People can go through several teabags a week, even multiple every day, if they are avid tea drinkers. In 2019, the US drank 84 billion
servings of tea. That’s a lot of teabags. The great news is that there are a bunch of things you can do with used teabags to keep them out of the trash heap.
Of course, there is the option to buy loose tea
, or even grow it yourself
to cut down on waste, but if you do end up with some used teabags
in your hands, give yourself a chance to do something fun with them. You could use them to stain wood, calm puffy eyes, or even clean your windows.
One of the best ways to make great use of used teabags, however, is to use them in your garden or for your house plants. Check out these really easy ways to make the most of those leftover tea leaves and give your garden a boost.
A few years back it was released that certain brands of teabags contained microplastic
. As you can imagine, not only might this be something you wouldn’t want for your body, but you also don’t want to be inadvertently shedding microplastic in your garden, either.
You can find lists online
of companies that do not use plastic in their teabags. If you are unsure if your preferred brand uses plastic, you could always reach out to their customer service team and ask!
If you are entirely unsure, you can always split open your teabags and rescue the tea leaves from inside before using them in the garden.
One great use of old teabags is to add the moist leaves directly to your compost pile
. The leaves themselves are incredibly nutrient-rich and due to their acid content can help to speed up the rate of decomposition
of the other items in your pile.
The tannic acid,
that naturally occurs in tea, might be beneficial to some acid-loving plants
. Most plants enjoy slightly acid soils, so you can use tea leaves to help lower your soil’s Ph level.
Sprinkle tea leaves around plants that prefer a lower Ph in the garden, and even add them to the soil in potted plants in your home.
Save up your old teabags and make up a batch of tea that can be used as a pest repellant
. Pour the tea into a squirty bottle and spritz your plants to keep away unwanted pests
. Even cats are said to be repelled by the smell.
The natural anti-fungal
properties of back tea can work wonders for plants that are prone to mildew and fungal infections. Again, make up a big batch of tea using old teabags and spray your plants to help prevent and rid them of any disease.
Tea is naturally high in nutrients
. It is rich in nitrogen as well as several minerals and trace elements. This can all benefit the soil and your plants, too.
You can either remove the tea leaves from the bags or, if they are plastic-free, you can just go ahead and bury them in the soil
around your plants.
If you have house plants with large leaves, you know that they have to be a part of the dusting regime. Instead of getting the duster out, use old, damp teabags as little sponges to wipe the leaves. Not only with the leaves be left shiny and clean, but the plants will also benefit from the nutrients left behind.
An ingenious way of using old tea bags is to use them as tiny little seed-starting containers. Shake the old teabag until all of the leaves are at one end. Then, puncture a small hole in the bag large enough to push a seed through and into the tea leaves. Line your little teabags up on a tray and care for them just as you would any seed starters.
The great thing is that so long as your teabags do not contain any plastic, you can plant the whole thing when the seedlings are ready.
Putting old teabags at the bottom of plant pots before adding potting soil and a plant can help to improve drainage. Not only that, but it also adds bulk to the pot meaning that you don’t have to use as much precious potting soil
. As well, the decomposition of the tea leaves can only help to add nutrients to the soil.