You wake up in the morning and head straight for the coffee maker. As your favorite blend brews, the aroma is enough to put a smile on your face. You pour the first cup and take a sip. Then you think to yourself, “Ahhh, now this is how you start a day.”
But, once your java is ready and in your cup, what happens to the grounds? Do you throw them out? Most of us do, but we have a better solution for you — recycle and re-use. There are several ways to re-purpose your used coffee grounds and here are a few resourceful ways to get you started.
Fertilize Plants
Coffee grounds add a level of acidity to soil that can work wonders when growing certain types of flowers such as roses, azaleas, and hydrangeas. All you have to do is incorporate your coffee grounds into the soil of these plants and watch it work its magic. You’ll be showing off your rose bush to the neighbors in no time.
Exfoliate
There is no need to buy an expensive exfoliator to slough off dead skin. Take your leftover coffee grounds and dry them out. Once they’re dry, you can mix them into your favorite moisturizer or skin friendly oil like coconut or olive. Once you have mixed the two ingredients together, rub in circular motions onto your skin. Be sure to rinse thoroughly when done. You may be surprised at just how well this DIY scrub softens your skin.
Remove Odors
Are smelly food odors haunting your fridge? We have a solution for that. While many people might use baking soda as a go-to for neutralizing odors, coffee grounds can be used for that same purpose. You can also deodorize your hands after cooking by scrubbing your hands with coffee grounds before washing.
Tenderize Meat
Maybe you have your tried and true way of tenderizing your favorite steak, but you may find coffee grounds to be a viable alternative. Simply add 1-2 tablespoons of fresh coffee grounds to your meat marinade and let it sit. When you’re ready to cook, your meat will be softened and will also have a mild smoky flavor, all thanks to those grounds.
Next time you take that first sip of coffee in the morning, think about what you can do with those grounds. Are you already upcycling your coffee grounds? We want to know how you use them. Share with us in the comments.
