If you use loose leaf tea to make yourself a cuppa, you know that, in addition to being difficult to clean out every last bit of tea leaf, a lot of them get thrown away. They might not be strong enough to make more tea with, but there are a lot of uses for used up tea leaves, some of which still benefit from the antioxidant power of green tea. To prepare the used leaves, first dry them completely by laying them on a sieve or even a series of paper towels. Once dry, they can be used to:
- Take odors out of cutting boards by rubbing a freshly washed board with the leaves, then washing again. They can also help to absorb odor in carpets and even cat litter.
- Fill a small cotton bag with the leaves, dampen it, and place on your eyes to reduce puffiness. If you want to use this technique on your whole body, you can make the bag larger and put it in the bath.
- Green tea is a natural source of fluorine, which fights cavities and gingivitis, as well as strengthening teeth, so the leaves can be mixed with water and used as a mouthwash.
[Thanks, Robert]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-14-2006 @ 12:07PM
Miranda said...
Tea leaves also make excellent fertilizer. You can put them in with compost or dump the wet ones in the nearest flower pot/bed rather than in the garbage.
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10-14-2006 @ 1:28PM
MJ said...
Great to know this! Will it also work with black tea as far as putting it in the garden. I use alot of tea! Dont use green as much working on it though has great health benefits!!
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10-14-2006 @ 2:52PM
rainey said...
Those are lovely things to know. I had been saving them with my used coffee grounds to mulch around my acid-loving plants like camellias and azaleas.
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10-14-2006 @ 3:56PM
cybele said...
When I got my wisdom teeth pulled the dentist recommended putting teabags on the sockets for a little while a few times a day. The sockets healed up really well and without much pain at all after the first day.
So, for at least a week I'd brew a cup of tea and then push the teabag into the back of my mouth for 20 minutes. Another cup of tea, the other side of the mouth.
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10-14-2006 @ 6:00PM
Stephen Ayer said...
We have reused our green tea leaves in soups and other dishes. My wife made an oriental chicken soup and added some green tea leaves to it. I was skeptical, but the soup was great.
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11-06-2006 @ 11:22AM
greengiant said...
Which plants do tea leaves particularly enhance?
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