Coffee is good for much more than just waking you up in the morning. Before you throw away used coffee grounds, consider putting them to use in the garden, around the house, or in bath and body products.
Boost compost
Coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen, so they make excellent green matter. Just add the coffee grounds, along with the filter, directly to your compost pile.
Repel garden pests
Sprinkle grounds liberally around your plants, or the perimeter of your garden, to deter pests such as ants, slugs, and snails.
Invite worms
If you work the grounds deeper into your soil, you’ll attract these little garden helpers.
Fertilise plants
To make a coffee fertiliser, mix old grounds with dead grass clippings, brown leaves, or dry straw, then spread the mixture around acid-loving plants like azaleas.
Deodorise your fridge
To neutralise food odours, fill a jar with grounds and place it, uncovered, at the back of the fridge.
Clean tools and cookware
Sprinkle coffee grounds onto a scrub brush and use them as an abrasive to remove stuck-on food from pots, pans, and utensils.
Remove product build up on hair
Before shampooing, massage a handful of coffee grounds into your hair to remove residue from shampoo, conditioner, and other hair care products.
Deodorise your hands
After chopping garlic or onions, rub grounds on your hands to eliminate odours.
Make a gardener’s soap
Coffee granules act as a great abrasive. To make this exfoliating soap, melt one 4oz (113.4 grams) bar of glycerin soap, add 1⁄3 cup coffee grounds, mix well, and pour into a mould to set until it has hardened. You need to use a mould that can withstand the high temperatures of molten soap, and is flexible so the soap can be easily removed. Silicone moulds are ideal for this. The soap will take 12-24 hours to harden.
Jump start a harvest
To increase the yield of plants such as carrots and radishes, mix dried coffee grounds in with carrot and radish seeds before you plant them.
One organisation in St.Helens have taken note of the value of used coffee grounds. Why not collect some from Momo’s cafe on Westfield Street. Please collect some for free and let me know about the success of your reused coffee grounds around the house or in your garden.