15 Ways to Reuse Tea Bags – Frugal Finds During Naptime

If you’re a tea drinker, you’re probably used to having a tea bag lying on a spoon on your kitchen counter while it cools, but did you know there are other uses for it (besides making another cup of tea)? There are quite a few ways you can reuse tea bags, and it’s sure to save you some money in the long run!

15 Ways to Reuse Tea Bags:

1. Throw it in the garden.

Toss the tea bag in the garden to help your plants. The tea bag will dissolve and the tea leafs in it will protect your flowers or vegetables from fungal infections, will deter mice from getting to your plants, and even work as a fertilizer. If you use the tea bags with a string, pull the string off along with the metal staple first since that will not decompose.

2. Add Flavor to Pasta.

Once you’ve brewed your tea, save the tea bag to flavor pasta and other grains. Take the pre-brewed tea bags and throw them into a post of water to reboil it to flavor the water. Then remove the used tea bags, and add the water to pasta, rice, or even oatmeal to give it some additional flavor.

Tip: Try adding Chai Tea to oatmeal for some added flavor.

3. Degrease Dirty Dishes.

Save your arm from all that scrubbing by throwing your used tea bags into warm water with your dishes. The tea will help loosen food and grease.

4. Relieve Chapped Breastfeeding Nipples.

Breastfeeding moms know that Lanolin is a lifesaver, but kind of expensive. For a frugal way to relieve that breastfeeding pain, brew some tea, and then lay the (warm) teabags on your nipples after breastfeeding to draw out the redness and pain.

5. Treat Sunburns.

After brewing your tea, allow the teabags to cool. Then, place cool teabags on sunburns (and even razor burn) for relief.

6. Reduce Under-Eye Puffiness & Dark Circles.

Have puffy eyes or dark circles under your eyes? Soak a tea bag in warm water, and then place on each eye for 20 minutes to reduce puffiness and the dark circles. Dark circles is something many people struggle with and want to know the solution. Although it can take a while to figure this out, maybe deciding to check Draftgore.com or watch a number of YouTube videos on how to reduce the darkness could be the answer, that’s if you haven’t tried the tea bag method already.

7. Remove Refrigerator Odors.

Place a used tea bag in the refrigerator to soak up those nasty odors. Just remember to toss it/change it out every couple of days.

8. Polish Wood Surfaces.

Save your money on that furniture polish! Use your pre-brewed tea bags to brew up some weak tea. Then use that weak tea to clean and shine hardwood floors and wood furniture. Pat dry with another cloth.

9. Soak Your Feet

Throw your used tea bags in warm water to soak your feet. The tea bags will neutralize foot odors and soften calluses, leaving your feet softer. This will also help keep your feet from sweating (if you deal with sweaty feet).

10. Hair Conditioner.

Use your pre-used tea bags to brew some weak tea. Then use the weak tea after you shampoo to condition and nourish your hair.

11. Minimize Bruising.

Bruises are caused from ruptured capillaries (blood vessels). Many black teas contain tannic acid, which has the ability to stop swelling by constricting blood vessels. You can heal a bruise faster by placing a tea bag on your bruise for just 20 minutes (use a couple times daily).

12. Ease Bites and Rashes.

Place a used tea bag on insect bites to ease the itching. If you have a rash, you can place a tea bag on the irritated spot for relief.

13. Relieve Baby’s Pain from Shots.

Those shots the sweet little babies have to receive aren’t very pleasant, and can leave baby (and mom) feeling bad later. If baby is still hurting later, place a wet tea bag at the injection site. The tannic acid can help soothe the pain; this is a lot cheaper and easier than trying to use an infant pain reliever.

14. Soothe Gums.

Have tooth pain? Or did your child lose a tooth? Before you consult your Dentist in Vista, take a wet teabag to the gums to help soothe the pain and stop the bleeding. If the bleeding continues, make sure you pick up the phone straight away to avoid future complications. If you’re in the area, we recommend popping into Dentist Marlborough. They’re always happy to help!

15. Clean Mirrors.

Use your leftover tea to get your mirrors to sparkle and shine. After you brew a pot of strong tea (and have drank your cup), let the leftover tea cool, dip a cloth in the tea, and then wipe your mirrors. Afterwards, buff with a dry cloth.

Next time you brew a cup of tea, save your tea bag to try out one of these ways to reuse tea bags. Have you done any of these before? How do you reuse tea bags?