Green Tea as a Natural Disinfectant: History & Modern Applications

Green tea has long been used as a disinfectant throughout Japan and China. This natural alternative to modern medicinal disinfectants is gaining popularity worldwide because of its many uses, reports Mitoku.com.

Its History

• Tea fields

  Green tea has long been the subject of Japanese and Chinese folk remedies. However, the tea prepared for external application was traditionally brewed much stronger than tea made for drinking.

Modern Hospital Use

• Some Japanese hospitals use green tea to clean sheets.

  In Japan, the medicinal use of green tea extends beyond the home even to Japanese hospitals, where green tea is commonly used to wash and disinfect sheets, according to Green Tea Japan.com.

The Secret of Tea

• The secret of tea is that it contains tannin, astringent vegetable compounds that act as a powerful natural disinfectant, reports Japan Green Tea.com.

The Tea Gargle

• A common use of green tea as a disinfectant is for gargling. Gargling with green tea helps to prevent illness and and to maintain oral health, according to Japan Green Tea.com.

Additional Uses

• Tea: as pure as nature

  You can use strong brewed tea to disinfect cuts, relieve itching, clear up acne and treat fungal infections.