10 Ways to Reuse Tea Bags

Reusing tea bags is an easy way to make your daily tea break more sustainable. Prevent waste and get double the benefits from your tea by following these simple tips.

Drinking tea has many health benefits, but it can feel bad to throw away the tea bags after. If you’re wondering whether you can reuse tea bags to prevent waste, the answer is yes. Read on to learn some simple and smart ways you can reuse those tea bags. 

How to Reuse Tea Bags #1: Make Iced Tea

Instead of tossing the tea bags after your first cup, make another batch of tea, or add the tea bags to a batch of iced tea. While tea bags do lose flavor after each use, reusing them will add strength back to your brew. Try this yummy iced tea recipe or this sweet tea recipe.

#2: Add Flavor to Your Food

Tea is a great addition to lots of recipes, especially sweet ones like simple cake or cookie recipes. If you’re feeling creative, try adding ginger tea to vegan pumpkin cake or black tea to vegan almond cake. 

#3: Clean Windows

Tea bag can also be reused to make DIY window cleaner. Tea tannins, particularly black tea, can help prevent dirt and grime from making a mess of your windows by adding a protective layer onto the glass. Simply take the still-damp tea bags after use and run them along the glass or window. They will easily remove dirt and grime, as well as fingerprints or oil, and add a protective layer to keep the dirt away. 

How to Reuse Tea Bags #4: Compost/Feed Your Plants

If your tea bags are biodegradable, you can use them to make compost to help feed your plants. You could also open the tea bags after use and sprinkle some of the leaves directly into your plant’s soil. Be aware of which plants can tolerate the excess acid from the tea’s tannins, such as hydrangeas, lilies, or tomatoes.

#5: Use Tea on Your Skin

Your skin can benefit from reused tea bags as tea has anti-inflammatory properties. Once they’ve cooled, simply place them on your eyes to help soothe inflammation and decrease the appearance of dark circles. If your hands smell after cooking onions or garlic, use old tea bags to remove the odor by rubbing them along your fingers and palms. 

#6: Use Tea on Your Hair

Your hair can also benefit from reused tea bags. Make a DIY conditioner using tea and watch as the grease and grime melt away. Try this rosemary water hair rinse option as well. If you’re looking for a new look without using heavy chemicals, you can even use certain kinds of tea to lighten your hair naturally. 

#7: Use Tea Bags as a Deodorizer

One of the coolest ways to reuse tea bags is to let them dry out and place them around the house to remove odors. Place in areas that are usually smelly, such as in the fridge, in shoes, or on window sills near trash cans. You can also use them as part of a DIY air freshener.

How to Reuse Tea Bags #8: Use Tea as a Cleaner and Degreaser

Tea bags can also be reused to remove grease and grime in your kitchen or bathroom. Using tea water is a great way to keep grease from returning to your countertops or tiles. Simply use either the tea bags or the tea water on the surfaces. Grime, dirt, and grease meet their match with this clever cleaner.

#9: Heal Burns

Although large burns always require medical assistance, small burns, such as from cooking or the sun, can be soothed by using tea bags. Simply let the tea cool and place the reused, still damp bag on small burns. Bye, burn pain.

#10: In the Bath Tub

Due to tea’s antioxidant properties, placing them in your bathtub can help rebalance your skin. Tea helps reduce inflammation and even helps ease sore muscles. Forget the store-bought bath bombs, simply reuse your tea bags. 

Read more:

• How to Make Dandelion Tea and Why You Should Drink It 
• Is Boba a.k.a. Bubble Tea Vegan? 
• Is Tea Safe During Pregnancy? Which Herbal Blends You Can Drink 

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Tags: Crafts DIY Food Waste Guide Hobbies Recycling Waste Prevention Zero Waste