For some 4,700 years, green tea leaves have been used as a drink. Indeed, ancient people discovered the health benefits of consuming green tea long ago. Our own scientists have now verified the healthy benefits of drinking green tea by telling us precisely what chemicals in this beverage do what. But what you likely have never heard of is that your used green tea leaves can be used in a number of ways around your home.
When you are done using the tea leaves to make a pot of tea, put them in a strainer to drain out all the water. Put them out in the sunlight for a 2 days to get them totally dry. You can turn them after a day. You want your used green tea leaves to become nice and dry so that they just crumble when crushed in your hand. You can now use these leaves in a few ways I will list below.
Carpet Cleaning - Crush some dried leaves and sprinkle them onto your carpet. These crushed leaves will absorb odor. Leave them on your carpet for a few minutes and then vacuum them up. The leaves help fight bacteria and odors.
Gardening - Green tea leaves can also be sprinkled near plant roots and buried with soil as a natural fertilizer. In fact, a few companies sell dried tea leaves as a fertilizer. Save your money by making your own green tea fertilizer. The tea leaves will give your plants a nitrogen boost which will help them grow.
Deodorize - You can use crushed green tea leaves to remove bad smells throughout your house. If you have a bad smell in your refrigerator, put some crushed tea leaves in an uncovered bowl for a few days. If you have a strong smell on your hands such as garlic, you can rub your hands in the crushed tea leaves to remove the smell. You can even use the crushed tea leaves to deodorize your dog's bed where he sleeps or the favorite spot your cat likes to lay in.
Make a Pillow - For many people, the aroma that comes from green tea helps them sleep at night. The idea then is to make a pillow out of your used tea leaves. The tea pillow will give off a slight scent that will help you sleep at night. Just remember to open up your pillow once a week to let it air out because the dried tea leaves will absorb the moisture that comes from your breath.
Skin Care - Green tea leaves have healing properties. They are perfect for healing minor cuts and scrapes. Many drug stores now sell a green tea solution that does this. Rumor has it that green tea leaves also help with puffy eyes. Put some dried leaves into a small cotton bag and run water over it. Squeeze out the extra water and then place the bag over your closed eyes for a few minutes each day.
I am sure that there are many more ways you can recycle your used green tea leaves around your home. If you have come up with another use that I have not listed above, write to me and let me know. If your idea is a good one, I will share it with everyone.
May you find this article on green tea helpful. To discover more about the incredible health benefits of drinking green tea go to buy green tea and for the largest selection of teas at the cheapest prices go to buy tea
Posted under Tea
This post was written by Linda Thomas on September 13, 2009


