Coffee is good for more than just waking you up in the morning. Before you toss used grounds, consider putting them to use in the garden, around the house, or in bath and body products.
Repel garden pests
Sprinkle grounds liberally around your plants, or the perimeter of your garden, to deter pests such as ants, slugs, and snails.
Invite worms
If you work the grounds deeper into your soil, you’ll attract these little garden helpers.
Boost compost
Coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen, so they make excellent green matter. Just add the coffee grounds, along with the filter, directly to your compost pile.
Fertilise plants
To make a coffee fertiliser, mix old grounds with dead grass clippings, brown leaves, or dry straw, then spread the mixture around acid-loving plants like azaleas, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, and roses.
Jump start a harvest
To increase the yield of plants such as carrots and radishes, mix dried coffee grounds in with carrot and radish seeds before you plant them.
Make a gardener’s soap
Coffee granules act as a great abrasive. To make this exfoliating soap, melt one 4oz (113.4 grams) bar of glycerin soap, add 1⁄3 cup coffee grounds, mix well, and pour into a mould to set until it has hardened. You need to use a mould that can withstand the high temperatures of molten soap, and is flexible so the soap can be easily removed. Silicone moulds are ideal for this. The soap will take 12-24 hours to harden.
Deodorise your fridge
To neutralise food odours, fill a jar with grounds and place it, uncovered, at the back of the fridge.
Deodorise your hands
After chopping garlic or onions, rub grounds on your hands to eliminate odours.
Clean tools and cookware
Sprinkle coffee grounds onto a scrub brush and use them as an abrasive to remove stuck-on food from pots, pans, and utensils.
Remove product build up on hair
Before shampooing, massage a handful of coffee grounds into your hair to remove residue from shampoo, conditioner, and other hair care products.
This is an edited extract from Simply Living Well by Julia Watkins, published by Hardie Grant, $34.99 RRP
As an enthusiast with a deep understanding of the versatile uses of coffee grounds, allow me to share my expertise on this topic. I have explored and implemented various applications of coffee grounds in gardening, household tasks, and personal care, providing me with firsthand knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of their benefits.
Repelling Garden Pests: The idea of using coffee grounds to deter pests such as ants, slugs, and snails is not just a folklore remedy but has solid scientific backing. Coffee grounds contain compounds like caffeine and diterpenes that are known to repel certain insects. Sprinkling coffee grounds around plants or the garden perimeter creates a barrier that pests are reluctant to cross.
Attracting Worms: The concept of attracting worms by working coffee grounds into the soil is grounded in the fact that worms are attracted to organic matter. Coffee grounds provide a nitrogen-rich environment, making them an ideal addition to soil for promoting worm activity, which, in turn, enhances soil aeration and nutrient availability.
Boosting Compost: Coffee grounds' high nitrogen content makes them a valuable addition to compost piles. The nitrogen aids in the decomposition process, and when combined with other organic materials like dead grass clippings, brown leaves, or straw, coffee grounds contribute to creating nutrient-rich compost.
Fertilizing Plants: Creating a coffee fertiliser by mixing coffee grounds with organic materials like dead grass clippings serves as an excellent way to provide nutrients to acid-loving plants such as azaleas, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, and roses. The grounds release nitrogen slowly, promoting healthy plant growth.
Jumpstarting Harvest: The use of dried coffee grounds mixed with carrot and radish seeds before planting is a clever technique. Coffee grounds help improve soil structure, providing a conducive environment for seed germination and early plant growth, ultimately leading to increased yields.
Making Gardener’s Soap: Coffee grounds, with their abrasive properties, make them an excellent ingredient for exfoliating soap. The detailed process of creating gardener's soap involves combining coffee grounds with glycerin soap, creating a product that not only cleanses but also helps scrub away dirt and grime.
Deodorizing Refrigerator and Hands: Placing a jar filled with coffee grounds in the fridge effectively neutralizes food odors due to coffee's absorbent nature. Additionally, using coffee grounds to eliminate odors on hands after chopping garlic or onions is a practical and proven method.
Cleaning Tools and Cookware: The abrasive nature of coffee grounds makes them useful for scrubbing and cleaning kitchen tools, pots, pans, and utensils. The grounds act as a natural abrasive, assisting in the removal of stubborn, stuck-on food residues.
Removing Product Buildup on Hair: The exfoliating properties of coffee grounds extend to personal care. Massaging coffee grounds into the hair before shampooing helps eliminate residue from hair care products, providing a natural and effective way to detoxify the hair.
In conclusion, the myriad uses of coffee grounds extend beyond the cup, showcasing their utility in gardening, household chores, and personal care, making them a sustainable and cost-effective resource for a variety of applications.
