Clever uses for coffee grounds
Next time you brew a cup of coffee, don’t throw away the grounds – there are plenty of clever ways you can put them to use a second time round.
From removing odours to feeding flowers, using coffee grounds a second time can be a way to stretch those beans further.
Here are some of our favourite clever uses:
Turn your hydrangeas blue
Coffee grounds can be used a number of different ways to support your home garden, but this is the most unusual – adding them to soil can change your blossoms from a white-pink to blue! Adding coffee grounds changes the acidity of the soil, and as the pH balance shifts so too does the colour of the hydrangeas. Learn more about it here.
Welcome worms
Worms are essential to a happy garden, and by adding some coffee grounds you can help attract them to your flower beds. You can also create your own worm farm by adding grounds and soil to a bucket along with a few worms so you have a mixture ready to go for any flower pots.
Banish slugs
While worms like coffee, slugs don’t. You can keep them out of your garden by sprinkling coffee grounds over the soil. It works with snails and other unwanted bugs, too!
Repel fleas
Adding a small scoopful of coffee grounds to your dog’s grooming routine will help it work as a natural flea repellent. After shampooing, rub coffee grounds thoroughly through your dog’s coat, then rinse and dry as usual.
Absorb the smell of garlic
If you cook regularly with garlic and onion you know the smell can linger on your hands long after you’ve finished using it. Used coffee grounds quickly eliminate the scent – keep a small cupful by the sink, then rub a handful into your hands like a scrub. Rinse and wash as usual, the smell will be gone.
Freshen up the fridge
Coffee grounds are a great alternative to bicarbonate of soda to help freshen up your fridge. Put the used grounds into a small box or tupperware and place at the back of your fridge. Leave it there to absorb smells.
Hide scratches
If you have any unsightly scratches on wooden furniture at home, this can help hide them. Make a paste using coffee grounds and water, then apply carefully to any chips or scratches using a cotton bud to help them blend in.
Reduce puffy eyes
If you wake up with puffy eyes before a big event and need a quick fix, add coffee grounds to your beauty routine for a boost. It’s a popular ingredient in beauty products, but also works well on its own. Mix with water to create a paste and apply gently to your undereye area, being careful not to get too close to the eye. Leave for 15 minutes and wash away.
Do you know any clever uses for coffee grounds? Will you give any of our tips a try?
Rachel - Silversurfers Assistant Editor
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