# Do you reuse tea bags?



## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

I never saw it before until I was staying at a youth hostel that had free breakfast (fruit, butter, bread, cheese). Free coffee, tea, and juice also. There was this British guy who finished his black tea and then said to himself something like, "this could make another cup." So he poured hot water on the tea bag again.


----------



## Kevin001 (Jan 2, 2015)

Is that possible? Hmm I guess so. But nope I just let it soak for a minute or two then toss it.


----------



## SplendidBob (May 28, 2014)

The only time I have reused tea is when it was special tea


----------



## 812161 (Oct 8, 2016)

If I'm expecting to have another cup of tea soon after the first, yes. If the bag has already cooled to room temp, nah....lame reasoning, but it just feels "gross" at that point.


----------



## Carolyne (Sep 20, 2016)

I could see doing that, if you just finished your cup and pour more hot water in, no point in wasting another bag. I haven't tried that, I've never wanted a second cup.


----------



## roxslide (Apr 12, 2011)

I've done that before. Actually I do it fairly often, but it always gives mediocre results (i.e. the tea tastes bitter or weak). But I'm such a tea addict, I still do it when I'm too lazy to go get another tea bag.


----------



## slyfox (Nov 18, 2007)

I've tried that before, I usually just ended up adding it with unused bags when I was making a large amount of tea for drinking cold later.

I don't really need to bother though. I have a bunch of boxes of tea I should use. Have bought a bunch at times I planned to go on a health kick but didn't stick with it. Didn't help that the boxes I did drink had coupons for buy one get another free(or was it for $1). Either way, it caused me to buy a bunch more of tea that I may never drink.


----------



## WillYouStopDave (Jul 14, 2013)

Usually bagged teas are not good enough to be used more than once. I used to use the Numi China Breakfast teabags twice but usually no more than that. Most tea tastes like tainted water if you try reusing the leaves. I definitely wouldn't try it with leaves that have been sitting any length of time after the first time. Would worry about mold or something.


----------



## knightofdespair (May 20, 2014)

I've tried to enjoy tea but never really liked it all that much. Macha(?) is the only good kind and it would still taste weird on a 2nd brewing.


----------



## JohnB (Oct 14, 2015)

I do it but only if i think i will want a little more tea right away.


----------



## Excaliber (May 16, 2015)

I tried it one time but decided not to do it again because it tasted awful.


----------



## caelle (Sep 9, 2008)

I have. I only dunk the bag a few times before taking it back out. So it's absolutely reusable. 

I should start doing it again. I worry about mold though. I sometimes don't even drink tea everyday so the bag would be sitting there for awhile.


----------



## ShatteredGlass (Oct 12, 2012)

I was under the impression that you can't reuse a teabag without ending up with a weak, shabby leaf water concoction that tastes like poverty itself. I've never done it. Standard tea bags are so cheap to buy in bulk that there's no need to reuse 'em, anyway.


----------



## Memories of Silence (May 15, 2015)

I did that a few times when I was about 11, but my parents laughed at me and told me we can buy more if I need it (it was peppermint, which no one else likes).


----------



## shyguy07 (Mar 22, 2015)

No but I only make tea when I'm sick.


----------



## tehuti88 (Jun 19, 2005)

I adore tea (cold--I make a big batch in a pitcher with about ten bags and hot water and then refrigerate it), but the bags never seem strong/potent enough to withstand a second usage.

Then again...I basically let those used teabags sit/steep in that pitcher the entire time I'm consuming the tea, which could take a few days.

While I'm here I should add that those "cold-brew" bags really suck, even on the first usage. The results of those are what used teabags taste like to me. So weak and worthless.


----------



## BoxJellyfish (Jul 28, 2015)

Sometimes when making multiple cups of tea but definitely not afterwards.


----------



## Kilgore Trout (Aug 10, 2014)

Most of the time. And I think most people here do it. Teabags here can easily make two cups of tea until the color/taste fades away.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Blue Dino (Aug 17, 2013)

Varies on what tea bag. Higher end teabags or the Lipton or Celestea teabags I will probably reuse it twice after the first use. The cheaper Chinese branded tea bags, I will probably reuse it once. I love tea. But if I am drinking tea bag, I don't really have high standards for them. So I don't really expect a very strong flavorful tea regardless. 

But I usually just steep tea leaves in a tea tumbler most of the times I drink tea. I get a lot of free tea leaves from relatives. Right now I think I have like a dozen boxes of tea leaves that are unopened.


----------



## Paper Samurai (Oct 1, 2009)

WillYouStopDave said:


> Usually bagged teas are not good enough to be used more than once.


 Yep, pretty much this. I sometimes drink a loose leaf tea (dried leaves without the bag) and I have to use this contraption:










I can make 2-3 cups with it usually, but the taste basically gets weaker and weaker with every cup. When I drink normal teabag stuff, it's one use only.


----------



## SD92 (Nov 9, 2013)

No, it would be too weak. My grandparents used to chop it in half and use one for two cups so they could save money.


----------



## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

I'd be worried about mold growth


----------



## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

millenniumman75 said:


> I'd be worried about mold growth


Could put it in the refrigerator.


----------



## catcharay (Sep 15, 2011)

Yep 1 yields 3 cups.


----------



## AussiePea (Mar 27, 2007)

I'm far too privileged to reuse.


----------



## flyingMint (Aug 31, 2015)

I don't drink tea often but I don't reuse them when I do.


----------



## Karsten (Apr 3, 2007)

Nope.


----------



## Revenwyn (Apr 11, 2011)

Never. 

There's no option for "I don't drink tea."


----------



## twitchy666 (Apr 21, 2013)

*always wanted to for years*

filter coffee in cafetiere 
next round using same fuel

easy to learn quick not to. No thin, hot water, please

I put all coffee grounds √, green tea bags in toilet, so not carrying refuse bag out to dumpster - less volume. Toilet is there to dispose small wet stuff!

worst ever blocked toilet panic. over rim. basic physics of tea bags unexpectedly blocking where you can't go to fix

best I get: I make green tea. I forget it's there! Hours or days later I approach kettle, mug & tea to make some, noticing it's already ready for me


----------



## KILOBRAVO (Sep 17, 2011)

absolutely not.


----------



## LydeaCharlotteGirl (Aug 27, 2013)

I only drink herbal teas, but have never reused the bags.


----------

