When you make coffee, nearly all of the beans don’t end up in your cup; instead, they get stuck in your filter. There’s still a lot of good stuff in those grounds, even though many of the antioxidants and nutrients in the beans are broken down by the coffee.
It seems wasteful to throw away all those beans, doesn’t it? Plus, you can use used coffee grounds in many ways around the house and save money at the same time.
So today, we’re sharing 17 of our favorite ways to reuse used coffee grounds around your home. Ready to learn some tricks? Let’s dive in.
If you’re like most coffee drinkers, you probably generate a fair amount of used coffee grounds. While it’s tempting to just toss them in the trash, those grounds can actually be repurposed in many creative ways around your home. From fertilizing gardens to exfoliating skin, used coffee grounds offer a range of practical uses that are budget-friendly and eco-conscious.
Read on to discover 16 ingenious ways to reduce waste and get more mileage out of your morning cup of joe
1. Fertilize Your Garden
Used coffee grounds make an excellent natural fertilizer for gardens and houseplants The grounds are rich in nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and other nutrients that plants thrive on. Sprinkle them around your vegetable and flower beds, or mix them into potting soil when repotting houseplants. The nutrients will enrich the soil as the grounds decompose.
2. Compost It for Later
Add used coffee grounds to your compost bin or pile to enrich your homemade compost. The grounds add organic material and plant-loving nutrients like nitrogen that are essential for finished compost. They’ll break down over time into a rich, crumbly finished product.
3. Repel Insects and Pests
Sprinkle coffee grounds in areas where you want to deter crawling insects like ants, cockroaches and slugs. Caffeine and other compounds in the grounds are unappealing to these pests. They also deter cats from digging in garden beds.
4. Remove Fleas from Your Pet
Rub a mix of used coffee grounds and water through your pet’s fur after bathing to help repel fleas. The caffeine disrupts the fleas’ nervous systems. Rinse thoroughly afterwards and let your pet’s coat dry as usual. Safer than chemical flea treatments!
5. Neutralize Odors
Place bowls of used coffee grounds in your fridge, kitchen trash can, gym bag or other odor-prone areas. The grounds will absorb unpleasant smells rather than masking them like air fresheners. Change them out regularly for maximum odor-fighting power.
6. Use It as a Natural Cleaning Scrub
The slightly abrasive texture of coffee grounds makes them ideal for scrubbing surfaces. Mix grounds with a bit of water or vinegar and use on countertops, floors, greasy cookware and more. The grounds lift dirt and grime without harsh chemicals.
7. Scour Your Pots and Pans
For really stubborn cooked-on food residue on pans and pots, used coffee grounds can work wonders. Let grounds sit in hot soapy water to help loosen stuck-on messes, then scrub. The grounds are gentle but effective.
8. Exfoliate Your Skin
Mix used coffee grounds with coconut oil or olive oil to make an ultra-gentle body or facial scrub. The grounds slough off dead skin cells to reveal fresh, glowing skin underneath. The antioxidant properties of coffee can also help protect skin from sun damage.
9. Dye Paper or Fabrics
The deep brown color of coffee makes it a perfect natural dye. Steep used grounds in hot water to create a dye bath and dye paper, Easter eggs, or natural fiber fabrics like cotton, silk or hemp for a beautiful muted brown tone.
10. Make Homemade Soap
Add a spoonful of used coffee grounds to your next batch of cold-processed handmade soap for visual interest and skincare benefits. The grounds provide exfoliation, and the caffeine constricts blood vessels to reduce the appearance of varicose veins.
11. Craft With Coffee Ground “Paint”
Mix used coffee grounds with a bit of water to create an all-natural, free-form paint. Kids can finger-paint or use brushes to create beautiful brown artworks. The coffee grounds add visual texture and earthy tones. Let paintings dry completely before handling.
12. Create Natural Cosmetics
Harness the antioxidant power of coffee grounds to create your own natural cosmetics. Mix them with shea butter or coconut oil and use as a rejuvenating facial mask. Or add them to your own custom lip balm or body scrub recipes.
