Don't Throw Out that Teabag!

So the other day I was in the waiting room at the doctor’s office reading the latest issue of “Natural Awakenings” and I came across an interesting article.  It dealt with the reuse of tea bags. Now I will be honest, I drink more than my share of tea and yet I’ve never considered what I could be doing with all those used bags of tea. Here are some ways to put those old teabags to use!

1. Relieve Those Tired, Itchy, Puffy Eyes: take your used teabags and place them in the refrigerator. When you choose to place the bags on your eyes for 20 minutes. The tannin in the tea will relieve your eyes and reduce swelling.

1. Treat Planter Warts: Place a warm damp teabag on the area for 10 to 15 minutes. After removing the bag let the area dry on it’s own. If you continue this process after a few days the wart will start to go away.
2. Cook a Turkey: Yes that’s right. The tannins in the tea will tenderize the meet as it cooks. Add a used teabag and a cup of water to the pan.  You could even experiment with flavors of tea as well!
3. Use Teabags to Deodorize Your Home: Place used teabags in problem areas in your home. Green tea works especially well for absorbing unwanted odor. You can even place the bags in your shoes or make a solution to soak your feet to reduce foot odor.
4. Fertilize Plants and Enhance Potting Soil: Mix the tea in with your soil to increase the acidity in the soil. The tannic acid in the tea will cause this. This will contribute to plant growth and revitalization. You can do the same thing with you compost heap.

There are many other uses for your used teabags and now that you’re aware I encourage you to keep exploring. I certainly will!

John