat, tenderizing it.
