Tea lovers will be delighted to know that tea bags offer far more benefits than your daily cuppa. From household maintenance to garden magic, find out 5 surprising ways to reuse used tea bags at home, instead of tossing them in the trash. Whether you’re a lover of black tea, English breakfast, Rooibos, or green tea, the following uses are great for all types.
1. Composting
Used tea bags are great for the soil. Their acidic tannins and caffeine levels help create rich and nourishing compost that you can scatter over seedlings and flower beds. As they break down, their tannins and caffeine levels turn into nitrogen, an important element in soil composition needed for plant growth. Moreover, tea leaves are excellent moisture and temperature regulators, which are, in turn, important elements to create a successful and enriched batch of compost. Toss any used tea bags you have into your compost heap, instead of the trash, and watch how they improve the next batch tenfold! Ensure the bags are made with compostable material. If made with plastic, empty the tea leaves directly into the compost and dispose of the empty tea bags.
2. DIY Deodoriser
Dried used tea leaves can be collected and used as deodorisers. Just like bicarbonate of soda, dried, used tea leaves help absorb unwanted odours and excess moisture. Place a bowl in the fridge to get rid of that garlic smell, or scatter over a smelly carpet, leaving it to work its magic for a few hours. Once the tea leaves have neutralised unwanted odours, empty the bowl into your compost heap, or simply vacuum them up from the carpet. For effective deodorisers, ensure you steep tea bags in hot water only, and remove them before adding sugar or milk. This helps prevent mould and allows them to absorb unwanted odours fully when used.
3. Stove-top Potpourri
Make your home smell amazing with natural scents from used tea bags and a mix of spices. Simmer sachets of used tea, alongside fresh aromatics and spices. For example, pair sachets of chai tea with a few slices of orange and fresh ginger and fill your kitchen with rich, spicy aromas. Or, simmer sachets of Rooibos with slices of lemon, peppermint and thyme for a refreshing and vibrant fragrance. The options are endless, and the benefits of a fresh-smelling space are well worth it.
4. Infuse alcohol
Are you a bartender enthusiast? Well then, enhance your cocktail game by creating unique alcohol blends and simple syrups with used tea bags. Infuse your go-to alcohols, like gin and vodka, with your favourite brew by steeping used bags in bottles for four hours, or overnight. The liquor will have added depth and complexity from the infused tea flavours, adding dimension to your next batch of cocktails. Or, add a few sachets of used tea to your next batch of simple syrup. Think what you can whip up with a rooibos or peppermint tea syrup? How does an Early Grey Bees Knees cocktail sound?
5. Treat yourself to a spa day
Instead of tossing that heap of tea bags into the trash, consider tossing them into a hot bath. Steeping them and yourself in a hot bath means you will benefit from the relaxing aromas, not to mention the caffeine from certain varieties does wonders for your skin! Tea varieties that work well include rooibos, chamomile, green, peppermint, rosehip, and hibiscus. While soaking, pop a few bags onto your eyes for a DIY relaxing eye mask. Or, to help with puffiness and dark circles, pop pre-frozen bags onto your eyes for some well-deserved relaxation.
Also See: Turn your kitchen windowsill into a tea garden full of fresh herbal blends
Turn your kitchen windowsill into a tea garden full of fresh herbal blends
