Top 9 Things You Can Do with Used Tea Bags

If you are a tea fanatic, there are high chances you have plenty of tea bags in your house. Well, would it not be awesome to have a way in which you can reuse these tea bags instead of throwing them into the trash can?

You are perhaps wondering what to do with used tea bags. Fortunately, we have some good news for you. There are truly many ways to put the used tea bags into good use. In this post, you will learn more about the most useful and surprising things you can do with the used tea bags. So, read on!

Hydrating a Dry Skin

You can re-brew the used bag to refresh parched skin. Let the solution cool, and then pour it into a squeeze or spray bottle. Afterwards, sprinkle it onto your skin or use a cotton pad to smear it. While any tea is beneficial, it is worth noting that the antioxidants in green variant work wonder when rehydrating your dry skin.

Adding Flavor to Grains and Pasta

After brewing your cup of tea, you can reuse the bag to add flavor to other types of food. First, put the used bags in a pot of water and let it to boil to flavor the water. Second, remove the bags and finally add your rice, pasta or any other grains. To get started, you can try the chamomile or the jasmine tea with rice. Green tea works well with pasta, while cinnamon or chai spice tea works perfectly with oatmeal.

Cleaning Rugs and Carpets

Use a bag of pre-used tea to clean and deodorize your carpets. Put the bags in a cup of water and store them in a refrigerator to prevent them from spoiling until you have more than enough to cover the entire surface you wish to clean.

Afterwards, open the bags and allow all the leaves to dry until they’re relatively damp. Remember, they shouldn’t be wet. Scatter the loose tea over the carpets and rugs and leave them to dry. Finally, sweep the dried tea leaves or vacuum them away.

Neutralize the Household Odors

A used bag is ideal for eliminating the annoying odors in the house or office. First, mix some dried tea leaves in a can and store them in a fridge to ensure they stay fresh. Second, through a couple of the bags into the trash cans to neutralize the odor before entering the house.

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Air Freshener

You can create a DIY air freshener for your office, vehicle or home by pouring a few drops of your preferred essential oil on the used bags. The fact that the bags contain an inbuilt string means hanging them is a walk in the park. After the oil wears off, just add a couple of drops to make it fresh. Additionally, since the tea leaves absorb odor, this DIY air freshener will keep your living room smelling great.

Polishing Wood Surfaces

You can use the used bags to restore a classy finish to your furniture and wood floors. Put a few used bags in a cup or bowl of warm water to make some weak tea. Use a microfiber cloth or rag to apply it to the affected wood surfaces. As long as you give it a perfect clean, your wood will shine within a short period.

Dissolve the Greasy Messes

If you have some grease that’s stuck in the bottom of a pan, just place the used bag in it and pour some hot water into it. Let it soak over the night. The tannins present in the tea comes in handy in loosening the mess. In the morning, you will have an easy time cleaning the affected pans.

Starting a Fire

If you love campfires, the good thing for you is that you can use the used bags to make fire starters. All you need to do is squeeze out water from the bags and leave them to dry completely. Next, dip them in melted wax and then arrange them on a piece of parchment paper or tin foil. Keep in mind that they will be ready for use when the wax hardens. The good thing about them is that they burn brightly, light quickly and comes in handy in helping you start a campfire within a short period.

Soothing Irritating Skin

Moist and cool used bags are exceptional as they give you a natural way of soothing skin irritations. To ease the discomfort, place them over the tired and sore eyes. Next, massage over the sunburn to lower inflammation and cool the skin. Besides, place them against the bruises to help speed the healing process and ease the discomfort. Gently rub the bags over the bites and stings to lessen swelling and pain and eradicate the toxins.

The Final Take

With all these exceptional ideas on recycling bags, you will certainly want to ensure you buy them from the best tea online shop and store them in the best way possible to assure effectiveness. Ideally, you should only purchase from a recognized online tea and coffee shop.

While you can store moist tea bags at room temperature for a day, it would be advisable to refrigerate them to avoid bacteria and mould growth. Remember that all-natural foods, including tea, will go bad after a long period. So, consider using your smell senses to find out whether the bags contain a funky smell prior to using them for the above-mentioned tasks.