We never go without our morning coffee… We delight in its flavour and the energy it gives us to start the day off right! What about the coffee grounds we usually throw away? Keep in mind that the latter has many practical uses around the house and in the garden, thanks to its stain-removing, nourishing and deodorising properties. Let’s discover its many uses together!
Make compost for the garden.
Your plants feed on the soil, and soil usually does not contain all the nutrients necessary for optimal growth! In addition, plants absorb nutrients from the soil as they grow! Therefore, it is necessary to fertilize plants for them to flourish.
This is where coffee grounds come in, as explained by Chris Bonnett, founder of GardeningExpress. In fact, this powder contains several minerals essential for plant growth, such as nitrogen, calcium, potassium, iron and phosphorus. You can also use it to absorb heavy metals that can contaminate the soil. It also plays the role of a compost activator but in small doses. Simply sprinkle coffee grounds on the soil around your plants and watch how it takes care of your plants!
Clean naturally
Being abrasive, coffee grounds can be used to remove embedded dirt. It can even help you disinfect different surfaces in the kitchen and home thanks to the antibacterial and antiviral properties of coffee as this study claims. So, if you want to replace your chemical cleaners with an eco-friendly product, coffee grounds are a good alternative! To use it:
- Take a spoonful of ground coffee;
- Use it to scrub the sink or clean the oven rack! Just avoid touching porous materials that can stain.
make compost
Composting is all about turning organic elements like food scraps into an effective material to improve the health of your plants! In fact, compost helps the soil retain more nutrients and water, and therefore provides a delicious place to nurture your flowers and vegetables. So if you don’t need fertilizer right away, you can always turn coffee grounds into compost to use later. Keep in mind that compost to which coffee grounds are added becomes richer in nutrients than compost made from kitchen waste, as horticulture expert Calum Maddock of Home How explains.
Scrubbing pots and pans
This use is similar to cleaning, because in addition to making your countertop and appliances shine, coffee grounds can also help you scrub hard-to-clean kitchen utensils. In fact, their grainy texture is ideal for scrubbing dishes and removing encrusted food from pots and pans.
- Sprinkle half a cup of ground coffee over your dishes;
- Rub as usual;
- Don’t forget to rinse well afterwards!
Neutralize bad odors
Coffee grounds absorb and eliminate odors. Place some in a bowl to put in your refrigerator to neutralize odors from spoiled food, or in old socks to place in shoes, sports bags, drawers or similar.
Coffee grounds can even remove the smell of garlic and onion from your fingers, so don’t hesitate to keep some in the kitchen! Rub your hands with it and voila!
Mounting flea pets
If your pet has fleas, you can get rid of them by using coffee grounds as a natural flea repellent! This will save you time and money and you won’t risk poisoning your little companion with a product containing toxic substances!
Fleas don’t seem to like coffee grounds, so rub some into your pet’s coat after shampooing, then rinse and let dry.
However, it is important to note that coffee grounds are less effective than a prescription product. So if that doesn’t work, contact your vet!
Caution : Your pet should not ingest coffee grounds as they can be toxic!
Scare away insects and pests
According to a study, coffee grounds contain caffeine and diterpenes, elements that are very toxic to insects such as mosquitoes, fruit flies and beetles.
So you can use it to repel them! To do this:
- place bowls filled with coffee grounds;
- You can also spray it around your garden and plants. It will keep all the pests away!
clean the chimney
If you keep putting off cleaning your chimney because it’s the worst chore, you have no excuse after that! Simply sprinkle some coffee grounds over the ashes to make the task much easier! This prevents a cloud of dust from being created when sweeping.
Dyeing naturally
We all know coffee stains! So why not use it as a dye? Know that by moistening coffee grounds, you can create an inexpensive and non-toxic dye! The latter can be used to color your cotton or linen towels and tablecloths, to give them a vintage look or to hide existing stains.
- In a pot, boil 5 to 6 liters of water;
- Add the amount of one filter of ground coffee;
- Let the mixture boil for a few more minutes;
- Transfer the solution to a container, then place the garment to be dyed inside;
- Leave it on for 15 minutes and then remove the garment to dry.
