After a delicious cup of coffee, what to do with the leftover grounds?
What’s your usual method for disposing of them? Does their destiny lie in the sink? The bin? Do you toss them out the window? (really, seriously?!)
You'll be pleased to hear, the coffee gems experience doesn’t have to end with the last sip of your mug. Those used coffee grounds are capable of an encore. They just keep giving and giving.
There are many things you can do with them, but a lot are burdensome or unrealistic. We’re not interested in wasting your time, so we’ve narrowed this list down to just eight.
Our eight are simple, practical, and rewarding. Check them out and put your used grounds back to work
- Deodorise the fridge
Spillages, mouldy veg and smelly cheese can make your fridge smell surprisingly bad!
Coffee grounds can be used to absorb smells and fill the air with an earthy freshness. Fill up some bowls of used coffee grounds and pop them onto fridge shelves overnight. It's an easy way to get rid of the stink.
- Blue your blooms!
Some flowering plants, like hydrangeas, change colour depending on the pH level of the soil. Adding coffee grounds will reduce the pH level and give you bright blue flowers.
- Tenderise your meat
Using coffee as a spice for a meat rub will tenderise it and add a smoky flavour.
- Exfoliate your skin
Coffee grounds make the perfect exfoliator to slough away dead skin. Simply use them as a standalone exfoliator, or create a decadent scrub like the one below:
Coffee Body Scrub
Ingredients:
1/2 cup ground coffee
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup coconut or olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
How to Make It:
Combine ingredients in a small jar.
Keep refrigerated. Scrub will stay fresh for roughly two weeks.
- Use in compost
Along with being a great fertiliser, coffee grounds also help strengthen garden compost with beneficial trace elements. The extra nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus in the grounds help plants convert sunlight into energy and retain moisture, making it a nutritious addition to your compost pile.
- Repel your pooch’s fleas
Many dog owners use coffee grounds to repel their pooch’s fleas. Simply bathe your dog as usual, rinse, scrub him or her down with coffee grounds, then rinse again. Bonus: if your furry friend sleeps in bed with you (hmmm), you’ll be waking to the smell of fresh coffee before it’s even been brewed.
Important: Be sure your dog doesn’t eat any of the grounds, as caffeine can be toxic to dogs (Layla has agreed to represent the CG brand with her photo here!)
- Repair scratches on wooden furniture
A DIY varnish made from linseed oil and coffee grounds will expertly conceal any and all unsightly scratches on wooden furniture. Brush the homemade concoction over the scratch in question, give it time to work its magic, and then gently wipe it off with a soft cloth. Be sure to do a test run on an inconspicuous spot first to make sure your mixture is the right shade for your wood.
- Keep the slugs away!
Unlike worms, slugs, snails, and other bugs don't like the acidity of coffee and won't cross the ground if it's sprinkled with java.
Finding a second life for your coffee gems grounds can help you save money, and live a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. We keep a Tupperware box next to the coffee pot, and dump the used grounds in there every morning. That way, we have easy access to used coffee grounds if – tip 9 - useful for washing hands after garlic!
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