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Any coffee lover will have a pile of grounds left over after a day of fresh brewing. Instead of throwing out the remains of your caffeine fix, why not reuse the leftovers in any of these ten ways and extract more use from your grounds?
Here are ten alternative uses for your used coffee grounds.
Cats are known to dislike the odor of coffee grounds and orange peels. Scatter some grounds and peels in areas where you don't want cats to hang around and possibly leave their smelly droppings.
If your hair is dark brown to black, washing it with used grounds can add a richer color to your locks.
As you take a shower, rub the grounds on your hair, then shampoo thoroughly afterward to remove the odor.
This organic approach is much safer than chemically tinting your mane. Avoid this process if your hair is light in color, as the resulting shade may not be best for you.
Coffee grounds are rich in nutrients. Simply mix them next to the plant soil to act as a time-release nitrogen source or blend them with water for a nourishing liquid fertilizer.
Fungi grow well in coffee ground-strewn areas. Obtain edible mushroom spores from an organic store then scatter them in a basin covered with coffee ground. Give them a week to grow to serving sizes.
Coffee grounds make great deodorizers as they absorb odor-causing particles. Set a saucer filled with grounds in bathrooms, lockers, and fridges. Replace every week with fresh grounds.
A natural abrasive, grounds remove most soot and stubborn dirt from kitchen utensils. Sprinkle grounds on pots and pans and give them a thorough scrubbing before rinsing with water.
Moist grounds will attract small particles like dust. Spread the grounds on the surface of a used fireplace prior to removing the ash. This will prevent ash blooms from floating around and creating a bigger mess.
Try coffee painting, where you mix the grounds with a little water then use a brush to create a monochromatic sketch. Use fabric or canvas as a medium, which won't warp when it comes in contact with moisture.
Spread grounds with your raked leaves and organic waste, wait for the compost to ferment for several weeks then use the result as very rich fertilizer.
If your bench or frame needs a touch of varnish to repair scratches, use grounds mixed with a little water to brown the exposed inner wood. Dilute the solution if you need a less intense shade to match the existing varnish.
These ten tips make full use of your coffee grounds beyond keeping you awake all day. Who knew that something so brown as coffee grounds could turn your world green?
