10 Unique Uses For Used Tea Bags

Everyone is familiar with the health benefits of tea: it fights cancer, reduces risk of stroke and other diseases, and revitalizes body cells. Yet, after you’ve drained your delicious cup of tea, you find yourself discarding the used tea bags. Well, don’t. You’ll be surprised at the number of ways you can reuse these materials. Here are a number of unique and surprising uses for those old tea bags.

Soothe Tired or Injured Eyes

Crying all night over a breakup can result in puffy and red eyes. While regular ice bags would work, a couple of tea bags can do the trick. Soak them in ice cold water then apply over your eyelids, as compresses. The tea will rejuvenate your face, removing the redness and puffiness after a while. This method also works for healing pink eye. (More tips on how to get rid of pink eye)

Flavor Your Meat

Meat tastes great when cooked the right way, but when not prepared properly, it can turn out bland, tough and unappetizing. Here’s one way of solving that problem: use tea bags (or even leftover tea) to marinade your meat. The sweetness of the drink will add a savory taste to your barbecue.

Make “Less Sinful” Drinks

If you’re a health junkie, you’re definitely very much aware of the unpleasant effects of soft drink and alcoholic beverages on your body. To lessen the guilt of consuming these sinful drinks, you can substitute half of it with tea. Soak the used tea bag in hot or cold water again for a few minutes, then get the same amount of soft drink or alcoholic beverage and mix them together. There’s less calories and sugar, but the flavor will be improved.

Around-The-House Cleaner

Tea can effectively remove grease and grime on mirrors, floors and even linoleum, so why not use your old bags to make a cold brew, then use it as a cleaning solution? Mop your linoleum or wooden flooring with these. Clean your kitchen countertops with it as well. You can use this for unpainted wooden furniture. Just make sure you wipe it thoroughly, so it won’t stain.

Remove Warts

Warts are icky and unsightly. There are numerous around the house items you can use to remove them. Old tea bags are one example. Soak them in hot water, then put over your wart for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. Make sure you dispose of the tea bag after using it on the wart. You can’t say it works as great (or as quick) as vinegar, but it’s worth a try!

Deodorize Your Place

Tea bags soak in water, but they can also soak in the stuffy and stinky smell of shoes or closets. Place a few unwrapped and unused tea bags on a small platter, then put this inside the closet. If it’s shoes, place one bag in every shoe.

Give Oral Relief

Got a painful canker sore? It can go away on its own, but if you want to quicken the healing process, soak a used tea bag, then bite down on it. The tea’s healing properties will soothe the pain and make the sore go away faster. This method also helps stop a pulled tooth from bleeding.

Sunburn And Acne Solution

Old tea bags can also be added to your bath, too! If you’ve got a bad case of acne, or if your skin is raw and red from tanning at the beach, use the old tea bags to provide relief. Wash off the affected areas with cold tea made from used bags. After several applications, you’ll feel the cooling and calming effects. (For more sunburn remedies, read how to relieve sun burn)

Fertilize Your Plants

Here’s a great way to reuse all the old tea bags you have around the house: use them for your plants. Tea bags can be used as an organic fertilizer for potted house plants, with many stimulant benefits from the nutrients in the ingredients. You can even remove the bags and mix the tea leaves inside with your soil, helping absorb water and retaining moisture. If your problem is leaking bottom holes in the plant containers, you can use teabags to prevent the leakage. This also works well for hanging planters.

Show Your Artistic Side

Why do we throw away old tea bags immediately, in the first place? Because they stain! Leave it on a surface for too long, and expect a nasty unpleasant surprise. Well, why not use this to your advantage? Use old tea bags as alternative to commercial dyes. You can paint on paper with, or use it to dye fabric and embroidery.
Used tea bags may belong in the trash, but if you don’t want them to go to waste, then these effective methods might be your cup of tea! soon, you’ll be saving up all those used ones you’ve got around the house.