Ground up coffee beans not only provide one of the most commonly consumed drinks, but can be used for so many other things after a good brew!
Don’t throw those used coffee grounds away!
Here’s 8 ways to reuse and repurpose coffee grounds:
1. Use them to clean-out paint brushes.
This is my favorite way to use old coffee grounds!
After brewing, I dump my dried out coffee grounds in a simple glass jar. (without lid, to continually dry out the coffee grounds).
When ready, I soak my brushes in hot, soapy water for a while.
Then when I’m ready to wash them, I dunk the brushes in the coffee grounds . (see photo). And then take the brush and rub it on a old sponge to break up the paint.
With the mixture of soap and coffee grounds, it deeply cleans and exfoliates most of the old acrylic paint off my brushes, and leaves little residue.
2. Exfoliate your skin.
By adding coffee grounds to water or coconut oil, you can create a simple exfoliant that will scrape off dead skin and leave your skin feeling fresh!
Another method would be to add coffee grounds to honey, to create an all-natural lip scrub!
Add lemon juice, honey, baking soda, and coffee to create a simple face mask!
Add it to your shampoo or body wash to add some extra exfoliation.
The possibilities for application are almost endless!
3. Use on dishes for tough-to-clean areas.
I know a very small portion of people actually hand-wash their dishes anymore, but we all know how much of a pain it is to get stubborn food to scrub off our favorite pots and pans.
Add a sprinkle to the area you want to clean, and then scrub with a brush, towel, or sponge.
The friction in-between your scrubbing and coffee ground should help to break up tough food faster!
4. Keep fleas away from your furry friend.
According to Healthline, coffee repels fleas!
So after you shampoo Fido, add some coffee grounds to exfoliate and “condition” their fur.
Fleas will stay away, and your dog will smell like they work at Starbucks!
Not recommended for cats.
5. Create a natural coffee air freshener.
For all my coffee addicts out there, it’s really simple to make your house smell of the bean!
I have an open container of used coffee grounds sitting in my kitchen, and that provides all the coffee smells I need!
Put them in any kind of container, and set them wherever your nose desires! (just make sure it’s not easily knocked over, or else you’ll have a mess!)
6. Repel mosquitos with burning coffee.
I got this one from Practical Self Reliance, and let me tell you, this is freaking genius!
As they say in their original blog post, here’s how to properly use the coffee grounds:
“Start by drying the coffee grounds thoroughly, and then place a pile of them on a clay pot, baking tray or piece of aluminum foil. The smoke from slowly smoldering coffee grounds repels mosquitos like a citronella candle or tiki torch, but without having to buy either.”
7. Add to compost, garden, or indoor plants and flowers.
Coffee has a lot of nutrients for plants to draw on!
You can add it to the soil of indoor plants, put some with the fresh cut bouquet you just got, or give it to the earth with a compost or garden.
You’ll be feeding the plants, and not the plastic bin!
8. Put over ice or snow to create traction.
If you live in the midwest, you know that trying just about anything to get snow and ice off the roads and walkways is commonplace.
This unique hack is no different!
Sprinkle used coffee grounds on the ground, and it’ll help you walk easier while also helping to break-down and melt the snow.
I’ll have to try this this season!
There’s a lot of possibilities here…
So, no matter what you choose to do with them, please do not throw your coffee grounds in the trash!
They’ll have a much more beneficial after-life by using one of the above methods. Heck, just throw them in your yard or a close-by flower garden. Anything is better than getting sealed away in a plastic bag!
Comment below if you have ever tried any of these methods, and what your experience was like! Or if you have more to add to this list, let us know in the comments.
If you enjoyed reading about sustainable use of coffee grounds, make sure to check out my blog post on eco-friendly options for brewing your coffee here.
And please do make sure to visit my other #eco-hack posts!
