Morning coffee is almost essential for many people. But what to do with the coffee grounds that are leftover every time? Coffee grounds, which in some places are also called coffee piles – are not waste, but are full of valuable ingredients and are therefore much too good to throw away! You can use coffee grounds in the garden, household, and bathroom, replacing a whole range of drugstore products and gardening aids. You will find out the most interesting and useful uses of coffee grounds in this article.
Coffee grounds as fertilizer & Co. in the garden
Because coffee grounds contain many nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, they can be used as fertilizers for many plants. But this extremely valuable waste product can also be used for numerous other uses in your garden. Coffee grounds are ideal for acid-loving plants, as they are slightly acidic and thus shift the pH value of the soil to a range that is particularly favorable for tomatoes, rhododendrons, and the like.
Cellulite peeling with coffee grounds
Most anti-cellulite products contain caffeine, improving blood circulation and dilating blood vessels. With a little olive oil and coffee grounds, an inexpensive and effective anti-cellulite peeling can be produced, in which the peeling effect comes about through the ground coffee grains.
Lip peeling with coffee grounds
A homemade lip peeling made from coffee grounds, sugar, and coconut oil is ideal to prevent chapped lips.
Eye cream with the active ingredients of coffee grounds
A homemade coffee ointment for tired eyes based on olive and coconut oil puts an end to tired eyes and puffiness.
Coffee grounds hair conditioner
If you mix the coffee grounds with some shampoo or simply use them neat as a coffee grounds conditioner, your hair will be stronger and shinier. This method is particularly recommended for darker hair types, in which the coffee gives a warm, rich brown tone.
Repair scratches in wood with coffee grounds
To do this, slightly moisten the coffee grounds you have and apply them with a cotton swab or sponge. The coffee grounds fill the grooves and the oil they contain seals them. The scratch becomes invisible.
Remove odors with powdered coffee grounds
Coffee grounds themselves have a strong aroma and absorb foreign odors very easily. This property can be used to compensate for bad smells, for example after chopping onions. After handling onions, garlic, or leeks, rub your hands with some coffee grounds. They already smell neutral again.
Coffee grounds also help against unpleasant shoe odor. Sprinkle a handful of the dried powder on the smelling shoes and let the powder work overnight. Thus, the very next day the smell of sweat disappeared.
Natural soap with coffee grounds
The positive effects of coffee grounds on the skin (anti-cellulite effect, peeling power, odor neutralization) can also be used with a self-made coffee soap.
Clean grill, pans, and glass vases
Stubborn dirt on the grill and burnt pans and pots are easy to clean with coffee grounds. It can be used like scouring milk – only without any harmful chemicals. Deposits in flower vases and bottles dissolve if you put a spoon or two of coffee grounds in the container and pour hot water over it: Shake well, let it stand for at least an hour, and the containers are clean again.
Cleaning the chimney without a cloud of dust
Who doesn’t like to sit by the fireplace on a cozy winter evening at home? Just cleaning the next day isn’t that much fun. As soon as you begin to shovel the ashes out of the chimney, you are already standing in a mighty cloud of dust. To avoid this, simply sprinkle some damp coffee grounds on the fireplace ash and it can be removed without any problems.
Color with coffee grounds
Coffee grounds can also be used to naturally color Easter eggs, craft paper, and even fabrics.
Keep snails away with coffee grounds powder
Dried coffee grounds in vegetable patches will keep many species of snails away when sprinkled around the plants. Caffeine is poisonous for many snails, which is why they avoid it.
Drive away ants with coffee grounds
The coffee grounds not only drive snails away from the vegetable patch, but it also reduces the occurrence of ants in the garden. The smell of coffee grounds neutralizes the traces that ants leave for orientation.
Get rid of wasps with burning coffee grounds
Wasps can’t stand the smell of coffee and coffee grounds either. Simply sprinkling it on is not enough to keep wasps away from the coffee table in the garden. To keep the fliers at bay, put some dry coffee grounds in a fire-proof bowl and light it, or sprinkle it on a smoldering charcoal tablet. Wasps don’t like the rising smoke. For most people, the smell is only faintly noticeable or is even perceived as pleasant.
Gently put cats in their place with coffee grounds
When neighbors’ cats devastate the beds or leave their “heaps” in the most impossible places, coffee grounds are just the right thing to do. Simply sprinkle on the areas that are not intended to be used as a litter box or playground.
Compost faster
The nutrients in coffee are useful for compost. In addition, the coffee grounds attract earthworms, which accelerate composting – as long as you don’t add too much of them to the compost at once.
Store coffee grounds correctly
For later use, coffee grounds are best dried first and then stored in airtight containers. Simply spread the coffee grounds out on a plate or baking sheet and let them dry thoroughly for a few hours, for example in the sun or in the residual heat of the oven, so that they do not go moldy. Those who prefer to drink tea and still want to use coffee grounds as fertilizer, household helpers, or cosmetics can simply ask in the café around the corner. There are sure to be enough coffee grounds there, which are often just thrown away.