Most people would throw away their coffee grounds after they are done brewing their espresso. But what if we told you that you shouldn’t do that?
Coffee ground actually has a lot of very useful benefits. It is better to take advantage of these benefits rather than throw away your used coffee grounds immediately. If you don’t usually make coffee often at home, you can also get old coffee grounds from coffee shops since most of them are willing to just give it away.
Here are 10 creative uses for your used coffee grounds:
1. Coffee Grounds for Tenderising Meat
Rubbing meat with coffee grounds 2 hours before cooking can help break down its tough muscle fibres and result in a softer texture. Coffee grounds’ acidic nature also helps elevate the meat’s flavour.
2. Exfoliating Skin
Coffee grounds are rough in texture. This makes it perfect for exfoliating skin and removing any dead cells. The caffeine in it also contains antioxidants that can help protect your skin from the sun.
But this does not mean you should directly put coffee grounds on your face! That is because the coffee grounds’ coarseness will hurt and may even scar your skin. To prevent this, mix your coffee grounds into a bowl of water or coconut oil. Afterward, rub the mixture on your hand and then your face.
3. Cleaning Your Fireplace
Removing ashes from the fireplace is a very laborious and messy job. To prevent the ashes from forming smoke clouds, scatter your coffee grounds on the fireplace to weigh them down. As a result, dust and ash cannot scatter to other parts of the room as you are cleaning, making it easier and less messy for you to do the task.
4. Deep Cleaning Kitchen Utensils
The rough texture of coffee grounds has another great use, which is cleaning kitchen utensils.
Oftentimes, certain spots and stains just can’t be cleaned using traditional soap and sponge. Abrasive particles in coffee grounds can help with this. Just add a little bit of it to your pots and pans before cleaning like usual. Don’t forget to rinse properly afterwards!
5. Neutralising Odours
Another great use for old coffee grounds is for eliminating unpleasant smells. The sulphur compound found in most odours can be neutralised by coffee grounds since they contain a lot of nitrogen.
There are different ways in which you can apply this. You start by filling an old sock with coffee grounds and use it as a portable air freshener, which you then can place in any place where there might be a bad odour (inside your shoes, in your gym bag, etc).
You can also place the coffee grounds in a bowl and put it in the fridge to eliminate any bad smells that may come from your food.
6. Remove Fleas From Pets
Fleas are a huge bother for pet owners. Eliminating them from your pet’s fur is very difficult, expensive, and takes a lot of time. Moreover, the products used for flea removal are often filled with harmful chemicals.
No worries! Coffee grounds can be the solution for you. Simply rub them on your pet’s fur after shampooing, before then rinsing and drying thoroughly.
7. Fertilising Your Garden
Fertilising your garden is crucial to ensuring the healthy growth of your plants. This is because most soils do not come equipped with enough nutrients to nourish the plants. Coffee grounds are packed with beneficial minerals such as calcium, nitrogen, magnesium, potassium, and many others, making them great fertilisers.
8. Stimulating Hair Growth
Studies have shown that coffee grounds actually stimulate hair growth. Exfoliating your scalp with coffee grounds also removes dead cells and helps maintain hygiene. This makes it a better alternative to shampoos that often leaves residues.
To do this, simply massage your scalp using coffee grounds for a few minutes before rinsing and then shampooing like normal.
9. Treating Dark Circles Under Your Eyes
Dark circles can appear under your eyes due to low skin quality, poor blood circulation, and weak blood vessels. This is because that area is very delicate and has a very thin skin layer.
To avoid dark circles, you can create a paste using coffee grounds and water / coconut oil before then applying it to the skin beneath your eyes. Rinse well after letting it sit for a few minutes.
10. Repelling Pests And Insects
And finally, coffee grounds can be used as a natural repellent for insects and other pests. This is because the diterpenes and caffeine in coffee grounds are very toxic to them. Simply scatter your coffee grounds in places where you don’t want insects to thrive, such as your garden, outdoor seating areas, or kitchen.
