For many of us, coffee is what gets us out of bed in the morning. The thought of a freshly brewed pot lures us into the kitchen, and a cup or two wakes us up enough to face the world.
But when when your morning ritual is finished, you thoughtlessly throw your used coffee grounds in the trash, right? Well, after learning everything you could be doing with your used coffee grounds, you’ll probably think twice.
In today’s society, where recycling and reuse are an essential part of our lives, these tips are worth their weight in gold.
Besides being good for the environment, there are tons of clever reasons to put your coffee grounds to good use.
1. Make a luxurious salt scrub
Making stuff from scratch always feels good, and this luxurious salt scrub will leave your entire body feeling soft and smooth, as well as smelling great.
Just mix three cups of coarse salt, two cups of dried coffee grounds, and two cups of oil and it’s ready. You can take any oil, but I used olive oil. For more detailed instructions, check out this article.
2. Get rid of slippery icy patches
This time of year, walking on sidewalks and driveways can be icy and dangerous. Why not spread your used coffee grounds on the driveway? Just like sand, coffee grounds will give your shoes something to grip onto—and the acid in the coffee will make the ice melt faster.
3. Make your own fragrance balls
All you need to make your own frangrance ball are pantyhose or stockings and some coffee grounds. Put some grounds in a sock and tie it tightly. Then, hang the ball at home or even in your car.
4. Get rid of slugs
To keep snails from invading your yard in the summer, sprinkle some coffee grounds on your lawn. Snails don’t like coffee’s acidity and will keep a safe distance.
5. Double your harvest
Some plants thrive on coffee grounds—especially since the coffee will repel certain insects. If you’re planting carrots or radishes, mix the seeds with coffee grounds and then plant as usual. Insects will steer clear of them and you’ll be able to harvest up to twice as many healthy veggies.
6. Attract worms
Worms aren’t something you probably cheer about, but they’re great for your garden. They also love coffee grounds and will help aerate your garden.
7. Make your own pincushion
To make a pincushion, get a piece of leftover fabric, fill it with coffee grounds and sew. Then, you’re ready to stick it full of pins and sewing needles. The coffee grounds will prevent them from rusting.
8. Power up your compost
Compost does its job much better when when it contains plenty of nitrogen. And luckily, adding some is easy. Just add some coffee grounds to your compost.
9. Wipe away stubborn stains
If you’re having trouble removing stubborn stains from pots and pans, try rubbing a cloth with coffee grounds before you scrub them. Just make sure not to try this on Teflon or other sensitive materials.
10. Stop your hands from smelling like garlic
The one bad thing about cooking with chopped garlic, onion, or fish is the smell they leave on your hands after chopping them. Simply rub your hands with coffee grounds after you’re done prepping. Then wash your hands and the smell will gone.
11. Tenderize meat
Add a tablespoon of coffee grounds to your marinade before you cook meat. Your meat will be tender and have a mild smoky flavor.
12. Keep the neighbors’ cat away
Does your neighbors’ cat pee in your garden? Just spread some coffee grounds and orange peels in your garden to stop it from being used as a restroom.
13. Stop using chewing tobacco
Do you want to give up chewing tobacco but aren’t ready to give up the feeling of having something under your lip? Insert a hefty pinch of coffee grounds to stave off that empty feeling.
14. Make new furniture look vintage
Do you want to give your furniture a vintage feel? Rub it with coffee grounds and then rinse to give your furniture a completely new character.
15. Get rid of dark circles
Get rid of bags under your eyes by rubbing coffee grounds under your them. Watch a video about how to do this here:
I had no idea coffee grounds could be used for so many purposes.
After learning all of these tricks, I’m not going to throw my coffee grounds in the trash again.
Please share this list so that more people can use their coffee grounds in creative ways.
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