13. Deodorize the Garbage Disposal
Eliminate lingering odors from your kitchen drain by pouring used coffee grounds down the garbage disposal. As they grind up and pass through the pipes, the grounds will absorb and neutralize any clinging food odors. Flushing with grounds regularly keeps drains smelling fresh.
14. Make a Coffee-Infused Candle
Add a spoonful of grounds to a plain candle or homemade wax melt to infuse them with a rich coffee fragrance as they melt. The aroma of coffee will fill the room as the candle burns. You can also place whole dried beans in votives for visual interest.
15. Feed Your Worm Bin
If you keep a worm composting bin, used coffee grounds make a nutritious addition to your worms’ diet. The grounds provide a nitrogen boost along with organic matter for the worms to break down into vermicompost over time. Start with just a thin layer to avoid over-acidifying your bin.
16. Sprinkle on Driveways and Walkways
Used coffee grounds provide excellent traction underfoot when sprinkled on driveways, garden paths, and walkways. The coarse, gritty texture helps prevent slips and falls in winter weather. The grounds are also safe for pets unlike potentially toxic ice-melting salt.
As you can see, the creative uses for spent coffee grounds are virtually endless! Before tossing them out or pouring them down the drain, consider giving them new life. With a little imagination, you can find clever ways to reuse those grounds while saving money and benefiting the planet.
1 De-frost and De-ice
You may be used to seeing salt on the roads after the snow melts if you live in a place where it gets below freezing in the winter.
This is because salt lowers the freezing point of water, and the coarse texture gives friction for your shoes when walking down a slippery road. But as effective as salt is, it’s also toxic to aquatic species and can even kill plants.
Luckily, the nitrogen in coffee lowers the freezing point of water in the same way, but it doesn’t make you sick.
This means you shouldn’t feel bad if you drink an extra cup or two of coffee in the winter. Those grounds will come in handy.
Can Coffee Grounds Harm Plants?
There are varying claims out there as to how good and effective coffee grounds are for your plants. While many praise it, others warn to proceed with caution.
Plants that generally love coffee grounds are roses, blueberries, carrots, hydrangeas, cabbage, lillies, hollies, radishes, azaelas, and rhodondrenas. These plants love acids and thrive with a sprinkling of coffee grounds!.
But not all plants do well with acid. For example, tomatoes and clovers don’t do well with coffee grounds. And good advice in general is not to use it too much.
It is possible to have too many good things when it comes to coffee grounds in the garden. The soil and plants need to be in balance. Caffeine and nitrogen should both be used in small amounts because too much of either can stop growth.
Exactly what too much and too often means depends on your soil, plants, and many other factors. So begin carefully to find the ultimate balance for your plants.
If you put the coffee grounds right on the soil, make sure to spread them out in a thin layer so they don’t block the roots from getting water.
6 Cool Uses For Coffee Grounds
FAQ
What plants do not like coffee grounds?
Are used coffee grounds good for all plants?
Can I put used coffee grounds in my yard?
What are used coffee grounds used for?
Used coffee grounds have many practical uses, including as plant fertilizer or scrubbing agents and in skin care products. Coffee is a popular beverage consumed all over the world. People usually discard the grounds left behind after it’s brewed, but after reading this article, you may reconsider throwing them out.
How do you use coffee grounds?
The coarse particles in coffee grounds work as an exfoliating agent to help remove dirt and dead cells from the skin. Simply mix coffee grounds with a little bit of water or coconut oil and scrub them with your hands directly onto your face and body. Coffee grounds can also be mixed with a small amount of honey and used as an exfoliating lip scrub.
Can you use old coffee grounds to clean dishes?
However, if you want to save money by putting your old coffee grounds to use. Sprinkle the grounds onto your dishes directly and use a damp towel to scrub. The course texture of the coffee will help remove any tough residue from your pans and dishes.
Do used coffee grounds make a good cup of coffee?
Though they won’t make a good cup of coffee, what’s left in your used coffee grounds can add some flavor to food. Used coffee grounds are a popular ingredient in marinades and chocolate baked goods.