Ways to recycle your leftover tea leaves

Alright, we have to spill the tea on just how MANY ways you can reuse your leftover tea leaves that is not just steeping them again! From cooking to cleaning to finally a little bit of DIY self-care routine, who knew that they were so versatile? Packed with their own individual benefits such as antioxidants and antibacterial properties, caffeine and hydrating advantages, recycle your tea leaves into ways you would have never thought whilst still giving you their useful values.

1. Cooking:

• Have you ever tried adding your tea leaves into a fried rice or stir-fry? Or even just sprinkling them over any dish? Depending on the types of tea leaves you use, you can easily add floral, earthy or nutty notes to your dishes! For example, try genmaicha tea if you want a nutty, roasted flavour, or earl grey tea for a more floral flavour profile.
  Other ways to incorporate used tea leaves include: 

• Drying them out and grind them into a powder before adding to any rub spice mix for your meats.

• Infusing them into broth, milk, butter, oil or sauces - just remember that you might want to infuse the leaves for longer since they have already been steeped.

2. Cleaning:

• Did you know that dried out tea leaves can be used as a natural deodoriser? Simply dry them out on kitchen paper on a radiator, or in the sun or in the oven on a very low heat, then place them in little muslin bags to scent your cupboards, rooms or drawers. You can even add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to add your preferred aroma. 

• Another way to recycle your used tea leaves is by spreading them (still damp) onto any absorbable surfaces such as carpets or wooden floors. Leave them for around 10-20 minutes to let them do the magic of soaking up the bad smells, then simply vacuum the leaves up. An important note to remember is that it is recommended to use white or green tea leaves as black tea may leave a stain. 

3. DIY self-care:

• Face masks: from green, black, white or herbal tea leaves, each will provide their own unique benefits. If your used tea leaves are a little coarse and on the chunkier side, you can opt for blending them in a food processor or chopping them up into a finer texture. Depending on your skin type, feel free to be creative with your face masks! For example, mix your used tea leaves with a teaspoon of honey, coconut or olive oil, oatmeal, yoghurt, or a few drops of essential oil. Combine all of your desired face masks ingredients then apply the mixture to your face, relax for 10 to 20 minutes and finally rinse. Don’t forget to apply moisturiser afterwards, especially if you are using a more caffeinated tea as caffeine can dry out your skin. 

• Sugar scrub: your very own natural body scrub with calming undertones! Simply combine your used tea leaves to a few tablespoons of sugar, one tablespoon of coconut or olive oil and voilà! This is perfect for removing dead or dry skin and improving circulation. Make sure to not scrub too hard on more sensitive areas like your face. 

• Eye treatment: safe to say that tea leaves are not JUST for drinking! The caffeine found in tea is amazing for minimising the dark circles and puffiness under your eyes. It’s an effective, cheap and upcycled method to give your tired eyes a rejuvenating look! Place the damp, steeped leaves in a muslin mag or loosely over your eyes for 10 minutes, and you’ll come out looking like you just had the best night’s sleep.