Handy Tips for Reusing Coffee Grounds

Tue, Aug 18, 15 by Jim Couch

In the past we’ve posted how coffee grounds can be great fertilizer for gardens, but there are several other great uses for them as well! Below are a few more:

1.       Deodorize your fridge: Place a bowl of dry grounds in your refrigerator or freezer to neutralize odors left by stale or spoiled food.

2.       Clean Tools and Dishes: Place a few teaspoons of grounds on a thin cleaning rag and use to scour away grease and grime. Finish with a thorough rinsing.

3.       Hide Furniture Scratches: Dip a cotton swab into steeped grounds and dab on scratches in dark wood furniture to minimize them. Just test in an inconspicuous area first.

4.       Give Paper an Antique Look: Dip paper or sheets of stationery in a soupy mix of grounds and water; allow them to sit a minute or two, then let dry and brush off the grounds.

5.       Repel Insets: Mound grounds into a ring to create a protective border around plants that will ward off ants and slugs.

6.       Grow Blue Hydrangeas: Work grounds into the soil at the base of mophead hydrangeas to increase the acidity level. This helps the shrubs absorb aluminum, which you can add to the soil to keep the flowers a vibrant blue.

7.       Contain Ashes: Sprinkle damp grounds on fireplace ashes to cut down on airborne dust as you sweep them up.

8.       Scrub Hands: Rub a scoop of grounds between palms as an exfoliator to remove dead skin and help eliminate smells from foods like fish and garlic after cooking.