Creative Uses For Old Coffee Grounds
If you're a coffee lover and prefer home brewing, you probably produce a lot of coffee grounds on a weekly basis. Instead of throwing out those grounds, there are several things you can do with them that will make your life just a little bit easier.
Coffee grounds can be used in a variety of applications, from boosting the taste of your favorite foods to enhancing your hair color. Read on for some incredibly useful things you can do with the coffee byproduct.
Stamp Out Refrigerator Odors
We've all been there. Someone puts something in the refrigerator that smells very strong or inadvertently leaves something in there that ends up stinking up the whole appliance. While it's best to remove the offending food item, that still may not do the trick. Instead, try coffee grounds.
They contain nitrogen, which when combined with carbon can remove foul smells. The grounds actually absorb and eliminate odors. Simply put a bowl of grounds in the refrigerator, and they will do all the work.
Make Compost & Produce Beautiful Blooms
Turn coffee grounds into compost, which makes a great fertilizer for your garden's plants. Studies have shown that compost that contains coffee grounds has more nutrients than compost without it. And the more compounds you use, the better quality it will be. Plus, it produces less greenhouse gas emissions.
If you want to make a nutrient-heavy compost, add the following items to the coffee grounds: grass clippings, leaves, eggshells, fruit and veggie trimmings, stale bread, and shredded newspaper.
Fix Scratched Furniture
If you have a penchant for wooden furniture, then you know that it can be a struggle to keep it in perfect condition. It's not uncommon for the wood to get scuffed or scratched over time. Before buying a pre-made product to tackle the clean-up job, try using coffee grounds.
Make a thick paste with the grounds and water. Rub the paste in the scratch with a cotton swab. Let it sit for a few minutes before wiping off the mixture, which will naturally dye the wood. To make the wood darker, add more layers of the coffee ground mix.
Repel Insects
If you're not a fan of bugs and insects and want a natural way to repel them, use coffee grounds, which contain caffeine and diterpenes that are highly toxic to the creatures. This method is particularly effective at warding off mosquitoes, fruit flies, and beetles, as well as other pests.
All you have to do is sprinkle the coffee grounds around your outdoor seating area or place it in bowls around the spots you want insect-free. In addition, you can put coffee grounds around your plants to ward off slugs and snails.
Kill Fleas
Fleas are a nuisance because they are irritating to both you and your pet. While you can purchase several different types of flea-removal products from your local Walmart, they are made up of chemicals that you may want to keep away from your furry friend. Coffee grounds are a much better, natural alternative.
Shampoo your pet's fur, and then rub the coffee grounds all over his or her body. Then rinse the mixture off, and let the animal dry as normal. Just be sure your pet doesn't eat the coffee grounds because they can be toxic.
Prevent Cats From Using Your Garden As A Bathroom
Even if you're a cat lover, furry felines can do things that are very upsetting. It is particularly aggravating when they choose to use certain areas of your home and garden as a litter box.
If your cat is notorious for urinating or pooping in your garden, there's a simple solution. Mix used coffee grounds with orange peels, and sprinkle the mix in areas that you want cat-free. This will prevent the cat from using your lovely landscaping as his or her own personal potty.
Remove The Garlic/Onion Stench From Your Hands
A strong, foul stench in your refrigerator is bad enough, but it's even worse when you can't get it off of your hands. This is especially true if you frequently chop up garlic and onions during food prep. We recommend keeping some coffee grounds in the kitchen, so you can rub it on your hands after cooking to remove the smell.
In addition, you can create a portable air freshener by putting coffee grounds in old socks or pantyhose and placing it wherever it's needed, such as the bathroom or in your workout bag.
Make Meat More Tender
Everyone likes a tender piece of meat now and then (except for vegetarians, of course). However, sometimes you may end up with a steak with muscle fibers that make it a bit tough. If you want a softer texture, you'll need to tenderize it. You can do this with salt or coffee grounds.
The grounds have acids and enzymes that are perfect for getting the job done. You can also add used coffee grounds to a dry-rub recipe or rebrew grounds to make coffee and use it as a marinade.
Combat Acne
Teenagers aren't the only ones who struggle with acne. It can be a problem for people of all ages. If you've tried all sorts of prescription medication, why not opt for a more natural alternative?
Coffee is chock full of antioxidants and contains natural astringents. This means it's perfect to use as a facial cleanser and toner. Mix the grounds with milk to make a paste. Rub it on your face, and let it sit for about 20 minutes before rinsing it off.
Get Rid Of The Dark Circles Under Your Eyes
Dark circles under your eyes don't just look unappealing, they also make you look older. The skin is very delicate in this area, and it doesn't have much fatty tissue. To get rid of the puffiness and dark circles, consider using some coffee grounds, which are known to be high in antioxidants and full of caffeine.
