Recycled Tea

How to Prepare Recycled Green Tea Leaves

After drinking tea, the first step in recycling green tea leaves for their various beneficial uses is to properly prepare the leaves. When finished brewing tea, insert the leaves into a large strainer. Draw out as much moisture as possible, and then spread the leaves on either a flat strainer or unprinted paper. Let the leaves set until completely dry, turning over several times in the process.

How to Use Recycled Green Tea Leaves

Bathing

Green tea is great for your skin. Potent in antioxidants, green tea has been found to protect the skin against free radical damage and has been linked to skin cell rejuvenation. For simple use in the bath, fill a cotton bag with tea leaves and place into hot water. The tea will essentially steep in the water, and your skin will soak up the beneficial brew. Once the leaves have fully opened, you can then also rub your body with the tea bag, more acutely exposing your skin to the tea leaves.

Cat Litter

Because green tea is a natural odor absorber, recycled green tea leaves can be used in a cat litter box to minimize the smell. Green tea is also characterized by natural anti-bacterial properties, creating a more sanitary environment when used in a litter box. Simply scatter dried tea leaves within the cat's litter.

Cleaning (Carpet, Mats, Flooring)

Because tea leaves reduce odor and eliminate bacteria, they are an ideal natural element in cleaning floors and floor coverings. For carpets, spread dried tea leaves and brush them gently over the area, allowing the leaves to crumble into dust; then vacuum the remains up off of the carpet. For flooring and mats, wrap tea leaves in a damp cloth, squeeze it the cloth, and simply wipe the floor, cleaning and polishing the surface.

Cleaning (Cutting Board)

Similarly to the way that green tea can be used to clean flooring, it is also useful for taking odors out of cutting boards, as well as your hands. After preparing an odorous food on a cutting board, rinse the board with water. Spread recycled green leaves over the board and rub the board with your hands, rinsing with water afterward. The interaction between the green leaves and both the cutting surface and your hands will reduce odor in both.

Eye Pads

Because green tea is so beneficial in rejuvenating protecting the skin against free radical damage, it is ideal for reducing puffiness around the eyes. Fill a cotton bag with used green tea, dampen, and place on your eyelids.

Incense

Green tea is an ideal odor absorber, but it is also fragrant when burned as incense. A variety of incense burners, suitable for tea leaves, are available, but the leaves can also be burned within a ceramic pot or container. A boiling pot, with shallow water, containing tea leaves can also give off a pleasant aroma when gently simmering.

Mouth Wash

Using green tea leaves when gargling can both fight bad breath and kill bacteria in the mouth. Tea also contains flourine, which strengthens teeth and fights both cavities and gingivitis.

Natural Manure

Green tea is a helpful ingredient to compost, but it can also be use don its own to enhance plant growth. Place tea leaves near the root and cover with dirt, preventing the growth of surface mold.

Pillows

Although it sounds weird at first, dried green tea leaves are an excellent option for an organic pillow. Not only soft when used in bulk, the faint aroma of the leaves is also a natural sleep enhancer. A pillow-sized mass of tea leaves will take you a while to collect, but, once you do, air out the pillow outside once a week to avoid mustiness.

Refrigerator Deodorizer

Because of its odor enhancing properties, green tea is an ideal deodorizer for the refrigerator. Because refrigeration can effect the taste of new tea, recycling used tea leaves in this capacity is recommended.

Rust Prevention

The antioxidant properties of Catechin, contained in green tea, have been found to protect iron from rust. The ingredient can create a thin coat on the surface of ironware, keeping away rust. Simply wrap tea leaves in a dry cloth, squeeze it, and with the surface of your pots and pans.

Category

CategoryArticle