10 Cool Things You Can Do With Tea Bags

Okay, so you’ve made up your mind and have restored to drinking healthy teas. That’s great – but what’s not so good about all this, is that you’ll now have a whole lot of used tea bags in your garbage bin, which you can otherwise use for many other cool stuff.

Yes, you read that right- used tea bags can work wonderfully with possibly everything… don’t believe us? Read on… we’ve brought you the 10 best cool things you probably never imagined, that you can do with used tea bags.

#1: A Meat Tenderizer

About to grill a good steak but still want it to be juicy and tender? It’s used tea bags to the rescue – marinate the meat cut of your choice in some regular black tea (4 tbsp of black tea in a cup of boiling hot water, strained) and then cook it as per your convenience; even the toughest of meats will turn melt-in-the-mouth tender after this trick.

Make sure you add the other ingredients like stock, onions, vegetables and garlic to the marination mixture too! Another plus of using tea for the marination is that it will lend a nice earthy, rustic flavor to your meat.

#2: Rust-Proof your Cookware

Looking for a simple solution to rust-proof your cast iron cookware? Try used tea bags- rub the vessel with a damp used tea bag, making sure that every area is covered well. The tannins in the tea create an invisible layer around the cast iron vessel which prevents oxidation and rusting.

#3: Heal Cuts and Bruises Faster

An aggressive game of football later, you return with a bruised knee and ankle- speed up the healing by simply pressing a used tea bag, moistened with water, to the bruise for a couple of minutes. The tannins in the tea help constrict blood vessels, which stop the flow of blood and speed up healing.

#4: Clean your Home

Yes, that’s right- tea can be used to clean your homes as well. Boil a couple of tea bags (used ones work too) in a cup of water. Now dip a soft clean cloth into this solution, drain the excess, and wipe away the dirt and grime from your windows and doors, furniture and even mirrors!

#5: Natural Fertilizer for Plants

Your old waste vegetables and fruit peels go straight into your compost pile for your outdoor gardening activities- but don’t shy away from adding the used tea bags too! It is believed that used tea bags draw acid-causing bacteria towards the compost pile, preventing early decomposition and creating a desirable acid-rich compost.

#6: De-stress the Eye

Stress and anxiety are an undeniable part of our lives now, and that’s where tea bags come in to help- the tannins present in tea reduce puffiness and tiredness of the eye, soothe them, and revitalizes them.

#7: Heal Sunburned Skin

Got a nasty sunburn? Don’t worry- a simple tea bag will help you in miraculous ways. Throw used tea bags into your bath water, and allow your entire body to soak in this healing water for as long as you like- a natural treatment for sunburns.

#8: Stop a Cut from Bleeding

Accidentally pricked your finger while chopping and dicing in the kitchen? Instead of heading for a band-aid and creating a bloody mess around you, reach out for a used tea bag and hold it against the injured area till it stops bleeding. The idea behind using tea bags to staunch blood flow is that the tannins in the tea accelerate blood clotting, making wounds heal faster.

#9: Relieve Pain From Injections

Used tea bags also work great as a pain-reliever. Is your baby still wailing over that inoculation shot? Wet a tea bag and place it over the area where your baby has been injected – the tannic acid present in tea will soothe the area, remove any soreness that may be present and speed up healing of the area.

#10: Natural Mouthwash

Mouthwash? Tea? Yes- peppermint tea solution works as a wonderful natural mouthwash, and is even more beneficial since it contains antiseptics and menthol, which help relieve pain and inflammation, if any. Infact, this mouthwash could help you ease tooth and gum pain whenever it strikes- no need to pop that painkiller.