Both of these ingredients have anti-aging benefits, which can combat under-eye circles. Specifically, caffeine has anti-inflammatory properties that promote blood circulation. And the antioxidants combat free radicals, which can cause aging. Add water or coconut water to coffee grounds to make a paste, and let it sit under your eyes for 10 minutes. Rinse if any irritation occurs.
Highlight Your Beautiful Brown Hair
Coffee is a natural dye, which you probably already know, particularly if you've spilled some coffee on a tablecloth or on your shirt. If you're a brunette and need a little touch-up, why not use coffee grounds instead of commercial hair dye?
Hair dyes are full of chemicals, which may be linked to cancer. If you'd rather not take the risk, opt for a natural alternative. Coffee grounds are a great option. You will not only look good, you'll also feel good.
Create An Exfoliating Scrub
While companies such as Bath & Body Works make numerous types of body scrubs for our pleasure, you may want to make your own scrub at home to remove dirt and dead skin cells. It will save you a lot of money, and you can feel good about creating your own skincare regime.
Mix coffee grounds with water or coconut water and spread the mixture onto your face and body. If you want to make a lip scrub, add a little bit of honey. The caffeine will also provide a tiny bit of protection against the sun (but don't forgo the sunscreen).
Revive Brown Articles Of Clothing
As we mentioned earlier, coffee can stain, which means it can do some damage to a crisp, clean white shirt. But what if you want to bring out the color of a brown pair of pants or dress? Just use coffee grounds to create a natural dye to make your brown cotton or rayon clothes richer in color.
If you want to create a vintage look or hide existing stains on some of your clothes, coffee grounds are the answer. You can also use coffee grounds to color linens and paper products.
Clean Pots And Pans
One of the worst things about cooking is the clean up. If you're lucky, you're the chef and someone else does the dishes. But sometimes you're on double duty, and cleaning some pots and pans can be very challenging if they're gunked up with baked-on food.
The best thing to do is use coffee grounds. They have a coarse texture, so they're great for scraping the caked-on food off your pots and pans. Just sprinkle the grounds onto the dishes/pans and scrub away.
Reduce The Look Of Cellulite
Most women experience cellulite at some point in their lives. It's a condition that makes the skin look dimpled and lumpy, caused by fat deposits. It's possible, although not guaranteed, that the caffeine in coffee grounds can help break down that fat and allow blood to flow better.
If you want to see if it works, mix the coffee grounds with water or coconut oil and scrub the cellulite for 10 minutes. If you do this twice a week, you may see some positive results.
Add A Flavor Boost To Certain Foods
As we mentioned earlier, coffee grounds are great for tenderizing meat. They also make a great flavor enhancer. And they're excellent for spicing up all sorts of foods, not just beef.
Add coffee grounds or brewed coffee to food such as chocolate cake and chili, and you will be wowed by the results. You can often substitute coffee for water to get a bolder, more rich flavor from some of your favorite foods. Experiment a little, and you will quickly create some new and delicious recipes.
Clean Up The Ashes From Your Fireplace
Fireplaces can be very messy. They produce a lot of soot and smoke, which can wreak havoc on your home. While coffee grounds won't help with those issues, they can combat ashes from a wood-burning fireplace or stove.
Just scatter the used coffee grounds on top of the ashes. This will weigh them down and keep smoke from puffing up when you try to clean them up. It's a lot easier to remove ashes from your living room or rec room, and it also prevents dust from flying all over the place.
Boost Hair Growth
Frequent hair washing can result in residue build-up, which can weigh down your locks. To tackle this problem, exfoliate your scalp with coffee grounds. Another benefit of putting coffee grounds in your hair is hair growth, which is caused by caffeine.
Take some coffee grounds and massage them into your scalp for several minutes before shampooing your hair. Then wash and rinse. If you do this once or twice a week, you are sure to see a difference in your hair quality.
Grow Mushrooms
It can be challenging to grow mushrooms, but it's not impossible, particularly if you have some extra coffee grounds on hand. The grounds provide nutrients that mushrooms find hard to resist. And because they've been sterilized due to the brewing process, they promote growth even more.
The method: mix coffee grounds, mushroom spores, and sawdust together. Put the mix into a large bag or bucket. Cut four holes into the sides of the container above the grounds. Spray with water daily to keep the mixture moist. Shiitake and oyster tend to be the easiest varieties to grow.
Fatten Up Worms For Fishing
If you enjoy fishing or have a fisherman in your life, you may want to help them by producing some big fat worms for their next at-sea or lake adventure. What better way to catch a fish than by cultivating the worms yourself?
Worm beds love coffee grounds. Simply mix the grounds with aged horse manure, and you will produce some of the fattest worms you've ever seen. Both the worms and your fisherman will thank you (until the worms are eaten by a big fat fish).
