That first sip of morning coffee is one of life’s greatest pleasures, but did you know that drinking a mug of morning joe can do more than just give you a kick start? Used coffee grounds are handy for many uses after their initial brew.
Coffee ground’s many uses
Coffee grounds, used and unused, have many applications around the home:
- Used coffee grounds are a great ingredient in compost. Rich in nitrogen and potassium, coffee grounds enrich the soil and help you grow healthy plants.
- Coffee grounds act as a natural insect repellent. Spread over the soil in the garden, they drive away ants and other pests. Sprinkled onto household plant soil, coffee grounds keep gnats away. Rubbed into a pet’s coat before a bath, they drive off fleas.
- It’s not just insects that dislike coffee. To banish spiders, scorpions, and rodents, spread coffee grounds around the house’s perimeter, garage, and outbuildings.
- A small dish of unbrewed coffee grounds or beans can be placed in the refrigerator to absorb odors and give a pleasing aroma in their place, unlike baking soda, which absorbs smells but is itself scent-neutral.
- Unused coffee grounds make an excellent skin exfoliator when mixed with coconut oil.
- Added to meat marinades, fresh coffee grounds add a hearty flavor to beef and chicken.
- Feeling crafty? Coffee grounds can be used as a natural dye to tint paper in a vintage sepia tone.
Store in a canister
Rather than tossing out your used coffee grounds, keep a snap-lid jar handy in the refrigerator. Then, you’ll have coffee grounds available anytime for these versatile functions.
Related – Four Chemical-Free Ways to Keep Pests Away
