COFFEE GROUNDS (don’t throw them away)

May 8, 2010 · Filed under Gardening, Homemade Cleaning Supplies, Homemade Toiletries, Natural Care Tips · Tagged coffee grounds, used coffee grounds, using coffee grounds

I come from a long line of coffee drinkers that appreciated their morning brew. They also appreciated the leftover coffee grounds. And instead of throwing them away they found many frugal and useful things to do with them.
*Leftover grounds can be kept in the freezer until ready for use.
1. Useful ways to use coffee grounds as a beauty aid.

Cellulite Reducer  -Make your own homemade mixture for reducing cellulite. It’s been reported that coffee grounds work by stimulating cell circulation, melting fat, and moving the fluids and toxins out.
Weekly cellulite treatment -mix ¼ cup of warm used coffee grounds with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Next place a towel or newspaper on the floor under your feet in order to prevent a mess.  Apply the mixture on the problem areas and rub in a circular motion. Then, wrap the problem areas with a shrink-wrap and leave on for several minutes. Unwind the wrap, brush off any loose coffee grounds from your skin, and then take a shower. Repeat the procedure twice a week.
Daily cellulite Treatment – While in the shower, use a handful of coffee grounds and squirt of body wash. And vigorously rub coffee grounds on troubled cellulite spots for a few minutes everyday.
Bath Scrub – While in the shower try rubbing your skin with used coffee grounds to remove dead skin cells. A handful of coffee grounds with a little liquid soap results in smooth soft skin. Try adding a few drops of Vanilla Extract for a nice scent.
Face cleanser – Coffee grounds make a gentle exfoliating wash for your face, mix with a little soap and rub on your face.
Facial – A ¼ cup of coffee grounds mixed with an egg white makes a toning and firming facial. Massage it into your skin and allow it to dry, then rinse. Then follow with a moisturizer.
Hair Shine Solution – Reportedly using left over coffee can make your hair softer and shinier. Shampoo your hair then rinse your hair with the coffee, wait a few moments and rinse with water.
Gray Hair – Steep a cup of used coffee grounds in hot water, then use as a rinse to help cover gray.
Hair Dye – Brewed coffee can also be used in light brown/brunette hair to darken it.
Coffee Tan– Sponge on your left over coffee Freshen up your summer tan by rubbing coffee grounds all over your body then leave on for 30 minutes. Brewed coffee at room temperature can also be sponged and left on your skin for 20-30 minutes. Darker skin can be achieved by repeating this process more often.
2. Coffee Grounds is a Natural Deodorizer;
First dry your used coffee grounds out on a cookie sheet and then put them in a bowl or old soak.  

 
Hand Deodorizer- rubbing your hands with coffee ground will remove strong odor such as fish or onion from your hands. 
Fridge Deodorizer – Remove those unwanted smells from your refrigerator by placing a bowl filled or sock filled with dry used coffee grounds that will gradually absorb all unwanted odors. Add a few drops of your favorite extract (vanilla, almond, peppermint est.) to the coffee grounds for a nice aroma.
Shoe Deodorizer – Place a sock fill with dry used coffee grounds inside your shoes to absorb odors.

3. Gardening– There is a several ways that your plants can also appreciate your leftover coffee grounds. Coffee grounds contain, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium—all minerals that aid in plant development and growth.

Fertalizer -Add Coffee Grounds to the potting soil of your house or garden plants that flourish in acidic soil they will become healthier.
Compost Material – When coffee grounds are mixed with soil it release nutrients that make the ground richer and more acidic. So plants that flourish in acidic soil will be healthier. If you have enough coffee grounds, just spread them evenly in your garden.
Earthworms – coffee grounds also seem attract the earthworms.
Insect repellant – Sprinkle old grounds around places you don’t want ants, or on the ant hills themselves. Used grounds are also said to repel snails and slugs.
4. Household uses for coffee grounds.

 
Dye – By steeping used coffee grounds in hot water, you can make brown dye for fabric, wood, baskets, paper, art works and even Easter eggs.
Furniture scratches – Steep grounds and apply a bit of the liquid to furniture scratches with a Q-tip to cover it up and make it less noticeable. 
Pot & Pan Scourer – Since coffee grounds are slightly abrasive they can be used as a scouring agent for greasy and grimy stain-resistant pots & pans.
For Fireplace Dust – Next time you clean your fireplace toss a handful of wet coffee grounds in your fireplace. The wet grounds will hold the dust in place, lessening the dust clouds.
5. PETS

Dogs- After shampooing your dog mix coffee ground with some water and give them a coffee ground rub down, working them down to the skin. This results in a nice grooming solution for pets. After a few rubs, the solution softens your pet’s fur, giving it a nice shine. Some people even claim that the solution keeps fleas and other parasites off your pet.
Cat repellent – To keep cats from using your garden as their personal litter box try sprinkling coffee grounds mixed with orange peels around your plants. 
Cat Litter Deodorizer –Sprinkle a tiny bit of fresh coffee grinds in the cat litter box for a natural deodorizer or you can place some in a container next to it.