8 Things To Do With Leftover Coffee Grounds

Coffee powers our mornings and keeps us fueled during long workday afternoons. Coffee is the second most traded commodity on earth and the number one priority for most caffeine hounds. Nearly all of us toss out our coffee grounds after brewing a fresh pot of coffee, even though they’re quite useful. If you’re a frequent coffee dumper, stop that! There are eight very real and very practical things you can do with leftover coffee grounds.

1.  Scrub dirty dishes

Natural Home Magazine says that coarse texture of coffee grounds makes them ideal for scrubbing and cleaning dirty dishes. To make your own coffee scrubber, simply pack a tablespoon or two of coffee grounds into a square cloth, and tie the cloth off at the top with a bread twister or rubberband. Coffee ground scrubbers can be reused for up to a week. Coffee grounds can also be used to scrub stains and spills from countertops, stovetops and floors.

2.  Keep your garden pest-free

Dropping used coffee grounds around the perimeter of your garden will keep rabbits, squirrels and even neighborhood cats from feeling welcome in your garden or using it as a litter box.

3.  Car air freshener

Lose the chemical-laced air freshener in your car and make an all natural coffee ground air freshener instead. Could anything be sweeter than a ride that smells like coffee?

4. Remove cooking smells from your hands

You can get rid of the smell of onions, garlic, vinegar and more from your hands while cooking with coffee grounds. Just rub dry or moist coffee grounds between your fingers for sixty seconds and toss the grounds out when done.

5.  Use as an insect repellent

Ants, fleas, snugs and snails are naturally repelled by coffee. Sprinkle coffee grounds in plant soil to keep plants bug-free, and a few coffee grounds spread on the floor or in a picnic basket will keep ants at a distant.

6.  Dye things

By steeping coffee grounds in hot water you can make a chemical-free dye for clothing, napkins, towels, craft items and even Easter eggs.

7.  Cover up furniture scratches

Make old furniture look new with nothing more than coffee grounds and water. Steep grounds in hot water, apply solution to a rag or Q-Tip, and apply mixture to damaged wood. Once scratches are covered, remove any loose coffee grounds and pat furniture dry.

8.  Add nutrients to compost bins

Starbucks recommends tossing spent coffee grounds into compost bins. (Starbucks will even give you their old grounds to add to your compost heap.) You can also add nutrients to plant and garden soil by dumping coffee grounds over plants, shrubs, bushes and garden produce.

 

 

 

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