MORE FROM THIS BLOGGER

GET UPDATES FROM Chris

5 New Uses For Coffee

HuffPost Social Reading

According to the International Coffee Organization approximately 1.6 billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide. That leaves a lot of coffee grinds that can be used for a variety of household uses. Here are some of my favorite.

Photo courtesy Cheryl Somers


Garden Helper. When you have to get rid of the grinds from your coffee maker, don't think of it as garbage. Instead think of it as fertilizer. The coffee grounds are chock full of nutrients that will help your plants grow. If you work in a busy office, the staff room coffee maker is a great source, so ask your coworkers to save the grinds for you. Bonus tip: If you're growing hydrangeas this summer and they come out pink, sprinkle some coffee grounds around the plant. In about a day, the blooms will turn blue.

Ant Repellant. As much as ants love sweet things, they hate coffee. Its scent is too strong and repels them. If there is a place in your kitchen where you have an ant problem, try sprinkling some coffee grounds to deal with your pest problem.

Flea Repellant. Add fleas to the list of pests that hate coffee grounds. At bath time, rub down your pet's coat (avoiding the eyes and mouth) with coffee grounds. Then, rinse. Fleas will stay away...but your cat Roscoe might smell like a mocha for a little while.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Some commenters have questioned the safety of this tip for their animals. As always, you should check with your own vet. But we know family members that have used this on their animals for years with no ill effect to their pets.)

Skin Care. Skip the spa or dermatologist. Instead get your skin exfoliate from the coffee machine! It turns out that coffee grinds do an excellent job as a mild face scrub. Rub the moist grinds on your skin to rub off dead cells, leaving you with healthy and shiny skin, then rinse.

Deodorizer. Whether that Craigslist find was owned by a smoker, or your gym bag left a lasting impression before it went to the washing machine, we all find ourselves with a stinky situation sooner or later. In those cases, reach for coffee grounds. Place the spent grounds in a bowl near the odor source. This has proven so effective, coffee grounds are even being used to take the stench out of sewage.

What are your favorite uses for coffee grounds? Share them in the comments!

 
  • Comments
  • 28
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Comments are closed for this entry
View All
Favorites
Recency  | 
Popularity
Page: 1 2  Next ›  Last »  (2 total)
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Lois Marie CantoreRiti
what goes around, comes around
04:20 PM on 04/09/2012
I'm so happy that i clicked on this site, never knew coffee grounds were so useful... Great, this delights me, as i will use the grounds for my plants.. Maybe they'll grow faster or to my surprise, Grow!!!!
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
UpBone
Mr. 101
02:16 AM on 03/25/2012
I put them right on top on my Swordferns and in planters.
09:50 PM on 03/21/2012
Too bad Dems need to find any situation, forum etc. to make snide remarks about others.
08:25 AM on 02/19/2012
I give it to my vermicomposter ...
02:51 AM on 02/16/2012
with some of these tips (odor remover, ant repellent) the grounds/grinds should be dry - not wet. The wet grounds/grinds will just make a mess and if they're dry they can absorb odor better. Let them dry in the sun, then use. I put my fresh (wet) grounds/grinds in my garden - great for roses.
The dog coffee thing works fine but vinegar works better - put a few drops of apple cider vinegar in the dog's drinking water each day and also take a wet washcloth with about a 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar poured into it - rub this on your dog's coat, get under the collar around the ears, etc. fleas and ticks will stay away.
02:18 PM on 02/15/2012
Sorry to correct you, but the word is coffee "grounds" not "grinds"!
12:34 PM on 02/15/2012
Our local Starbucks was nice enough to bag up and offer their used coffee grounds for the taking. I have used it to scatter in the yard to repel fleas and found that it had the added benefit of removing/covering the urine odor from the sand that the dogs leave over time.
01:45 AM on 02/15/2012
Used coffee grounds are not acidic...will not affect hydrangea color, this is an old wives tale.
Contrary to popular belief, coffee grounds are not acidic. After brewing, the grounds are close to pH neutral, between 6.5 and 6.8. The acid in the beans is mostly water-soluble, so it leaches into the coffee we drink.
It's good for compost though.
coffee ground study.....google "science daily coffee ground study"
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080707171641.htm
photo
Texas4Obama
Obama 2012
02:42 AM on 04/04/2012
The coffee grounds lower the pH in the soil and therefore helps the hydrangeas turn blue. For blue flowers you need a low pH.
08:05 PM on 02/14/2012
I don't know..... the goats that helped people discover coffee and the donkeys that currently carry coffee cherries down off the mountains might disagree...
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Marioam
07:55 PM on 02/14/2012
Thank you Dr. for your advice about not using coffee grinds on animals.
11:44 PM on 03/24/2012
I work for a vet, it doesn't hurt them.
photo
camanokat
Outta this world
07:04 PM on 02/14/2012
Put them around tender plans favored by slugs. The texture irritates their bodies and they'll leave your plants alone.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
vesaversa1
Politics is made up largely of irrelevancies.
06:59 PM on 02/14/2012
I will try it around our hydrangeas.
photo
Boobuzuela
Satire identical to actual Republican positions
06:41 PM on 02/14/2012
Boric acid and DE (diatomaceous earth) are two of the best, safest, most natural insect killers out there.

