Coffee grounds – the many surprising uses of coffee grounds

With over 1400 million cups of coffee consumed every day of the year there are a lot of coffee grounds produced. While most of us will simply throw them away, many industrious people have found some unique uses for coffee grounds.

There’s no doubt that when Pope Clement VIII authorized the use of coffee he had no idea that it would become one of the most consumed beverages of all time. Coffee is a part of everyday life for millions of people around the world; the combination of the aroma, the taste and the effects of the caffeine make it a pleasurable drink at any time.

So grab your favorite coffee (don’t throw away the coffee grounds though) and learn about the wonderful and weird uses of coffee grinds!

This morning I watched a solitary ant meander across my counter searching for moisture and food. As I watched the ant found a crumb of bread and with a gargantuan effort it began to haul it away. Admiring its tenacity and courage I perused for a few seconds more before plunging a giant finger down to end its existence. Did I feel bad? Nope! It did get me thinking though – I’ve spent a lot of money on ant traps, ant sprays and pest services and most of these were effective to a point – but how could I save some money? With a bit of research and a little astonishment I came across a use for coffee grounds that seemingly can assist me in my constant war against the pest world:

Whether you’re infested with ants, or your animals have fleas coffee grounds can provide assistance in controlling pests:

• Building a ring of coffee grounds around entry ways to your house may stop ants; it is said that ants will not cross coffee – perhaps they are tea drinkers?
• Shampoo your dog and then rub him down with some dried coffee grounds – work the coffee grounds into the skin and the fleas will disappear quicker than Houdini! This may not work, but at least your dog will smell like coffee – that’s got to be good hasn’t it?
• Sprinkle some coffee grounds (mix with hot water) where you are infested with cutworms and ants in your garden - this is especially effective on anthills. Just think about it, if some giant poured hot coffee grounds over your house, would you stay?

Over the years I’ve spent a lot of time in the garden fighting the elements and trying to keep my garden lush and beautiful. With ever changing weather patterns and a bug population that persistently tries to thwart my quest at every turn, I often wonder how I can defeat Mother Nature!

Mother Nature is harsh at times and it’s often very difficult to keep a garden beautiful, however as most good gardeners will tell you, putting organic waste back into the garden works wonders – forget about green fingers, try brown fingers instead:

• As my mother was dying she told my wife to add the coffee grounds to the plants to help them grow – it was a precious moment for us, but one we dismissed as we assumed it was confusion due to the heavy drugs she was on. Of course I should have known that Mom’s always right – rosebushes, azaleas, evergreens and other plants that love acidic soil will love the coffee grounds you add to the soil.
• Coffee grounds will also add much needed nutrients to your compost bin.
• Do your pesky cats think your flower beds are their own personal kitty litters? Spread some coffee grounds and orange peels over the beds and the cats will avoid them – would you go to the bathroom in coffee grounds?
• Carrots and radish are coffee lovers – mix dry coffee grounds to their seeds before planting and they will flourish – I guess it must be a caffeine rush?

As I went to see the Harry Potter move this week, my daughter decided that we all needed tattoos. She brought some cheap stick on ones and I ended up with a figure that remotely look like a wizard – by the time I arrived at the theater it looked more like a ‘dark mark’ – I was chuffed! It’s a shame that my daughter had to pay for the privilege of having temporary tattoos.

With the economy on an ever downward spiral, parents often look ways to save money while keeping their children entertained. Surprisingly, there are several uses for coffee grounds:

• Can’t afford expensive henna kits? Purchase a small bottle of henna and mix with coffee grounds – you’ll use far less henna!
• Make your own parchment by dipping sheets of paper into water infused with coffee grounds.
• Make a home-made dye by steeping coffee grounds in hot water – ideal for fabric or even Easter Eggs. (Be sure to wash the coffee stained clothes separately otherwise you could end up with a lot of coffee stained clothes – this is OK for students of course! To make a tie-dye shirt, add petroleum jelly to the t-shirt where you don’t want stain, and then soak the t-shirt in the coffee grounds.

Home care is an expensive proposition at the best of times. Many people have turned to household substances like baking soda to assist in cleaning, but many do not realize that the humble coffee ground can be used as well:

• Coffee grounds are slightly abrasive and therefore can be used as a scouring agent – be aware that they may stain some areas though – they are great for removing greasy stain resistant objects – not sure if this works on teenagers?!
• Dry some coffee grounds and place in the freezer as a deodorizer – for a fresher smell add some vanilla drops to the grounds.
• Do you hate the smell that lingers on your hands after you chop garlic or onions? The rub some coffee grounds on your hands to help eliminate these foul odors.
• Hide furniture scratches by dabbing with steeped grounds – if you have kids like mine, then you’ll end up with coffee stained furniture!
• Dry some coffee grounds, drop in some ‘smelly’ oils or vanilla and fill a sachet – the coffee grounds will absorb odors.
• How many times have you ended up looking like an extra in Mary Poppins when getting engulfed by a plume of dust while cleaning the fireplace? Simply add some wet coffee grounds to the ashes and there will be no dust cloud!

Take a close look at the skin creams in your house; how many contain coffee beans or caffeine? Surprise? I know I was! Coffee has surprising health benefits; this is one of the most amazing uses for coffee grinds I have found:

• Have you noticed that those high priced cellulite removal creams contain coffee? Simply mix some olive oil, some water and some coffee grounds, add this mixture to your cellulite and wrap for a few minutes and this should have the same effect as those creams – repeat twice a week.
• Tired of spending too much on conditioner? Rub some coffee grounds through wet hair and rinse – your hair should be nice and soft and shiny!
• Coffee grounds can be used to exfoliate skin – simply pat coffee grounds onto your skin and massage – don’t forget to rinse – although if you don’t least you’ll keep the ants away!
• As coffee grounds are abrasive you can gently rub your skin with them to remove dead skin – sounds yucky eh?