In recent events of the Covid-19 quarantine, now is a good time for household projects and learning about new ways to use and re-use what we have around the home. Discarding coffee grounds after brewing a fresh pot of Joe is commonplace, but after reading the below tips, you may want to reconsider tossing them in the garbage. There are an abundance of practical uses for coffee grounds--everything from home and garden use to enhancing your beauty routine. Even if you’re not a fan of home brewing some dark or blonde roast, many coffee establishments are willing to give away piles of used coffee grounds at no cost. Here are six ways you can make use of coffee grounds that may surprise you.
Garden Fertilizer
Sprinkling mineral-rich coffee grounds on your garden’s soil will do wonders for your crops. Coffee contains calcium, potassium, nitrogen, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and chromium--all of which are essential for plant growth. Two added benefits, they help to attract garden-loving worms, and they help to reduce heavy metals found in the soil by way of absorption.
Insect Repellent
Not only will your garden coffee grounds help to repel pests, you can also sprinkle it around outdoor sitting areas since compounds found in coffee (i.e. caffeine and diterpenes) are toxic to insects. Your outdoor summer time doesn’t have to be inconvenienced by mosquitos, beetles, and fruit flies if you simply sprinkling coffee on the ground or place it in decorative table-top planters.
Flea Removal
If your pet has a mild case of fleas, coffee grounds are a natural remedy that may do the trick. After shampooing, incorporate the coffee throughout your pet’s fur and then rinse. Like other insects, fleas do not like coffee so this can be a chemical-free way to treat your pet.
Decrease Cellulite
Cellulite is common in 80-90 percent of all adult women, and it occurs when weak connective tissue can’t contain the fat deposits in the skin. As we know, caffeine is found in coffee grounds and that caffeine, when applied topically, may help to breakdown those fat deposits and increase blood flow to the area, which can then reduce the appearance of cellulite.
Anti-Aging Under Eye Treatment
Combining coconut oil, a little water, and coffee grounds will form a paste that can be applied under your eyes to combat signs of aging. The coffee’s caffeine will help to simulate blood flow which can decrease the appearance of aging and dark circles, and coffee’s antioxidants help to fend off free radicals. Research shows that expensive skin care products which contain caffeine and antioxidants are effective in improving the skin’s appearance.
Odor Neutralizer
Coffee grounds help to eliminate odors by absorption since they contain nitrogen. When nitrogen is combined with carbon, sour-smelling sulfur gas gets eliminated from the air. So even if you toss your grounds instead of using them in other ways, your garbage odors will be neutralized.
We realize this can be a challenging time, so finding some new projects around the home and garden can be a money saver and help pass the time. Also, if you're feeling uneasy about doing the grocery shopping at the moment, keep in mind that we will ship any of our products to you, and they will keep in the pantry for some time. Stay healthy, everyone!
