I’ve written about recycling a lot of things – blue jeans, magazines, but here’s something most people just throw in the trash – coffee grounds. But, before you toss those grounds, think of some of the ways they may be reused.
Why would you want to find a use for old coffee grounds? When they break down, they release methane, which is a more powerful gas than CO2. If you need to dry the coffee grounds for later use, spread them out on a cookie sheet and sit near a sunny window to prevent molding.
You can use coffee grounds as fertilizer on tomatoes and carrots. You can also sprinkle coffee grounds in your garden to keep cats out. They can also be used in your potted plants to keep Garfield at bay. Coffee grounds may also help get rid of ants, slugs, and snails. If you have them near the door, sprinkle the coffee grounds there as well.
If you need an exfoliating, invigorating facial mask, mix coffee grounds with mashed up avocado. Brunettes, you can also scrub the coffee grounds in your hair to help prevent dandruff. Blondes and redheads avoid this – it may change your color.
Keeping a cup of coffee grounds in your freezer will work like baking soda to help get rid of odors. You can also use the grounds to scrub pots and pans. If you’ve been cutting onions and you can get the smell off (I always have this problem), rub your hands with the coffee grounds. They also work for smelly shoes. Just put a sachet of coffee grounds in the shoes and voila, no more smell.
For the crafty people, use coffee grounds as dye by steeping them in water, then straining out the grounds. I’ve blogged once before about how to make your own paper. You can give the homemade paper an aged look by dipping the homemade paper in coffee water overnight then letting it dry.