Get Tons of These Unexpected Uses for Tea Bags
Sure, this Lipton box can be great if you’re looking to grab a cup of tea in the morning, but in fact, these bags can be useful for more than just drinking. From pain relief to furniture cleaning, here are some unexpected uses for tea bags in your closet.
Refresh your refrigerator
Is your refrigerator starting to stink a little? Take your used morning tea bags and place them in a cup or bowl for a few days. The bags will soak up the orders and your refrigerator will smell fresh and clean again.
Refresh your trash
The refrigerator trick works with the trash can too. Make sure the bags are dry before dropping them to the bottom of the can, or they will start to grow moldy and become part of the problem rather than the solution.
Marinate meat
You’ve heard of marinating meat in beer and wine, right? The same can be done with tea.
Rice taste
Besides flavoring meat, tea bags can also be used to flavor rice. While you cook the rice, hang the bag in the pot to mix with the water. The result is a light-tasting rice that is so good. I recommend orange blossom for this, but almost any aromatic tea will do.
Relieve toothache
When I got a chipped tooth while on vacation last summer, I survived a week later until I could go to the dentist thanks to a box of Chai tea bags. Placing a tea bag over an abscess can help clear up the infection and reduce pain. This is not a substitute for going to the dentist (you should definitely do it ASAP!), But it can help you manage the pain until your visit arrives.
Ease sunburn pain
The same theory works for sunburn. Applying a damp tea bag to scalded skin can help relieve pain from sunburn and bites and abrasions such as razor burn.
Wash the dishes
Have a particularly nasty pile of dirty dishes? Soak the dishes in the sink with a couple of tea bags inside. Tea will help remove dirt and grease and make cleaning much easier.
Clean your carpet
Use loose tea to gently deodorize your carpet. If you don’t have anything, you can cut open the tea bag and sprinkle it on the carpet. Leave the leaves on for twenty or thirty minutes and then vacuum.
Soak your feet
Tea can act as a natural way to soften calluses and deodorize teeth. Add one or two tea bags to a bucket of warm water, place your feet, sit back and relax.
Pure wood furniture
Tea can really replace hard furniture polish. Use cool, freshly brewed tea (I recommend mint) to mop countertops and floors. Tea helps to cut through dirt and grease. After you wipe it off, use a dry cloth to dry and buff the area. As with any new furniture cleaner, try it on a small section of your desk before going for broke in case you run into any problems.