4 Ways to Reuse Used Coffee Grounds, Unbeanknown to You

Do you ever wonder what happens to your used coffee grounds? If you’re chucking them away after you’ve made your brew, the ground coffee will go straight to landfill. Here they will then emit methane — a greenhouse gas — and one of the primary causes of global warming. It is for this reason that we need to begin to come up with alternative ways of disposing of our rubbish, so that in turn we can begin to reduce the environmental issues that landfill sites pose. 

Panic not! Coffee is good for more than just getting you up in the morning — there are in fact a number of different alternatives to just tossing your daily brew remnants in the bin. From cleaning to composting, who knew coffee grounds could be so versatile. Hopefully after reading this article you will reconsider throwing your grounds out. 

1. Exfoliating scrub

Coffee grounds have various practical uses around the home, one of them being a fa-brew-lous addition to your beauty and skincare routine. The abrasive quality of the coffee grounds acts as a brilliant and natural exfoliator for our skin and helps to remove dirt and dead cells. Coffee grounds can also boost circulation, and improve skin quality — therefore aiding in reducing dark circles, puffy eyes and stubborn cellulite. The antioxidants, acids and stimulants also found in coffee increase collagen and are therefore anti-ageing by making the skin appear firmer. As well as being 100% natural, a homemade coffee scrub is going to cost you a lot less than a high end anti-ageing serum. 

Its so simple — all you have to do is dry your coffee grounds and then mix with some coconut oil and you’re ready to scrub. 

2. Compost

Coffee grounds make a great addition to your compost bins due to the fact they are very rich in nitrogen, so they make for excellent green matter. This is turn will invite the worms as these little garden helpers are drawn to nitrogen-rich soil. Compost needs worms as their tunnelling habits allow better water and air circulation which allows aerobic bacteria to decompose your waste. Therefore adding your used coffee grounds will hopefully encourage the worms to stick around. 

3. Pest control

Although coffee grounds attract worms, they actually repel insects. Compounds such as caffeine and diterpenes, which are both found in coffee can be toxic to small pests such as ants, slugs and snails. Scatter the coffee grounds liberally on your garden beds and these little critters will stay well away. 

4. Neutralise odours

Lastly, coffee grounds are great at neutralising unpleasant odours. After chopping onions and garlic, rub your hands with your with your brew’s remnants, and this will eliminate any unwanted odours from lingering. They can also be used to deodorise your fridge — we all know how unpleasant a fridge can smell its content’s have gone off.  If you place a jar of used grounds uncovered at the back of the fridge this will help absorb and eliminate any fragrant food odours.