As you know, we at Everyday People are super passionate about sustainability, and what better way to show we care than by recycling and reusing our coffee grounds? Every year tons of coffee grounds go to waste and get thrown out, but did you know that coffee grounds have many interesting and practical uses? From being used in your garden to relaxing at-home beauty treatments.
Here are 10 ways to be kind to our earth, by repurposing your used grounds.
1). Use coffee grounds as a fertilizer for your yard
Used coffee grounds work wonders for yards that lack nutrients. Most soils do not contain the right amount of minerals for optimal plant growth. Or even if your soil is nutritious, you will need to keep on adding fertilizers over time to keep it in tip-top shape. This will ensure that your plants grow beautifully.
Coffee grounds contain nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and chromium. These are excellent minerals for plant growth. Blueberries especially could do with a coffee ground fertilizer, as these plants prefer acidic soil, which coffee grounds provide. Another interesting fact about using coffee grounds as a fertilizer is that it decreases greenhouse gas emissions, and can absorb heavy metals that might be in the soil.
Earthworms are also excellent for gardens, and they help aerate the soil. Coffee grounds will attract these plant-friendly worms to your yard, which will keep your soil healthy.
All you need to do is sprinkle the used coffee grounds into your flowerbeds, or onto soil for optimal nutrients.
2). Coffee grounds can be used as a natural insect repellent
We all know how pesticides can wreak havoc on the environment, but also our health. If you are interested in growing a vegetable garden, consider using your coffee grounds to repel insects that might find your vegetable patch delicious.
Coffee grounds can be used to repel flies, mosquitos, and even beetles. Snails are not fond of crawling over coffee grounds, so throw your used grounds in flower and vegetable beds to protect your plants from pesky pests.
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3). Use as a skin exfoliant
Because coffee grounds are natural, you don’t have to worry about harsh chemicals being used on your skin. Coffee is a great exfoliant, as the course grounds remove dead skin cells with ease.
You can make a body scrub by mixing coffee grounds with coconut oil, for superb skin treatment. The coconut oil will help to moisturize dry skin, while the grounds remove dead cells. This can be used on your face, feet, or body.
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4).Neutralize odors
We all love the smell of coffee in the morning, but do you know that coffee grounds can also be used to neutralize smelly odors? As mentioned before, coffee grounds contain nitrogen, and when mixed with carbon, it can be used to get rid of bad smells.
If your refrigerator doesn’t smell great, you can add a small container of coffee grounds into your fridge, and it will be sure to get rid of the smell.
Another great tip is to put coffee grounds into a sock, or small organza bag, and use it as a portable air freshener. You can put these in your car, shoes, linen cupboard, or even your gym bag.
If your hands smell strong after chopping garlic and onions, coffee grounds can also be used to neutralize the smell. Simply scrub your hands with your coffee grounds, and the strong smell will be gone.
5).Dye clothes, hair, or other items
Coffee grounds make an amazing natural dye. If you would like to have a fun tye-dye project with your children, use your old coffee grounds to dye t-shirts.
You can dye cotton, paper, and even rayon. By dying paper, you can give it a vintage feel, which could be a nice touch to homemade greeting cards for friends and family.
Coffee grounds will give you a rich brown color. Therefore, if you have dark hair, some people have even used coffee grounds to make natural hair dye. This could be a wise alternative to chemical hair dye, which contains harmful substances.
If you would like to add some shine to your hair, use a coffee rinse. Boil the coffee grounds in water and then let it cool. Rinse your hair with the mixture for added luster.
6).Do you have scratched furniture? No problem!
If you have dark wooden furniture at home, coffee grounds can help get the scratches out. All you need to do is make a paste with the coffee grounds and water. You can then apply this paste to your scratched furniture.
Make sure to leave this mixture on for at least 5-15 minutes. You can then buff it off with a cotton cloth. This will help dye the wood and buff the scratch out. You can keep adding the mixture to your scratched furniture until you have reached the right color.
7).Make a scrub for dirty pots and pans
Cleaning pots and pans can be a tedious task, but rough coffee grounds make a great scrub for removing dirt from pots. You can just throw some grounds into your pot and scrub away with a sponge.
8).Craft Projects
Coffee grounds are great for craft projects for kids. Use the grounds as “sand” for pictures, or even as bark on trees. Kids will have fun sticking the used grounds onto paper, the texture is also great for sensory play.
9).Use coffee grounds as a drain cleaner
If your drain has a bad smell, you can use coffee grounds to clear out the odor. Besides neutralizing the smell of your drain, the coarse texture of the coffee grounds might also be able to unclog blocked drains.
Make a mixture of hot water, and coffee grounds, then throw it down the drain or sink, make sure to wash it out with hot water. This should fix the problem.