Vermicomposting, The Indoor Composting Routine
Instead of using coffee grounds for regular outdoor composting, think about utilizing the spent grounds for vermicomposting. Unlike traditional composting, vermicomposting is done indoors in a contained environment, such as an old can. The resulting organic material can then be used to fatten up worms or other insects.
This process is also much quicker than traditional composting, so it's a good idea for those who don't utilize an extensive amount of whole foods in their day to day life!
Give Houseplants An Extra Boost
Humans aren't the only ones who can benefit from the delicious nature of coffee. Houseplants can also utilize their properties. If you don't have an in-home composting system, adding spent coffee grounds directly to the soil of houseplants is a great way to give them a bit of extra life.
Since coffee grounds are nutritionally balanced and pH neutral, they're great slow-release fertilizer for indoor plants. Just top-off your fertilizer with the old grounds once every few weeks and watch as your plants begin to have an extra glow.
Space Out Tiny Seeds In Your Garden
Placing seeds in a garden is no easy task, especially if the seeds are very tiny. The last thing you want is to have sprouts growing every which way in your garden because you couldn't see where you were placing the seeds!
Instead, grab some old coffee grounds, place a seed inside the grounds, and use it as a placeholder. Not only will you be able to see where you are placing the seeds, but you'll be enriching the soil with the old coffee grounds. This is what the young people call a "win win!"
Coffee Grounds Are The New Salt For Icy Sidewalks
Bear with us with this coffee grounds hack. While old grounds won't necessarily melt ice like salt, it does make for good traction on the slippery surface. Instead of going out and buying expensive salt, just use those old coffee grounds, you were most likely going to throw away.
Just sprinkle the old grounds right on top of your driveway, sidewalk, or even your front and back patios for some good old-fashioned traction. Be the talk of the block with this hack!
Deodorize Your Garbage Disposal
There is nothing worse than a smelly garbage disposal. We mean, who wants something smelly in their kitchen? The good news is that there is a nice little hack that will deodorize your disposal and leave it smelling nice and fresh for you and whoever else ventures into the room.
Grab those old coffee grounds that you were planning on throwing away and toss some down the disposal. Well, not just the grounds. First, mix the grounds with some Epsom salt and baking soda to make tablets. Store the tablets next to your sink and use them whenever necessary!
Give Your Home A Nice Coffee-Based Smell
A house will eventually have some funky smells, especially if the people who live there have a pet and are huge cooks. The combined smells of pet odor, garlic, onions, and maybe the occasional fish leave little to be desired for anyone visiting.
Thankfully, there is a fun DIY air freshener that might be just the thing you've been looking for to give your house a fresh smell. Take some old coffee grounds, pour them into a bowl, and set them over in a corner. Your house will smell like a hip coffee joint in no time!
Keep Cut Flowers Fresh Longer
Freshly cut flowers tend to be the missing piece that brings a room together. There's just something about the colors, scents, and overall appearance of flowers that make people happy. Well, at least for a little while, until they begin to wilt.
If you're familiar with freshly cut flowers, then you'll know that florists tend to recommend putting a bit of "flower food" into the vase's water. Well, coffee grounds are actually a great source of food for flowers, with a neutral pH level. Just add a tablespoon or so of grounds to the water and watch as your flowers stay vibrant for longer!
Keep Those Bubbles Away When Baking Unfilled Pie Crusts
For those bakers out there, you no sticking an unfilled pie crust into the oven is a gamble. Bubbles tend to pop up on the bottom, and that is no good for when you get to fill the crust with key lime deliciousness.
Instead of going out and buying pricey backing sheet weights, try using coffee grounds. Don't worry; the flavoring won't get into your crust! You're going to want to grab some tin foil, put it over the un-baked crust, and fill it with grounds. The old grounds will weight down the dough, allowing it to cook as though the filling is already in place.
Coffee Candles To Give Your Home A Cafe Vibe
If you have old coffee grounds lying around your house, try making some DIY candles. Not only do they smell wonderful, but they're a great gift for holidays. You're just going to need a few ingredients before you get started: old grounds, wax, an oil scent of your choice, a wick, a stirring utensil, a glass, and a tablespoon.
You're going to want to start off by melting the wax and adding the oil. Afterward, pour your coffee grounds into the mold you'll use for the candle, adding the wick as well. Then, pour your wax and oil mixture on top. Lastly, light that candle up and enjoy!
Homemade "Surprise Eggs" For The Kids
A great activity to fuel the inner explorer in any kid is "surprise eggs." You might recognize them as hard "fossils" that kids break open, discovering something inside, such as a tiny dinosaur. Well, instead of going out to buy this craft, why not make some yourself!
All you'll need for these DIY surprises is a little bit of sand, flour, water, some leftover coffee grounds, and a pack of plastic dinosaurs. You're going to mix the ingredients together, forming a thick paste. Take a solid ball out of the mixture, press the dinosaur into the middle, and let it dry. Then, watch your little one go to town!
