There’s nothing like morning coffee, but in the evenings I switch to tea. You boil the water, drop in a tea bag, steep it, toss it out, and enjoy your drink.
But after learning a few tricks from my grandmother, I never throw tea bags away. Check out these clever uses — they’re handy and can even save you money.
1. Soothe sunburns
Rinse a black tea bag with cold water and apply it to sunburned skin. The tannic acid helps heal and cool.
2. Relieve minor burns
Black tea bags also soothe small burns thanks to their tannins.
3. Remove warts
Place a cooled green tea bag on the wart for 15 minutes, replace with a new one for another 15. After a few days, the wart should fall off.
4. Reduce puffy eyes
Chilled black tea bags work well for under-eye puffiness. Refrigerate used bags and apply when needed.
5. Remove grease stains
Add used tea bags to a sink filled with dirty dishes. They help loosen tough stains.
6. Natural weed killer
Use brewed black tea or a mix of tea, citrus, and water. Black tea steeped in vinegar with citrus rind also works as a spray.
7. Fertilizer
Compost tea bags or bury loose leaves around plants. Roses, houseplants, and garden plants all benefit from the nutrients.