If you’re like most people, then you probably love a good cup of coffee in the morning. Typically, the grounds left over after we brew a pot of coffee are considered waste, so we throw them away without a second thought. Did you know, however, that these grounds can actually be saved and used for several purposes around your home? Below, we have compiled a list of creative ways to use old coffee grounds so that you can get as much use as possible out of something you would have otherwise just thrown away!
Use Them as an Odor Neutralizer
Did you know that coffee can actually neutralize unpleasant odors in your home, car, refrigerator, or office? The grounds themselves, even after being used, are extremely absorbent of any other odors in the air.
To take advantage of this, simply dry out your used coffee grounds and then place them in a small bowl which you can put anywhere you would like to eliminate unpleasant smells. If you wish to use them somewhere that a bowl would cause a mess, you can simply put the coffee grounds in in a thin cloth sack or even a light sock, tie it shut, and take it on the go. This works great in gym bags and underneath car seats!
Use Them as Fertilizer
Used coffee grounds can be a great addition to your garden soil for several reasons. First, coffee grounds contain a lot of important minerals that allows plants to grow at their best. Once these minerals have been depleted from the soil, adding coffee grounds can help to re-fertilize your garden and keep your plants happy.
Additionally, used coffee ground attract worms to your garden, keeping the soil healthy and active for plant growth. They also work great for composting!
Use Them As an Abrasive Cleaner
Because they are coarse and also antibacterial, used coffee grounds work amazingly as an all natural cleaning scrub around your home. The rough grounds are great for scrubbing things are are typically difficult to clean, such as sink stains, the bottoms of scorched pots and pans, outdoor grills, and stained metal surfaces that need to be polished.
Use Them As a Natural Skin Scrub
High-quality skin scrubs and exfoliants can be expensive, and the cheaper ones contain chemicals that do more harm than good. Fortunately, used coffee ground provide an effective, chemical-free alternative to store-bought scrubs.
Simply dry out your used coffee grounds and place them in an air and water-tight container, like a small mason jar. Leave this in your bathroom and use a small amount to exfoliate your skin when you shower. It will leave you incredibly soft, and the smell is a great wake-up call early in the mornings!
Use Them as an Insect Repellent
Caffeine and some of the other properties in used coffee grounds are extremely toxic to insects such a mosquitoes and fruit flies. Having them nearby will keep these annoying pests away from the areas your don’t want them.
Simply place a small bowl of used coffee grounds on counters next to fruit or on outdoor tables where you spend time to keep insects away. Additionally, you could sprinkle coffee grounds around the perimeter of outdoor areas and gardens.
Use as an Under-Eye Mask
Used coffee grounds contain caffeine, which has natural and effective anti-inflammatory properties. When applied underneath the eyes, coffee grounds can help reduce swelling and puffiness.
Simply mix used coffee ground with a small dab of coconut oil, then spread underneath eyes and leave on for 25-20 minutes before gently rinsing off.
Use it as An All-Natural Dye
We’ve all accidentally spilled coffee and seen how easily it stains surfaces, fabrics, and pretty much anything it touches. Luckily, we can use this to our advantage to dye things that we actually want to change the color of.
Simply steep used coffee ground in hot water, and use this water to dye clothing or fabric by setting the item in the water and allowing it to soak for several hours. You can also use used coffee grounds to stain paper products, creating an old fashioned appearance or mimicking parchment. To achieve this, gently dip a paper towel or paint brush into the stained water, then dab across paper. Make sure not to get the paper so wet that it becomes damaged, and allow it to dry fully before use.
Now that you know all of the creative things you can do with used coffee grounds, you can stop throwing them away and make the most out of them! Who knew that a product you usually throw away without a second thought could be so useful in your home, garden, and beauty routine!
