This here thing, it’s called a reusable tea bag. Now, I ain’t one for them fancy words, but I tell ya, this thing’s a lifesaver. Back in my day, we just threw the tea leaves right in the pot, but these young folks, they got all these newfangled ideas.

So, these reusable tea bags, they’re like little sacks made of cloth. You put your tea leaves in ’em, tie ’em up, and dunk ’em in your hot water. It’s like fishing, but for tea! And the best part? You can use ’em over and over again. Just rinse ’em out, let ’em dry, and they’re good to go. Save money, save the planet, my grandson always says.

I seen some made of cotton, some made of somethin’ called “organic cotton.” I reckon that just means it’s cotton that ain’t been messed with too much. They got these little strings on ’em, long enough to reach down into a big ol’ teapot or just a regular mug. And these strings, they ain’t got no color to ’em, just plain ol’ cotton color.

Now, I heard some folks say you can only use these reusable tea bags once or twice. Well I say that is all wrong. I been using mine for I don’t know how long. Just gotta take care of ’em. And them lighter teas, like the green or white ones, them work best for using the bag again. If you using them dark teas, you might not get as much use out of them.

If you’re gonna make one of these reusable tea bags yourself, I heard the best things to use are them coffee filters or just plain cotton cloth. The kind that ain’t been bleached or nothin’. And make sure you use cotton thread, too. Ain’t no use using somethin’ that’ll fall apart after a few uses. And stitch it up good and tight, especially if you’re using them flimsy coffee filters.

Some fancy folks sell ’em on the internet. Say you can get a whole bunch for a few dollars. Now that sound like a bargain to me! I remember when we did not even have tea bags. We just put the tea in a cloth and let it sit there.

• You can wash these things, too. Just give ’em a good rinse after you use ’em.
• Let ’em air dry. Don’t go puttin’ ’em in one of them fancy drying machines.
• If you put milk in your tea, like a normal person, you gotta wash the bag with soap every time.
• If you just use water, like them health nuts, you can probably get away with just rinsing it.

There are other things that can do the same job. Some are made of this rubbery stuff called “silicone”. They look funny but I guess they work. Those are called “tea infusers”. Some got little spoons attached to ’em. Lord only knows why.

They got all kind of these things. Some with strings, some without. Some are big, some are small. Some people use them for coffee, too, but I don’t hold with that. Coffee should be strong enough to stand a spoon up in it, not weak like tea!

Some of these reusable tea bags, they say you can put ’em in the washing machine. Hot or cold water, don’t matter. I guess that’s good if you’re lazy or in a hurry. Me, I just wash mine by hand. It ain’t that hard.

You can buy ’em in stores, too. I seen ’em at that big store, the one with the smiley face on the sign. They got all kinds of things there. Some are made in other countries, some are made right here. I always try to buy the ones made here, if I can. Support your own, that’s what I always say.

Now, I ain’t no expert on these reusable tea bags, but I know what I like. And I like that they save me money. And they’re better for the environment, whatever that means. My grandson’s always going on about that. I say I am recycling before it is cool.

So, if you’re looking for a way to save a few pennies and help the planet, or whatever, give these reusable tea bags a try. They ain’t fancy, but they get the job done. And that’s all that matters, ain’t it?

I remember one time, I was using one of these bags, and the string broke. Tea leaves went everywhere! I had to fish ’em all out with a spoon. It was a mess, I tell ya. But I learned my lesson. Now I always double-check the string before I use it. It is very important.

Another time, I left a used bag on the counter, and my cat got ahold of it. She was batting it around, playing with it like it was a toy. I had to chase her all over the house to get it back. That cat, she’s a menace, I tell ya. But she sure is cute, especially when she is not messing with my reusable tea bags.

Anyway, that’s all I got to say about these reusable tea bags. They’re a good thing, and you should try ’em. That’s my advice, for what it’s worth. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go make myself a cup of tea. The old-fashioned way, of course. With a reusable tea bag!