9 Ways to Use Coffee Grounds Around the House

Coffee lovers might have a lower risk of developing cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s, according to researchers — as well as a lower risk of suffering from depression. But there are even more powers hidden in this fruit, aside from health benefits, energy, and good taste. Believe it or not, coffee is also very helpful in terms of your household.

Here at Bright Side, we’re all for reusing and recycling, so here are a few useful tips on how you can use coffee grounds around the house instead of throwing them away.

1. Repel insects and pests.

Coffee contains diterpenes that can be toxic to insects. That’s why you can use coffee grounds to repel mosquitos, fruit flies, beetles, and other pests. Simply sprinkle the grounds outside near seating areas or set a cup of coffee grounds there. To keep insects away from your plants, put some of the grounds around the stems — it will create a barrier against insects like snails and slugs.

2. Keep cut flowers fresh for longer.

If you want to keep your flowers fresh for a bit longer, you can try pouring diluted coffee into the flower water — it gives plants a boost. It’s probably because of the nitrogen, magnesium, and potassium in the brewed coffee. But don’t pour in concentrated coffee, it might be too acidic.

3. Tenderize meat.

The acid in coffee can help create a softer, more tender texture in meat, and can even emphasize its flavor. Just dry-rub some coffee grounds on the meat 2 hours before cooking it. They’ll get cooked into a dark, crispy crust.

4. Deodorize carpet from pet odors.

Put some dried coffee grounds into a filter, tie the filter at the top, and put it on top of a pet stain. You can make several of these “coffee bombs” to cover a larger area. Let it sit overnight and watch the magic work! If there isn’t one certain area with a stain but you have a strong vacuum cleaner, you can just sprinkle coffee around and vacuum it up the next morning, as is shown in the picture above.

5. Scour dirty pots and pans.

The texture of coffee grounds makes them great for scrubbing hard-to-clean pots and pans. Just put some grounds on the sponge and wash the cookware as usual. Make sure to wash it well.

6. Use it as a fireplace cleaner.

Cleaning the fireplace can be messy, as the ashes can form a smoke cloud. But coffee grounds can prevent this. They simply weigh the ashes down so you can easily sweep everything up without sneezing and coughing.

7. Sprinkle ice with coffee grounds.

If you live in a place with icy conditions, it’s time to consider piling up used dry coffee grounds for winter! It’s a great replacement for salt, as coffee grounds are more eco-friendly and don’t cause any environmental harm. Due to its consistency, coffee also creates friction, making it less likely for you to slide.

8. Neutralize odors.

Coffee has nitrogen that helps to get rid of bad smells. You can make portable air-fresheners out of old socks or handkerchiefs and put them into your shoes, drawers, or gym bag. You can also put some coffee in a cup in your fridge to absorb odors from spoiled or fragrant foods.

9. Make homemade coffee playdough.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of coffee grounds
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 cup of salt
• 4 tbs of oil
• 1 cup of hot water

Method:

Mix the flour, coffee, and salt, add in the oil, and stir until the mixture is even. Add water little by little until you get the right dough consistency. Enjoy!

Do you know any other ways to use coffee grounds?