If, like us, you drink a lot of coffee in your day, you must have a lot of coffee grounds at home. This already brewed and now “useless” coffee obviously goes into the compost, but it also has countless uses in cooking, beauty and housekeeping. Here are a few ways to reclaim your pounds of coffee!
In the fridge and cupboards
Admit it, you can’t remember the last time you changed your baking soda box in the fridge? Use your leftover coffee from Sunday to absorb unwanted odours. Let the ground coffee cool after use, then place it in a small, unsealed container in the back of the fridge.
Since coffee acts a bit like an odor sponge, it is a great alternative to baking soda. In fact, this is probably the only time you’ll be advised to put coffee in the fridge!
You can also use this little trick to neutralize odors in your cupboards.
On your skin
Caffeine is already widely used in pharmacology, notably for its energizing and anti-cellulite virtues, but also because of its ability to improve blood microcirculation and to dissolve keratin (eliminates dead cells and oxygenates the skin). However, a new idea is starting to gain ground: coffee grounds are an excellent exfoliant for the skin!
For a 100% natural exfoliating scrub, mix a little coffee with coconut, vegetable or sweet almond oil, or honey. Massage this mixture onto your face and neck, or any area you wish to treat, and rinse with warm water. It is recommended to test a small area of the skin before proceeding with a full treatment. Using coffee as an exfoliator, in addition to all the other benefits of caffeine, will make your skin soft!
You could also opt for the “eye contour” variation, which helps reactivate blood circulation, thus reducing the appearance of dark circles. Mix an egg white, a teaspoon of coffee grounds and half a teaspoon of honey and leave it under the eyes for 5 minutes. Rinse off gently.
In the kitchen
Some blogs claim that letting meat rest in coffee grounds for a few hours will make the meat ultra-tender. We haven’t tested this technique, but if you’re interested, let us know!
What is certain, however, is that coffee grounds are excellent in desserts, or as a marinade for meat. In our Caffeinated Recipe Guide, you’ll find plenty of recipes that use ground coffee. You can easily replace it with coffee grounds and give them a second life, just as delicious!
In the vegetable garden
This is a rather controversial topic, as it is popularly believed that coffee grounds are an excellent insecticide and that they make a great fertilizer. It turns out, however, that this is not a magic solution. In fact, coffee would not have the slightest effect on slugs and other insects.
As for coffee grounds for plant growth, this is partly true. Liquid coffee is acidic, but coffee grounds have a more neutral PH, and therefore safe for plants. The minerals and nitrogen in the grounds could be beneficial to the garden and to seedlings. However, when coffee grounds are spread on the soil, they tend to form a compacted crust that reduces the water supply to the plants. This is why coffee grounds in general should not be used alone. It is in fact recommended to mix it well with soil or fertilizer before using it, in order to avoid the formation of this crust.
Another advantage of coffee grounds is that, as mentioned above, coffee does go into compost. So if you make your own compost (not through your municipality), you can add your grounds to it, but be aware that it is recommended that you only add coffee sparingly to your mix.
What to do with coffee grounds?
However, coffee grounds can be reused in many different ways, and in this article, we’ll discuss some creative ideas for what to do with coffee grounds.
- Compost: Coffee grounds are an excellent addition to compost because they contain high levels of nitrogen, an essential nutrient for healthy plant growth. You can add coffee grounds directly to your compost bin or mix them with other composting materials such as leaves, grass, and food scraps.
- Fertilizer: Coffee grounds can also be used as a natural fertilizer for your garden. The nitrogen and other nutrients in coffee grounds can help enrich the soil and promote healthy plant growth. You can sprinkle coffee grounds around the base of your plants or mix them into the soil.
- Pest control: Coffee grounds can also help keep pests out of your garden. The caffeine in coffee grounds can be toxic to insects such as slugs, snails, and ants. You can sprinkle coffee grounds around the base of your plants to keep these pests away.
- Odor absorber: Coffee grounds can be used as an effective odor absorber. You can place them in a small container or bag and leave them in your refrigerator or closet to absorb unpleasant odors.
- Body scrub: Coffee grounds can also be used as a natural body scrub. The coarse texture of coffee grounds can help exfoliate the skin and remove dead skin cells. Mix coffee grounds with coconut oil or olive oil to make a paste and use it to scrub your body in the shower.
- Cleaning agent: Coffee grounds can be used as a natural cleanser. The abrasive texture of coffee grounds can help remove stubborn stains and grease from pots and pans. Mix coffee grounds with a small amount of dish soap and use it to scrub your dishes.
- Insect repellent: Coffee grounds can also help repel insects in your home. Place coffee grounds in small bags and place them in areas where insects are likely to enter, such as windowsills and doorways.
In conclusion, coffee grounds are a versatile and useful material that can be reused in many ways. Whether you use them for composting, gardening, cleaning or personal care, coffee grounds can help reduce waste and promote sustainability. So the next time you make a cup of coffee, don’t throw away the grounds and consider one of these creative ideas for what to do with them.