You can even use coffee grounds to dye Easter eggs or lighten your hair color.
Growing mushrooms
Mushrooms are difficult to grow because they require specific conditions! Indeed, mushrooms need substrate to grow and coffee grounds are a very rich nutritional base on which mushrooms like to grow.
Plus, your grounds have been sterilized while you brew your coffee! Which is also important in the mushroom cultivation process!
How to grow mushrooms in coffee grounds?
- Take 500 g of coffee grounds and mix them with 50 g of mycelium.
- Place the final mixture into a filter grow bag or large freezer bag and mix everything together;
- Place the bag in a warm place, you will not need light for this.
- Two to four weeks later, the mycelium will colonize the coffee grounds and produce a white film.
- It is time to move on to the fruiting stage, placing the bag in a cooler (between 15 and 18°) and humid place with indirect sunlight and making holes in the bag to place the substrate in contact with oxygen;
- Wait until your mushrooms become dense and their caps grow to harvest them!
This growing technique works with almost any type of mushroom, but shiitakes and oyster mushrooms are the easiest species to grow!
Here is a video on how to grow mushrooms in coffee grounds.
Removing scratches on dark wood furniture
Wooden furniture can easily get scratched and scuffed. To minimize the appearance of scratches, you can try using coffee grounds!
- Start by making a thick paste by mixing two tablespoons of ground coffee with a little water.
- Then apply your preparation to the scratch with a cotton swab;
- Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before wiping it off with a cotton cloth. This will buff out the scratch and hide it!
making homemade candles
Here’s an idea for candle lovers! Note that you can use coffee grounds as an ingredient instead of fragrance oils! Its authentic smell and the beautiful layered design it gives to the candles will make you fans!
- Melt beeswax or the remains of a few opened organic candles;
- Add two tablespoons of ground coffee;
- Place a cotton wick in the center of a cylindrical jar or box and hold it vertically by wrapping it around a stick;
- Pour the melted wax into the container and allow to cool before removing from the mold.
The more the candle melts, the more heat the rich coffee aroma releases. To be tried without delay!
Defrost the ice
If snow or ice builds up after a winter storm, coffee grounds can serve as a de-icer! Like salt, it has the power to lower the freezing point of water thanks to its nitrogen content, making it less likely to freeze. Coffee grounds also create friction points, making it easier to walk on and prevent slipping. Sprinkle it on your walkways!
Feed the worms as bait and attract the fish.
Anglers often add a few tablespoons of coffee grounds to their bait worms to keep them alive longer. The latter serves as food for them and provides them with comfortable bedding. In addition, fish, especially trout and bass, are attracted to the smell of coffee grounds. Which helps anglers catch them more easily!
Keeping fresh flowers in a vase for longer
To keep your flowers fresh and beautiful for a long time, you need to nourish them! However, water alone is not enough! It is recommended to add some fertilizer such as coffee grounds! Also, it will not affect the pH of the water!
Add a tablespoon of ground coffee to the water in your vase and change it every two days.
cockroach trap
Cockroaches are attracted to the smell of coffee grounds! To create your trap, fill a large glass jar halfway with water and place small cups of moistened coffee grounds in it. The cockroaches will be attracted to the smell and will enter the jar where they will be trapped!
Make a repellent that keeps cats away from the garden
That’s right! Cats hate the smell of coffee. So if you have a garden and don’t want your kitty to go near it, sprinkle coffee grounds around the perimeter of the garden!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can coffee grounds keep away insects?
Yes, coffee grounds can repel many insects such as mosquitoes, fruit flies, ants and other pests, thanks to their strong smell, especially when mixed with lemon juice.
Can I use coffee grounds to deodorize toilets?
Yes, coffee grounds help absorb and eliminate bad odors and not only that! You can deodorize your refrigerator, your gym bag and even your shoes.
What plants like coffee grounds?
Acid-loving plants love coffee grounds because they lower the pH level of the soil and make it more acidic. Roses, azaleas, lilies, and hollies are plants that thrive best in soil containing coffee grounds.
