The unlikely kitchen staple that can clean your entire bathroom for less than 5c
There are lots of items from the kitchen that you can use to clean the bathroom with the most popular being white vinegar and baking soda.
But it's likely you've never thought of setting aside the tea bags you used to make your morning (or anytime) cuppa to give the shower a scrub.
Well, it turns out you can do exactly that according to a professional cleaner who claims just one tea bag can tackle the whole room.
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Don't toss the tea bag out after use, let it cool down and clean with it. Getty
Nigel Bearman, cleaning expert and director of UK cleaning company Daily Poppins says tea bags can be used on shower screens, taps and surprisingly, even the toilet.
"The next time you make yourself a cup of tea, let the tea bag cool down on the side whilst you enjoy your brew. Then simply rub the damp tea bag over any affected areas to lift dirt and wipe dry with a microfiber cloth – it's that easy," Bearman said.
Tea bags, or rather the tea leaves in them, are effective for cleaning because they contain natural chemical compounds known as tannins.
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Tea contains tannins which have lots of benefits for cleaning and even our health. Getty
"The tannins work to dissolve grease and lift dirt, leaving your surfaces streak-free and sparkling. It's an easy, eco-friendly way to maintain spotless windows without relying on any harsh chemicals."
When you're done with cleaning all you need to do is toss the tea bag in the compost or food waste bin.
Showers and taps aren't the only things you can clean with tea bags, greasy pots and pans can also be restored to sparkling with a soak in warm water and a tea bag.
Dry tea bags, used or fresh depending on your preference, can be placed in shoes overnight to absorb bad odours leaving them smelling fresh in the morning.
Bearman also recommends polishing and shining wooden furniture with tea bags by steeping the tea bag in a glass of water and then wiping wood furniture with a cloth dipped in the tea water.
If scrubbing surfaces with a tea bag sounds a bit fiddly it is possible to make a DIY cleaning spray with tea bags.
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There are a couple of different methods with the easiest being adding a tea bag to a spray bottle, filling with water and then waiting for the tea to steep and the water to turn brown before spraying and wiping surfaces.
You can also steep the tea bags in boiling water in a glass vessel and then once the mix has cooled add to a spray bottle.
According to Big Heart Tea, the tea cleaning spray keeps in the fridge for about a week.
You can make a tea cleaning spray so it's easier than scrubbing with a tea bag. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Though unconventional cleaning with a tea bag is one of the most affordable ways to clean your house, especially if you're reusing a bag you've made a cup of tea with.
A box of 200 Woolworths Essential tea bags costs $2 for 100, while Coles Simply tea bags are $1.75 for 100, making the unit price of both about $0.02.
Meanwhile, a 200 pack of Nerada tea bags costs $6.30 at both supermarkets, which means the price per tea bag is $0.03.
And a 200 pack of Tetley tea bags is $6.90 at both supermarkets making each tea bag $0.04.
That's brilliant value for a tasty beverage and a clean bathroom.
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