10 Great Things to do with Old Coffee Grounds

Nothing beats the smell of fresh perked coffee in the morning. Expresso, cappuccino, latte, or just a regular cup of joe. Coffee is the most popular go-to drink for people around the globe with over 2.25 cups consumed every day.

But what do you do with the coffee grounds that are left over after brewing? Most people know about using them in your garden, but did you know that there are dozens of great uses for used coffee grounds? Here are just a few:

Repel Pests Naturally

A lot of bugs do not like the acids and aroma of coffee grounds so you can use this to your advantage. According to Java Press you can keep ants from coming into your home by spreading a 1-2-inch line around areas that ants are likely to get in. Refresh it every two weeks. You can also keep snails and slugs away from your garden so sprinkle some coffee grounds around. Coffee is good to get rid of fleas from your fur babies too. Just give your dog a coffee ground wash outdoors and the fleas will leave in droves. Natural pest control is the way to go.

Scour Pots and Pans

You don’t have to use harsh steel wool or scouring pads. The abrasiveness of coffee will remove cooked-on food from your pots and pans without damaging them. Then, use the leftover grounds to deodorize your drain or garbage disposal.

Use Grounds in Craft Projects for Kids

Keep those little hands busy for hours. Coffee grounds can be used as dirt, fur, beards, or anything brown with a texture, and it costs nothing to use. Just glue the grounds down with clear glue and let the projects dry thoroughly before you hang them on your refrigerator.

Coffee is a Natural Deodorizer

Coffee soaks up odors which is why you always have to keep beans or ground covered. You can use coffee grounds to clean and deodorize your trash container, your garbage disposal, and even as a natural odor-eater in your shoes. Java Press recommends that you leave some in an open bag overnight in your shoes to remove stinky feet smells. Just don’t forget to remove the bag before wearing your shoes.

Clean your Drains

Forget the Drano or other harsh chemicals and use coffee grounds to unclog sinks. The directions from Money Crashers is really simple, easy, and safe enough to try this at home. Boil a cup of used coffee grounds in a pot of water and pour the mixture in your slow moving or clogged sink.

Touch up Wood Furniture

Don’t buy expensive or toxic fixes for scratches on dark wood furniture. Java Press has some step-by-step directions on how to make a scratch remover. First, grab some used coffee grounds and add a few drops of water to them. Next, dab a Q-tip swab in the mixture and gently rub it into the scratch. Wait 5 – 10 minutes and buff it with a soft cloth. Repeat if necessary. It’s really that simple.

Use as a Natural Dye 

The Farmer’s Almanac always contains useful information and this one is really handy. You can soak coffee grounds in water and use that as a solution to dye fabrics, paper and Easter eggs. Tie strings around the eggs to make patterns on the eggs to give them a sophisticated antiqued look.

Use to De-Ice your Walkway

Here’s a pre-winter tip for readers in cold and icy countries. After you shovel snow, put down coffee grounds to add traction and help melt ice instead of using rock salt or chemical deicers. Coffee will give you more traction than kitty litter. Remember to wipe your feet before you inside for a cup of delicious hot steaming coffee.

Make a Natural Cleansing Scrub

The gritty texture of coffee grounds makes a great natural scrub or exfoliant. Here’s a recipe from Java Press:

Ingredients: 3 T used coffee grounds, 1 T natural oil like grapeseed, coconut or almond, 1 T brown sugar.

Directions: mix the ingredients together and store in an airtight jar like a mason canning jar and it’s ready to use.

Fertilize your House Plants

Last but not least, coffee grounds are great for fertilizing your house plants as well as your garden. The slightly acidic grounds will add nitrogen to the soil so plants will grow bigger and better. Just sprinkle it in the pots of  your plants. You can also use it in composting to help stabilize the PH level.