Here Are 6 Unexpected Ways You Can Use Tea Bags

Listen up, tea lovers, this one’s for you! Did you know that a few leftover tea bags can actually help to protect your plants from fungus? That’s just one of the unexpected and brilliant ways that you can use these guys.

Used tea bags are useful either dry or right after you’ve enjoyed a cup of tea. And there’s so many ways to utilize them! Here are just a few great tea bag hacks to save money and get some tricky jobs done.

  1. Give flavor to your dinner

    If you simply leave a brewed tea bag in a pot while you boil water for either rice or pasta, the flavors left in the tea bag will give the food a nice earthy flavor. It’s perfect for the picky eater who isn’t into plain grains (and much easier than trying to figure out how much seasoning or sauces to add).

  2. Make your bathing experience better

    Who could go for a hot bath right now? Or actually, who could go for a hot aromatherapy bath? No, you don’t need to shell out hundreds for a trip to the spa or for fancy aromatherapy scents. Simply putting a used tea bag over the faucet while you draw your bath will give off the same comfy feels as any scent you could buy.

    Bonus: Drop a few used tea bags into the water. Tea leaves contain antioxidant, so they’re great for your skin.

  3. Keep your plants happy

    Have a garden to maintain? Toss used tea bags into the bucket of water that you usually use to water your plants, and then sprinkle the resulting weak tea water all over them. The tea will help to protect them from fungus!

  4. Soothe a sunburn

    Do you love the sun but it doesn’t love you? Aloe can get sticky and messy for a sunburn, so try this easy method instead: Take your used tea bag and drop it into some water, or better yet, put the water and tea bag in a spray bottle if you have one. Then spritz it all over your skin for ultimate soothing sensations.

  5. Make a yummy cocktail

    A used tea bag is the missing link to easy cocktails! It sounds crazy, but we’re not kidding. Just steep several used tea bags in vodka or run and use it to make cocktails tomorrow. It’ll enhance the flavor of your favorite mixed drink. For example, try mint tea steeped in rum for a delicious and refreshing mojito!

  6. Get rid of gross odors

    Used tea leaves are the perfect way to make everything from your kitty litter to your garbage can and your refrigerator smell fresh and new again. Just mix some dried used tea leaves or drop a dried tea bag into any of these places. Depending on the stink, you might need several.

For tons more cool ways to reuse tea bags, check out the video below!

So what are you waiting for? Start saving all your teabags when you’re done drinking your tea! What do you think of these nifty ideas for used tea bags? Which one will you try first?