Eight genius uses for used tea bags

Don't discard your used tea bags in the bin after making yourself a nice cup of tea.

There are countless things you can do with them!

Here are eight ways you can re-use your tea bags in and around your home. 

1. Protect Your Garden

Rebrew used tea bags in some water and use the resulting weak tea to water your plants. This will protect them from fungal infections.

ALSO READ: How to make your own herb planter

1. Tenderise

Tea is an effective meat tenderiser. Simply marinate the meat in weak tea made from the used teabags for a few hours or overnight and then follow your recipe as normal.

2. Enrich Compost
The tannins and nutrients found in tea can really boost your compost. Tear open the used teabags and mix it into your soil or compost.

3. Cleaning Agent
Make a versatile cleaning solution for wood furniture or floors and make glass and mirrors super shiny and streak-free. Simply dip a damp cloth into the lukewarm tea and wipe the surfaces you want to clean.

ALSO READ: Three unique uses for your dishwashing liquid

4. Foot Care
Steep the old tea bags in a bucket of warm water to create an instant foot spa. Soak your feet in the warm, weak tea to neutralise foot odours and to soften hard, scaly skin and calluses.

5. Banish Smells
Place a container of damp, used teabags in any small room or space to neutralise funny odours. Used tea bags are perfect for getting rid of pongy fridge smells.

6. Banish Pesky Pests

Did you know that mice don’t really like the smell of tea? Hide those used teabags in cupboards and any other areas where you might find mice or where they might come inside. To pack some more punch, soak the teabags with some peppermint essential oil, this will keep out other pests like ants and spiders as well.

ALSO READ: How to get rid of ants naturally

7. Dish Soak

Save yourself from scrubbing and soak dishes with stubborn dirt sticking to them in some warm water with a few used teabags. The tea helps break up grease and loosen food particles.

8. Body Soak

Tea contains antioxidants, so soaking in a warm bath steeped with used tea bags will do wonders for your skin.

ALSO READ: Is turmeric the answer to your skin problems?