10 Ways to Reuse Your Tea Bags

Tea is one of the most popular drinks in the world — after water, of course. There are many reasons for this. Not only can it make for a delicious drink, but it also has ingredients with special properties that, depending on the nutrient, will remain active even after the drink has been prepared. That’s why you don’t always have to throw away your tea bags after using them. 5-Minute Crafts is showing you 10 ways to recycle your used tea bags.

1. To clean windows and glass

Instructions:

1. Take several tea bags and place them in a cup or a glass for 20 minutes.
2. Filter the liquid and place it in an atomizer.
3. Apply it to the glass you want to clean
4. Rub it with a lint-free cloth or a newspaper.

2. To clean wood surfaces

Instructions:

1. Place the used black tea bag in hot water and let it sit for 10 minutes.
2. Dampen a cloth in the resulting infusion.
3. Clean any wooden surface.

3. For pest control

Instructions:

1. Make an infusion with several tea bags.
2. Place the resulting tea in a spray bottle.
3. Spray your plants.

4. For cooking

The tannins contained in tea are very effective for softening meat. You just have to prepare an infusion of black tea with leftover tea bags and marinate the meat with them.

5. To eliminate bad smells from your hands

Normally, when you chop garlic or onion, you end up having that annoying smell in your hands. Thankfully, the remedy is to just take any used tea bags and aggressively rub them in your hands.

6. To remove bad smell from shoes

To remove any bad smell from worn shoes, you might want to consider putting a couple of dry tea bags inside them. The tannins contained in tea can help remove bad odors.

7. To take care of your face

Green tea contains antioxidants that are helpful when it comes to taking care of your skin. Just take a used tea bag, wait until it is cold, and rub it on your face.

8. To repel bugs and other pests

Mint has repellent properties for certain insects. Place mint tea bags at strategic points in the room and these will serve as a natural repellent to common insects and pests like spiders and mice.

9. For degreasing and dishwashing

Instructions:

1. Take 3 or 4 tea bags and make an infusion with them.
2. Soak your dishes in the infusion and add a few drops of detergent.
3. Wash your dishes normally. You can also rub the tea bags directly on the dirty dishes.

10. For an antioxidant shower

Antioxidants contained in tea are a recommended ingredient when it comes to skincare. To get the best out of them, place tea bags in the warm water of the bathtub. If you do not have a bathtub, you can place the tea bags directly over the water outlet in your shower.