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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask DH not to strain my teabag with his bare hands?

110 replies

TeaSqueezingpos · 24/02/2026 22:26

DH has been making me cups of tea for about 10 years. Funnily enough I’ve never stopped to watch him make it because.. well then I might aswell make it myself. This man make me about 2 cups of tea a day.

Hes making my evening tea today, and I catch him squeezing the teabag out, into my tea.. with his bare hands. Confused I ask “did you just use your bare hands to squeeze my teabag out?”

“well yeah?”

WHAT. What kind of psychopath have I been living with? He said that’s how he’s always done it. I’ve asked him to never do that again because.. ew! It’s somehow worse than someone touching my food with their bare hands 🤣

please tell me I’m not being unreasonable😩

OP posts:
S0j0urn4r · 25/02/2026 18:03

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

youbizarrehorse · 25/02/2026 18:02

He is a monster😆 You should start using loose leaf tea and see how far he gets squeezing that with his fingers!

Isittimeformynapyet · 25/02/2026 17:45

Goatsarebest · 25/02/2026 17:05

A pot that you put the bag in and then poor water over and then poor the tea into the cup might solve this. I think you might even be able to buy something that does this from speciality shops in places like Maidstone. I remember my Granny having one. It dribbled when used but there was no finger squeezing needed.

"Places like Maidstone" 😄 I love that.

Which specific characteristic of Maidstone should we be looking out for before heading out to buy a teapot?

Isittimeformynapyet · 25/02/2026 17:27

NotAnotherScarf · 24/02/2026 22:42

I'm a straight man but how macho. Squeezing a hot bag with his bare hands kinda sounds like a Julian Clarey line

Edited

Like giving him a warm hand upon his entrance?

BlueJuniper94 · 25/02/2026 17:24

Ha, I do this. Not going to read the comments because I'm scared

ainsleysanob · 25/02/2026 17:20

I’m surprised more Mumsnetters are not dying from diseases that their pappy immune systems simply
cannot deal with due to their disgust at most things! Unless he’s had his fingers up his arsehole or performed a post mortem on a plague victim then you’ll be fine!

Buckfastburps · 25/02/2026 17:09

Thank you for making me laugh!
Is he Irish? My grandfather used to make tea like this 😂

Goatsarebest · 25/02/2026 17:05

A pot that you put the bag in and then poor water over and then poor the tea into the cup might solve this. I think you might even be able to buy something that does this from speciality shops in places like Maidstone. I remember my Granny having one. It dribbled when used but there was no finger squeezing needed.

Bakednotfriedwalkers · 25/02/2026 17:05

What kind of monster are you living with? Get yourself to a place of safety or change the locks asap

Peacexbliss · 25/02/2026 17:02

SayWibble · 24/02/2026 22:41

Does he open beer bottles with his teeth too?

My sister dose,and many others I know do it.

Rhubarbandcustardd · 25/02/2026 16:58

TeaSqueezingpos · 24/02/2026 22:45

There’s something about a wet food item being touched that’s so much worse than regular food? Like you wouldn’t eat a sarnie where they’ve spread the peanut butter with their fingers surely?! 😆

But you would eat ham sandwich wouldn’t you?

how do you think ham gets to sandwich?

IwanttoWFH · 25/02/2026 16:53

This is very odd behaviour. Does he have asbestos hands?!

I mean, he’s been doing it twenty years and you’ve only just realised it now, so I’ve voted you are being unreasonable.

However, I absolutely LOATHE coriander and everyone who knows me well knows this.
I got home from work to find my husband had chopped coriander so finely it was almost invisible to the naked eye and stirred it all through my dinner. He said he didn’t know I didn’t like coriander (we’ve been together for over eight years). I seriously considered divorce and I still can’t get over it, so maybe you’re not being completely unreasonable…..

Allseeingallknowing · 25/02/2026 16:34

OP let’s hope he washes his hands after the toilet, or is it extra strong tea…?

LethargeMarg · 25/02/2026 16:26

I let the tea bag sit for a minute then pluck it out with hands but don’t wring it out but I like weak tea and not having to wash teaspoons constantly

wildfellhall · 25/02/2026 16:20

I’m sorry I think you hand squeezers are right mingers and I’m glad you’re not making me tea ever.

OP some of us have your back here. Spoons are for teabags - that’s it AFAIC.

chatelai · 25/02/2026 16:03

I always do this, whilst feeling slightly macho.
Not make your tea, obvs. Although with this anonymity and stuff, I could be your husband. Am I...???

UnpropitiousNightmares · 25/02/2026 14:24

Oh no, that would make me feel ill! 🤢

Thechaseison71 · 25/02/2026 14:11

WrigglyDonCat · 24/02/2026 22:37

It's how I do it. Give it 5 mins, Grab the edge of the bag, dunk it up and down a couple of times and gently squeeze from the edge with thumb and forefinger. Into compost caddy.

Same here really can't see an issue

JHound · 25/02/2026 14:09

In fact I couldn’t drink tea made by anybody I knew did that.

Bonkers1966 · 25/02/2026 14:08

Disgusting

Ariana12 · 25/02/2026 14:08

TBH Id be wondering when he last washed his hands..

JHound · 25/02/2026 14:05

Your husband is a weirdo for doing that. I would ask him to stop that too.

wishingonastar101 · 25/02/2026 11:52

I just leave the bag in and drink until it plops against my teeth...

youalright · 25/02/2026 11:46

I do this but I do use a spoon for other people.

Denim4ever · 25/02/2026 11:25

TeaSqueezingpos · 24/02/2026 22:47

This is somehow more concerning. You’re throwing away a teabag filled with the most refined and exquisite tea..

Show quote history

Eh, do you keep them all like a museum of teabags? I put them in the foodwaste bin having previously been sure to buy teabags that were suitable for foodwaste binning