Amazing Tips and Uses for used Coffee Grounds
Here is a long list of tips and uses for used coffee grounds which I have researched on and collected from all over the web. Don’t let used coffee grounds go to waste. Use them around the house, in your garden or in homemade body-care products.
Unclog drains:
Pour used coffee grounds down the sink or bathtub drain, followed by 3 drops of dish soap and a pot of boiling water. This will clean and clear the drain of clogs and built up grease.
Keep Cats out of your garden:
Tired of your neighbors cats traipsing through your flowers? Just sprinkle some coffee grounds and orange peel where you don’t want them to walk.
Freshen your flower Vase:
Using a coffee-soil mix for your flower vase not only looks cool and lengthens your cut flowers’ life, it also acts as an air freshener in the room.
Flea Bath :
When you give your dog a bath, add a tablespoon of used coffee grounds to the shampoo to help repel fleas.
Deodorizer:
Just like baking soda, used coffee grounds can absorb unpleasant odours. Combine a week’s worth of used coffee grounds in an open jar, then place it in the back of your refrigerator or freezer to naturally deodorise the space.
Scratch Remover:
Reinvigorate scratched wood surfaces: Mix 1⁄4 cup coffee grounds with 1⁄4 cup warm water and 1⁄4 cup vinegar, let steep for an hour, then apply mixture to scratched wood surfaces using a washcloth. (For smaller scratches, use a cotton swab.) Let the stain sit for about five minutes for light-coloured surfaces, or up to an hour for dark-coloured surfaces, before wiping away. Note: If you are worried about the stain getting too dark, apply in small increments until you achieve the colour you want.
Tips and uses of used coffee grounds as a Cleaner:
- Scour Power. For a quick abrasive cleaner – mix equal parts of old coffee grounds and baking soda. Use to scour away grease and grime from your pots and pans. Rinse thoroughly. (Be careful of using this on surfaces that are susceptible to stains!)
- For a better-smelling garbage disposal, pour a tablespoon each of coffee grounds and baking soda down the drain to clean the blades. Note: This works best with newer disposal units. If you are unsure about your drain efficiency, consult your owners’ manual for tips.
- Before cleaning out your fireplace, sprinkle damp coffee grounds liberally over the ashes to cut down on airborne dust as you sweep them up.
DIY Candle:
Want the warm scent of a coffee shop in your home without roasting beans all day long? Repurpose used coffee grounds into a homemade candle: In a small jar, place a metal-based wick in the center of the container, then fill the jar with alternating layers of coffee grounds and melted beeswax. (Allow the beeswax to solidify between layers.) This candle will release a subtle coffee scent that will help perk you up after a long day—without the caffeine.
Meat Tenderizer:
Combine 1⁄2 cup coffee grounds with 1⁄4 cup ground pepper and 3 tablespoons kosher salt for a savory coffee meat rub. Sprinkle the rub on your favorite raw meat before grilling. (For best results use fresh, finely ground coffee.)
Fertilizer:
Coffee grounds make a phenomenal fertilizer. They are slightly acidic, which is great for acid-loving plants such as blueberries, tomatoes, roses and hydrangeas. Plus, they attract worms, who love this gritty material. Coffee grounds help worms’ digestion, yielding great soil in return, and give worms a boost of caffeine, helping them work at double the speed. Dump used grounds into a compost bin or straight onto your garden.
Seed Starter:
Use coffee grounds to help start seeds. With a high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (almost 20:1), used coffee grounds will release nutrients, including nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, into the surrounding soil as they break down. This is great for young seedlings.
Reset your sense of smell:
Sniff coffee grounds to clear your nose after testing or sampling different perfumes….this will ‘reset’ your sense of smell.
Pin Cushion :
Filling your pin cushion with coffee grounds will prevent your pins from rusting. Plus, it’s like a sachet of good smells every time you use it. Make sure to dry them thoroughly first by spreading them on a cookie sheet and placing them in the freezer for an hour or two
Color Boost:
- Freshen up your autumn wardrobe. Add a pot of freshly brewed coffee and the grounds to a load of wash, toss in any brown clothing and walk away. The coffee stains the material and keeps dark colors looking great.
- Thanks again to coffee grounds’ acidic nature, you can deepen the blue color of your hydrangeas—or even turn pink hydrangeas blue—by composting with coffee grounds. Hydrangeas’ color is dependent on the pH of the soil.
Tips and uses of used coffee grounds Control Pests:
- Use coffee grounds inside the home to repel ants. Sprinkle the grounds where ants commonly enter your house.
- Fill a can or jar with an inch or two of moistened grounds, then line the container’s neck with extra sticky double sided tape. The scent will draw cockroaches into the trap.
Although there wouldn’t be enough caffeine left in used coffee grounds to kill snails, slugs and other unwelcome garden pests, the pungent aroma will still deter them from disturbing your garden. Sprinkle around the perimeter of your plants.
Wake me Up Air Freshener:
Perfect for your house or car. All you need is some coffee grounds and panty hose. You can easily make your own with a pair of ladies stockings and fresh ground coffee. Simply double-up the stockings, fill with coffee grounds and then tie off.
Tips and uses of used coffee grounds in home made body products:
Simple Body Scrub:
Mix ½ cup of used coffee grounds with 2 tablespoons of olive oil or coconut oil. Massage all over body while standing in the shower. Leave on for 10 minutes before showering. This mixture will exfoliate your skin. Add a few drops of vanilla extract or essential oil for a refreshing or soothing fragrance….this will make your skin feel great and smelling wonderful.
Body Salt Scrub:
This rub will leave your whole body feeling soft and rejuvenated.
Coffee Salt Scrub Recipe:
1 ½ cup coarse sea salt
1 cup coffee grounds (dried)
1 cup oil (I used coconut)
5-15 drops of essential oils
Recipe Directions: In a large bowl add coarse sea salt and coffee grounds and stir; place oil and essential oils into bowl and stir. Store in air tight jar and use for those days when you need to need a good scrubbing.
Hand Savior:
Rub coffee grounds into your palms after handling smelly foods such as garlic, onion or even fish. The grounds will absorb the smell, as well as any oil that may have hitched a ride on your hands.
Exfoliating Soap:
Add coffee grounds to melted soap (either from a homemade soap bar or from scraps of soap bars around the house) and allow hardening to make a light exfoliating hand or body soap with a subtle coffee scent. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of coffee grounds for every 1 pound of soap.
Hair Conditioner:
Add a teaspoon of used coffee grounds to your conditioner for extra soft and shiny hair.
Hair Treatment:
Massage a mixture of 1⁄4 cup coffee grounds and 1⁄4 cup coconut oil into your scalp for a luxurious but deep clean. The caffeine can stimulate hair growth and give your locks fresh luster while dispelling build-up. The coconut oil will moisturize your scalp and hydrate dry strands of hair. Rinse out with an apple cider vinegar rinse. Note: This works best on dark hair, as coffee grounds may stain lighter tresses.
I found some Interesting pointers on Singapore Women’s Weekly Magazine. check out How To Recycle Coffee Grounds Into Fertiliser To Feed Your Plants