If you’re a coffee lover like me, you probably have a stash of unused coffee grounds tucked away. Before tossing them out, consider the many clever ways you can use them around the house, garden, and kitchen. Even if you don’t drink coffee, many local coffee shops are happy to give away their coffee grounds, so you can still try these tips.
Coffee grounds are simply ground coffee beans, similar to how flour is made from wheat. While we typically use them to brew our morning caffeine fix, there are so many other practical uses for them that are all-natural.
In the kitchen, the coarse texture of unbrewed coffee grounds makes them perfect for scrubbing stubborn food from pots and pans without scratching them. A mix of dish soap, coffee grounds, and a scouring pad can make your cookware look new again.
If your drain is starting to smell or needs cleaning, coffee grounds can help. Pour them down the drain and follow with boiling water to eliminate odors.
Ants are easily bothered by caffeine, which can throw off their scent trails. Place coffee grounds where you spot ants, and they’ll eventually take them back to their colony, reducing the ant numbers over time.
When it comes to flea control, coffee grounds are a natural option. Fleas and ants don’t like coffee, so rub the grounds into your pet’s fur after shampooing, then rinse and dry as usual. This can help keep fleas at bay without harsh chemicals.
For a home-friendly roach trap, fill a jar with damp coffee grounds and line the neck with sticky tape. The smell will lure the roaches, and the tape will catch them.
Coffee grounds also neutralize odors in fridges, tight spaces, closets, or even shoes. Simply fill a sock or pantyhose with coffee grounds to create portable air fresheners. They can also help remove strong smells from your hands if used as a scrub after handling garlic or onions.
If you enjoy making candles, try adding coffee grounds for a lovely aroma. Placing tea lights on top of a bowl of grounds gives off a pleasant scent when the candles are lit.
Cleaning a fireplace is made easier by sprinkling coffee grounds over the ashes. This minimizes dust and makes removal simpler.
When sewing, transform coffee grounds into a unique pincushion. Not only will it smell nice, but it will also keep your pins from rusting.
During winter, coffee grounds can be used for traction on icy sidewalks. While they don’t melt ice like salt, they improve grip like sand.
In the garden, coffee grounds are beneficial for enriching soil with nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and magnesium, essential for healthy plant growth. Acid-loving plants such as azaleas and hydrangeas particularly thrive with coffee grounds sprinkled around them. Worms, which aerate the soil, are also attracted to coffee grounds.
Create gardener’s soap by mixing a bar of glycerin soap with coffee grounds. This exfoliates and cleans hands after gardening.
Keep cats away from your garden by scattering coffee grounds. Mixing with orange peels enhances the deterrent effect.
Coffee grounds can be used to stain wood, giving it a warm, natural look. To achieve this, brew the coffee first.
For skincare, exfoliating with a mix of coffee grounds, brown sugar, and oil can remove dead skin and improve complexion. This same mixture can be helpful in reducing the appearance of cellulite.
To dye fabric or paper, or to enhance brunette hair color, use wet coffee grounds. For beauty, exfoliating your scalp with grounds can get rid of dead skin and may promote hair growth.
Caffeine can also reduce dark circles under the eyes due to its anti-inflammatory properties, making it a useful ingredient in DIY skin treatments. Additionally, applying coffee grounds to a cold sore can alleviate pain and speed up healing.
For acne-prone skin, coffee’s astringent and antioxidant properties make it a great mask. Create a paste with coffee grounds and milk, apply, let sit, then rinse, leaving skin refreshed.
