Coffee grounds aren’t just for coffee. There are many things you can do to recycle your grounds instead of just throwing them away. Here are only a few of the many uses for used coffee grounds.
In Your Garden
Coffee grounds contain rich nutrients that soil loves, such as calcium, potassium, nitrogen and chromium. These essential minerals help plants grow so it’s a great way to naturally fertilize your plants and garden. Carrots love coffee grounds! There are some plants, however that do not like too much such as tomatoes and clovers.
Not only are those grounds great for fertilizing your garden, but it does double duty as an insect repellant. The caffeine found in coffee is toxic to many insects. Others, like ants and mosquitos do not like the strong scent. It’s also a great way to keep slugs and snails off your plants when used as a barrier. They have difficulty moving across the grounds due to their coarse nature.
Spread a thin layer on the ground around your plants to fertilize and not stop the water from reaching the roots.
In Your Home
Coffee has been used for a long time as an odor neutralizer. The nitrogen in the coffee helps neutralize bad odors anywhere in your home. Just put it in your refrigerator, car, or just rub it on your hands after handling anything stinky.
Recycle your grounds as a cleaning scrub. The abrasive texture of the grounds act as a natural scouring pad to get those hard-to-clean surfaces without damaging your surfaces. You can scrub on its own or add dishwashing liquid. And, as an added bonus, they have antibacterial and antiviral properties to help sanitize as well.
Cook with them! Coffee grounds make a great meat tenderizer as well as a great rub. Add some of those grounds to your favorite meat rub. The salts and acids in the grounds will help tenderize the meat and add a smoky flavor on top of it.
Use them to cover scratches in wood furniture. Simply make a paste using water and used coffee grounds. Spread it on the scratch and rub it in with a soft cloth. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and wipe it off!
Wellness
Coffee grounds make a great exfoliator. Coffee has antioxidant properties that can help protect the skin. It also helps remove dead skin, increase blood flow to the skin and provide an overall glow. Mix the grounds with water and coconut oil and apply to skin. Wipe it off with a cloth but make sure it doesn’t go down the drain! It will clog.
Believe it or not, you can also use those grounds to help those circles under the eye. The antioxidant and caffeine properties of coffee grounds help minimize dark circles and puffiness. Use the same recipe as for the exfoliant but just pat it on and let it sit for 10 minutes. Don’t rub it in or you may irritate the delicate skin.
Finally, caffeine is great for your hair! As we age, our hair thins out. Using coffee grounds can help. Before you shampoo, rub the grounds into your hair. Massage your scalp for a few minutes and rinse it out. Again, be careful that the grounds don’t go down the drain. Then shampoo as normal. It’s also a great way to exfoliate the dead skin on your scalp! And if you color, it will help dark colors become more vivid.
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