Joe. Java. Wakey juice. Liquid energy. Call your coffee whatever you want…just don’t call your leftover coffee grounds trash. There’s tons of life left in that dark, grainy stuff—and here are some great ways to put it to use:
Pest repellent
To help keep pests from the garden area, mix coffee grounds with orange peels and spread the mixture around the outside of your garden.
Prevent dog fleas
Bathe your dog, as usual, rinse, scrub him or her down with coffee grounds, then rinse again.
Mulch
Toss your used coffee grounds onto the soil. The dark color absorbs heat from the sun, which helps the soil warm-up and adds nutrients to the soil as the grounds break down.
Clean kitchen drains
Boil about 6 cups of water. Pour a half-cup of used coffee grounds down the drain, followed by hot water.
Clean the fireplace
Many fireplace owners swear by this: Sprinkle a layer of damp grounds over ashes (which helps weigh them down) before sweeping them up.
Destroy medication
Mixing pills or liquids with coffee grounds will make it much less likely that a child or household pet will find and ingest the substance. (If the pills are large or brightly colored, crush them or dissolve them first before mixing them with coffee grounds.)
Natural abrasive
Sprinkle stained pots or grimy countertops with coffee grounds, then, using a cloth or steel wool (avoid using steel wool on wood), scrub off stuck-on food or stains.
Get rid of unwanted odors
Put an open container filled with coffee grounds in your refrigerator and then notice how unpleasant odors disappear.
Body scrub
In a bowl, mix 2 cups of coffee grounds, 1/2 cup raw sugar or sea salt, and 2/3 tablespoons of massage oil. Rub in a circular motion on wet or damp skin in the shower.
Hair color booster
If you’re a brunette who absolutely cannot make it in to see your colorist, coffee grounds may enhance your color. The rub used grounds throughout your hair in between shampooing and conditioning.
Sincerely,
Raymond V. Monczka
