40 Surprising ways to reuse old tea bags

The tannic acid in black tea acts as an anti-bacterial which will help clear up foot odor. Additionally, caffeine and other herbal properties will help soothe and refresh tired feet. Just add a few tea bags to a warm tub of water and soak for 20 to 30 minutes.

Chill used tea bags and place them on your eyes to reduce puffiness. The caffeine and tannins will work wonders.

You can scrub odors from foods like fish and fresh garlic out of your hands by rubbing them with a previously used tea bag.

Drop a few used tea bags in your bath water and your skin will benefit from the antioxidants.

Those same soothing properties in tea that help relieve tired feet and eyes can help reduce inflammation from a sunburn. Just apply steeped and cooled tea bags to the affected area.

Tea can help speed up the healing process for minor infections like cold sores, plantar warts, and fever blisters. Just apply steeped and cooled tea bags to the area.

Instead of drinking that second cup of weak tea from already used tea bags like your mami would, let it cool and use it as mouthwash to freshen your breath.

After your regular shampoo and condition rinse your hair with cooled brewed black tea made from previously used tea bags. Tea can help minimize shedding, add shine, and over time even create subtle highlights.

If you're prone to razor burn you can keep your used tea bags in the freezer and apply them to your legs or underarms to relieve discomfort from shaving.

The tannins in tea restrict blood vessels, so if you or your child is suffering from sore or bleeding gums, a cooled, used tea bag can help provide some relief.

Want to get rid of a bruise before you wear that cute new dress? Applying a used tea bag can help, again because the tannins restrict bloods vessels which will stop blood from leaking into the tissue.

Applying tea bags to your eye area as part of your beauty routine may also help reduce dark eye circles, which can be caused by tiny blood vessels bursting under the delicate eye tissue.

If you're out of calamine lotion or anti-itch cream and your suffering from an itchy, irritated bug bite, you can apply a cooled used tea bag to help soothe the itch and relieve inflammation.

There's nothing quite like the discomfort of a bee sting. Instead of slathering mud on the sting, try a steeped and cooled tea bag to relieve some of the pain and inflammation.

Already steeped tea bags can be used as a natural alternative to store-bought facial toners to help remove dirt and grease.

The tea leaves from used tea bags can be added to compost to help enrich your garden soil.

The tannins in tea can help protect your cast iron pans from rust. Just rub the used tea bag over the surface of the pan and allow to dry to create a seal against rust and damage.

Brew up a second batch of tea with used tea bags, and you can use that tea to naturally color paper or white fabric. Black teas will result in tan, sepia, or light brown tones, but green tea or teas with ingredients like hibiscus can provide a variety of colors.

Make a pitcher of weak tea using old teabags and use it to wipe clean windows and mirrors. The tea will loosen up dirt and dust and make the glass shine again.

Weakly brewed tea made from pre-used tea bags is an excellent way to clean your wood floors and furniture. Use it instead of chemical cleaners when you're mopping or dusting and the tannins will help remove dirt and restore shine.

Next time you soak dirty, greasy dishes, add a used tea bag or two to the water and it will help cut through the grease, making it even easier to get all your dishes sparkling clean.

Tea smells wonderful, doesn't it? It's actually not that different from potpourri. Hang your tea bags to dry and then add a drop or two of essential oil to each one to create your own super-affordable air fresheners for your home or your car. You can add more essential oil as the scent fades.

You know how you use baking soda to absorb unpleasant odors in your fridge? You can do the same thing with used tea bags.

Dry out used tea bags and place them in stinky shoes overnight to remove some of the odor. You could even try tying the shoes completely up or putting them in a plastic bag to see if it's even more effective.

Same idea goes for your trash can—toss a used tea bag or two in the bottom of the trash bag when you change it out to help keep odors at bay.

You can sprinkle dried tea leaves from used tea bags into your cat's litter to help eliminate odors.

Instead of buying expensive carpet deodorizers, empty the leaves out of used tea bags and let them dry until just damp. Sprinkle over carpets and rugs and when they leaves have completely dried out vacuum them up. The leaves will absorb odors.

Tea leaves, especially those like Earl Grey and lavender, are commonly used flavors in cookies and cakes. You can empty used tea bags, let the leaves dry and then incorporate them into some yummy sweets.

The tannins in tea are a great meat tenderizer and the right flavor of tea can also add subtle flavor to whatever dish you're preparing.

You can use old tea bags in the water you cook rice or even pasta in to subtly enhance flavors. Green teas and herbal teas are best.

Tea stains, but that can actually work in your favor if used properly. Soaking faded black clothing in a mixture of 1 cup black tea to 4 cups of water, can help bring some of the color back.

Green tea has many medicinal properties that may help heal and prevent acne when used as a part of your regular facial care routine.

Boils are painful and unsightly. Applying a wet tea bag to a boil overnight can help drain it faster.

Dry out tea leaves from used tea bags and use them to make homemade body scrubs with sugar and olive or coconut oil. Both herbal and black teas have benefits and smell great.

Immunization shots can be quite uncomfortable for babies and children. Apply clean, cooled used tea bags to the sore spot to help relieve pain and inflammation.

Before you scrub your toilet down, drop a couple of used tea bags in and let it soak for a while to help lift stubborn stains.

If you have an oozing poison ivy rash, dab brewed black tea on with a cotton ball and let air dry. A pre-used tea bag will work as long as it's kept clean.

You can include tea leaves in with the rest of your compost for a veggie garden, but for flowers you can simply sprinkle the tea leaves from used tea bags around them before covering with mulch. The plants will absorb the nutrients from the tea.

Before planting a house plant in a pot, put a few used tea bags in the bottom of the pot. This will help the plant retain moisture and receive some of the nutrients from the tea.

Mice and other rodents don't really like the smell of tea. You can scatter used tea bags in basements, attics, and your yard to ward them off.