Here are 9 Creative Uses for Used Coffee Grounds
As coffee lovers, we’re used to consuming freshly brewed coffee every morning. But after enjoying the benefits of all that caffeine, what do we do with the leftover coffee grounds? Well, if you’re like most folks, you probably just toss them in the trash. But what if I told you that there are plenty of creative ways to reuse those grounds? From garden fertilizer to insect repellent, used coffee grounds have a myriad of purposes.
Whether you’re a farmer looking for alternative uses for your crop production or just looking to be more sustainable, these ideas will get your gears turning! So here are nine of my favorite uses of used coffee grounds.
Photo by 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič on Unsplash
- Coffee Grounds as a Natural Fertilizer
Before you throw your used coffee grounds away in the garbage, consider putting them back in your garden as a fertilizer. Just about anything rich in nitrogen will do the trick, and coffee beans happen to be it. Coffee beans are rich in nitrogen, usually not extracted during the brewing process.
Coffee grounds contain many other beneficial chemicals and elements that make them an excellent fertilizer addition for your garden or potted plants, including:
- Potassium – For healthy plant growth
- Nitrogen – For lush green leaves
- Phosphorus – For strong root development
- Magnesium – Promotes blooming flowers & strong stems
- Copper – Aids in producing chlorophyll (the substance that allows photosynthesis)
As an espresso lover, I’m sure you’re wondering if the espresso bean caffeine content equals that of the regular coffee bean. And if so, will the espresso brewing process eliminate most of the above nutrients? Well, despite the fast extraction process, used espresso coffee grounds are still rich in nitrogen and can help improve your garden.
Coffee grounds are acidic, so they can also help lower the pH of the soil in your garden or pot. Mix them with your existing potting mixture or use them as mulch around acid-loving plants like azaleas and rhododendrons.
Photo by Steven Weeks on Unsplash
- Coffee Grounds in the Compost Pile
Another lesser-known use for used coffee grounds is adding them into your compost heap. Coffee grounds are a great source of nitrogen, and they don’t take up much space in your compost bin or pile. The nitrogen will speed up decomposition by providing the bacteria with the needed energy to convert organic matter to compost.
- Coffee Grounds as a Bug Repellent in Your Garden
Coffee grounds are also an excellent way of keeping slugs, snails, and other pests out of your garden. Just put some on the soil around your plants or near any potential entryways into the garden, and you’re good to go.
- Coffee Grounds as a Stain Remover
A straightforward use for coffee grounds that not everyone knows about is as a cleaner. Coffee has been proven to be very effective at stripping grease and grime from surfaces, allowing it to work well as a cleaner. Therefore, it can come in handy when cleaning your dirty dishes and utensils. Their coarse texture makes them perfect for scrubbing all the hard to clean dishes and pans.
Ground coffee is more environmental-friendly than most cleaners. All you have to do is dissolve 2 to 3 teaspoons of coffee with water and start scrubbing your dishes. After all, coffee is a natural degreaser; therefore, your dishes will be clean in no time.
- Coffee Grounds as a Skin Exfoliating Agent
Believe it or not, used coffee grounds can even double as a beauty product! Thanks to their exfoliating effect, used coffee grounds can be used as a skin scrubber. Used coffee grounds don’t have the same effects as coffee extracts, but they can create exceptional DIY treatments.
You can add the used coffee grounds in your homemade scrub to soften, smooth and exfoliate your skin naturally. The coffee grounds can constrict your skin leaving it tighter and firmer. Therefore, it is ideal for scrubbing the dry, rough regions like your feet, knees and elbows. The constriction effect can help you get rid of puffy eyes.
To exfoliate your feet, you should mix some coffee ground with olive oil and Epsom salts and then scrub your feet using this effective treat.
- Used Coffee Grounds For Cooking
Although we’re pretty sure no one would advise you to eat straight from the jar, there are several recipes out there that choose to use coffee grounds as one of their main ingredients. Coffee can be used as a rub for meats such as chicken or steak before grilling it to add flavor while tenderizing it.
Coffee is also great for giving that extra flavor to cookies, cheese cakes, and more! So instead of throwing away the used coffee grounds, why don’t you look for some fantastic recipes that include them as part of their ingredient list?
- Newspapers Stuffed With Used Coffee Grounds for Keeping Cockroaches Away
If you’ve run out of ways to keep cockroaches away, you can keep them away by simply using fresh used coffee grounds. Cockroaches are attracted to coffee grounds and the caffeine is poisonous to them. So you can place them anywhere in your home and keep the roaches away. Make sure you replace the used coffee grounds everyday.
- Coffee Grounds for Cleaning up Spills
If you haven’t got access to any soap or shampoo, you can always turn to used coffee grounds for a good old-fashioned scrub. Why not give it a go next time you spill something on the carpet – it really does work! The coffee grounds can absorb the vomit or spillage and make it easy for you to remove and discard the mess.
- Coffee Grounds for Removing Unwanted Smells
Coffee grounds are great for getting out unwanted smells in the home. You can place them in your fridge to get rid of odor. Ground coffee can also help neutralize the smell of food in your microwave. It can even absorb unpleasant smells in your garbage or shoe closet.
Conclusion
As it turns out, your used coffee grounds can do more than just sit in the trash can. In fact, they make an excellent natural fertilizer for your garden! They add nitrogen to the soil, but they also help break down organic matter and improve the overall quality of the soil. All you need to do is sprinkle them around your plants or mix them into the dirt before planting. So instead of throwing them in the trash can, you should try the above benefits of used coffee grounds.