Used Tea Bags Are Extremely Versatile

Tea bags are a convenient and quick way to make a wonderful cup of tea. The high quality of the tea combined with the increasing popularity of recycling means that many enthusiasts are looking for ways to make the best use of their tea bags once they’ve finished brewing their ideal pot.

An effective way to get even more benefit from your leftover tea bags, especially if you have some high quality, organic bags available, is to use them as part of your regular skincare regime.  Leftover bags are excellent for refreshing and reviving dry skin; re-brew the bags and allow the liquid to cool before applying to your skin with a spritzer or cotton pad. Any tea with high antioxidant properties will be ideal for this, so if you have some green tea bags available, they will work exceptionally well. Equally, you can use recycled dark tea bags to help get rid of lines under your eyes. Once you’ve chilled them, place them over your eyes for a few minutes and allow the caffeine to shrink the blood vessels, leaving you looking rejuvenated and refreshed. You can use dark tea bags to help sooth sunburned skin too. Once they are cool, place directly onto the skin where needed. The tannic acid and theobromine in the tea will help to soothe the skin and remove the heat. 

Another extremely successful way to use surplus tea bags may seem unusual but gives wonderful results. Brew some dark tea bags and allow the liquid to cool, before soaking your hair for around ten minutes. Shampoo and condition as normal and you will find you have restored a great level of shine to your hair. Equally, you can make creative use of recycled tea bags by adding one or two to a bath and having a relaxing soak. The antioxidants in the tea will leave your skin smooth and refreshed, and if you pick a chamomile or jasmine variety, the scent can help you relax and recharge at the same time. If you’re looking for a different way to pamper yourself, then you could steam your pores by placing some fragrant tea bags in a bowl of steaming water and allowing the vapours and oils to cleanse your face, leaving you glowing and hydrated.

Used tea bags can also be valuable around the house, with many people using them to enhance the polish and finish of their woodwork. Steep a weak amount and then, once cooled, use a cloth to rub the brew into the woodwork, leaving it nourished and beautiful. Dry used tea bags can also be used effectively to draw out unpleasant odours; simply place the dried bags in a drawer or other enclosed space and not only will the natural fragrance of the tea permeate through, but unpleasant odours will be absorbed as well.

Last but not least, don’t forget that you can also use leftover tea bags to help the decomposition of your compost heap, so rather than throwing them away, pop them onto your garden and let the nutrients give you beautiful blooms.