If you love tea and drink it all the time, don't be so quick to throw out the teabags after you are done with them.

You can reuse the tea bags in various ways that are surprisingly practical and useful such as getting rid of insects around the house and soothing sun burns.

Here are 18 ways that you can make use of your old teabags before tossing them out.

POLISH WOOD SURFACES

Restore shine to your wood furniture or floors with weak tea. You can easily do this by steeping two used tea bags in about 500ml or a pint of warm water, before gently buffing the surfaces with a microfibre cloth.

MAKE A GLASS CLEANER WITH IT

Brew some weak tea and wait for it to cool before putting it into a spray bottle. Tea can help to loosen grime and dirt. Plus, you'll also save money on household products!

BYE BAD BREATH

If you're trying to get rid of bad breath naturally, here's what you can do: Brew some weak tea and use it as a mouth wash. We recommend going for peppermint tea for some added freshness.

USE AS A FOOT SOAK

Want to pamper yourself after a long and hard day? Place some tea bags into a tub and soak your feet in. Not only does it help to neutralise foot odours, it's also high in antioxidants.

SOOTHE SUN BURNS (& OTHER SKIN IRRITATIONS)

The next time your skin is inflamed, sunburned, bruised or suffering from any sort of irritation, put some cool, moist tea bags onto your skin to help speed up the healing process.

GET RID OF PESTS

Ward away pests at home by hanging a few used and dried tea bags inside food cupboards or dark corners where they lurk. Drip some peppermint oil onto the bags for added help.

FRESHEN UP YOUR FRIDGE

Fridge smelling a little nasty? Place a few used tea bags in your fridge to soak up unwanted odours and keep your fridge smelling clean and fresh.

USE IT AS A FOOT SCRUB

Once you're done soaking your foot in them, tear open the leftover tea bags and scrub the base of your foot with it for smoother skin!

GET RID OF FOOT ODOURS

Boil some tea with your leftover tea bags, allow it to cool down slightly and soak your feet in. The antioxidants found in tea can help nourish your skin and soften it.

TURN THEM INTO POTPOURRI

If you've got plenty of tea bags, turn them into potpourri instead. Add your favourite essential oils, mix is up and separate it into different bowls to freshen up your home.

MAKE YOUR OWN AIR FRESHENERS

Leave leftover tea bags to dry and add your favourite essential oils to them for homemade air fresheners. Hang them up in your wardrobe or cupboard for a natural, refreshing scent.

MIX DIFFERENT TEA BAGS FOR A DELICIOUS DRINK

Got some tea bag flavours that you think might go well together? Be your own mixologist and create your very own tea concoction. Pair them with one of these delicious afternoon tea recipes!

MARINATE YOUR MEATS

Boil some tea with your leftover tea bags to make a delicious marinade for your meats. Tear those leftover tea bags open and rub them into your meats for a dry marinade and to let the flavours infuse in.

Leave them overnight and brush away the tea leaves for a deliciously fragrant dish. You can also add cooking wine or some other marinade sauces for an even richer flavour.

HELP YOUR PLANTS GROW BETTER

Used tea bags can be recycled as fertiliser, as tea leaves (especially green tea) add a nitrogen-rich component to your compost!

Mix some tea into your gardening soil to repel pests and help your plants grow healthily. Different types of tea offer different nutrients and benefits to your plants.

FLAVOUR YOUR RICE OR PASTA

Love the smell of jasmine flavoured rice? You can make some of your very own at home with leftover tea bags.

Place a leftover bags of jasmine tea in your rice cooker while steaming rice and you'll get fragrant smelling rice. Do the same with your pasta but in boiling water to achieve the same results.

SOOTHE TIRED EYES

Pop a couple of green tea or earl grey tea bags into the fridge and then use them as a luxurious (and natural) eye compress when your eyes feel sore and tired after a long day at work.

The caffeine in the tea helps to reduce puffiness, swelling and dark under-eye circles by constricting the blood vessels under your eyes.

RID YOUR HANDS OF ODOURS

Hate the lingering smell of fish, garlic or onions after touching them? Try this handy trick (pun intended) to get rid of the stink: Wash and scrub your hands with pre-brewed tea leaves from the sachets!

DEGREASE DIRTY DISHES

Soak greasy plates, bowls and other utensils in warm water, and throw in a few used tea bags. The tannin acid in the tea will help to break down grease and loosen food bits so you don't have to waste time scrubbing endlessly.

This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.