6 interesting uses of tea

Whether you sip it or smooth it on, tea can be safely called a magic potion. According to the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, tea comes from Ayurvedic medicine and can be used to treat various ailments. In fact, this antioxidant-rich item does more than brew up a good beverage, or cure the flu. As compiled by Health magazine, Reader’s Digest, and livestrong.com, see what else is tea capable of achieving.

Clean wood furniture and floors



Freshly brewed tea is great for cleaning wood furniture and floors. Just boil a couple of tea bags in about one litre of water and let it cool. Dip a soft cloth in the tea, wring out the excess, and use it to wipe away dirt and grime that can build up easily in this dusty environment. Buff dry with a clean, soft cloth, and smile on.

Relieve injection pain



Infants can wail for days from injections or plain inoculation shots. Try wetting a tea bag and placing it over the site of the injection. Hold it gently in place for a couple of minutes. The tannic acid in the tea will soothe the tenderness and pain. You might want to try it on yourself the next time an injection leaves your arm sore.

Reduce razor burn



Ouch! And once again, you didn’t remember to replace that razor blade before you started to shave. To soothe the agonizing razor burn and relieve painful post-shave nicks and cuts, apply a wet tea bag to the affected area. And don’t forget to swap the blade before your next shave. If you do, you know where the tea bags are at!

Tenderize tough meat



 

Place four tablespoons of black tea leaves in a pot of warm (not boiling) water and steep for five minutes. Strain to remove the leaves and stir in half cup brown sugar until it dissolves. Set aside. Season up to half a kg of meat with salt, pepper, onion, and garlic powder, and place it in an oven. Pour the liquid over the seasoned meat and cook in a preheated oven set at 165°C until the meat is fork tender.

Stop foot odor



Put an end to those smelly feet by giving them a daily tea bath. Just soak your footsies in strongly brewed tea for about twenty minutes a day and say good bye to offensive odours, and constant embarrassments. Be it the feet or your taste buds, chai is a real winner!

Give roses a boost



Sprinkle new or used tea leaves (loose or in tea bags) around your rosebushes or other flowers and cover with a thin layer of damp soil to give them a health boost. When you water the plants, the nutrients from the tea will be released into the soil, spurring growth. Flowers, especially roses, love the tannic acid that occurs naturally in tea, and Pakistani weather is apt for this technique.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2014.

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