The pest control people won't tell you about them, but I have, with a little help, ridded an ENTIRE apartment building of cockroaches using them.
10:55 AM on 02/21/2012
I'm a clean freak and what is killing me right now is those pesky pantry pests that love my dry food goods. I tried almost everything to get rid of them, but they keep reappearing! Do you think the boric acid will permanently get rid of these damn things?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
sayrock
na
06:32 PM on 02/14/2012
And that's not all. The best fire logs are made from coffee grounds. Java Logs. They're easy to start with a single match, they burn hot, long, and clean with very little ash left, but . . . no, they do not smell like there is a fresh morning pot brewing in the fireplace.
06:05 PM on 02/14/2012
Making coffee!!!

Bloggers

 
 
Kirsten Dirksen , Co-founder, faircompanies.com

Discuss "craft" with Scott Constable, whose training includes apprenticeships under master woodworkers and who specialization in traditional joinery, and you're...

Read Post | Comments
Lisa Holt , In-house Interior Designer, NapaStyle; Creative Director, DLS Hotels & Spas

It isn't always easy to please everyone's palate (and possible dietary requirements) when creating a menu for a party, but...

Read Post | Comments
Rana Florida , CEO, The Creative Class Group

Target's innovations in design have dramatically raised its profile, setting it above its rivals. It just announced "The Shops at...

Read Post | Comments
Marcia Prentice , Interior Designer and blogger, Style Illuminated by LAMPS PLUS

Summer is almost here! Now that the days and nights are much warmer, having an outdoor ceiling fan can help...

Read Post | Comments
Bonnie McCarthy , Design expert, writer, photographer

Globe trekkers Heather Morrison and Neil Navin brought back more than trinkets and souvenirs from time spent living in the...

Read Post | Comments
Mary Hall , The Recessionista

Both Philip Treacy and Christopher Guy Harrison must have spent time reading the original Alice in Wonderland with illustrations by...

Read Post | Comments
Condiment , Condiment is a digital lifestyle magazine about tasting the good life through unique and upstart products

The minute you meet Apt2b.com's founder, Mat Herman, you instantly get why the upstart retail site is getting the buzz...

Read Post | Comments
Oyster , Oyster.com visits, photographs, reviews and rates each hotel. We uncover the truth, before it's "uh-oh" time.

These fantasies can very easily become a reality, with an outdoor space and a little elbow grease. We've seen a...

Read Post | Comments
Kelly Cogswell , Lesbian activist, independent journalist and award-winning columnist, Gay City News

I was mortified to learn that in the 1970s and '80s IKEA used slave labor. That's what it's called when...

Read Post | Comments
Courtney Cachet , Designer, TV Personality, Style Expert, Writer, Ninja

I have a lot of friends who could be called crafty. You know the type: They try new recipes, make...

Read Post | Comments
Robin Wilson , Wellness expert, leading eco-friendly interior designer

As you return to your summer home, there are many things on the maintenance list and given the damp weather...

Read Post | Comments
George Hobica , Syndicated travel journalist and founder of Airfarewatchdog.com

During the 20th century, a group of architects staged a controversial revolt. Why, they asked, couldn't less be as impressive...

Read Post | Comments
Fawn Galli , Founder, Fawn Galli Interior Design

The manipulation of light, through the use of paints, fabrics, and lighting, should always be one of the first considerations...

Read Post | Comments
Susan Cahill , Author

Paris is more and more a green city. The current mayor, Bernard Delanoe, has added more than 100 new acres...

Read Post | Comments

Stylelist Home TV