What Can I Do With The Ground Coffee?

“WHAT CAN I DO WITH THE GROUND COFFEE?”

I do enjoy sitting in Espressopedia central receiving questions about coffee. I also enjoy it when you share your hints and tips, whether it is on how you make your coffee, clean your machine or what to do with the waste. If you are someone concerned about the environment, the question must have been bothering you for a while. So, whether you have a bean-to-cup or capsule machine here I have pulled together a collection of uses for that waste ground coffee

And just think: it’s not just coffee beans or ground coffee you can put in your compost bin. How about opening up your coffee capsules and ESE pods to recycle the content? And if you do not want to open up the capsules we now stock compostable Lavazza and Nespresso compatible pods.

THE GARDENER’S COMPANION

Many of us already put left-over coffee grounds in the compostables bin under the sink with fruit and vegetable scraps. But if you have your own compost bin in the garden or allotment then the coffee residue is actually an excellent compost activator. Earthworms are particularly fond of it, they are sensitive to caffeine and it makes them more active. Meaning you get compost quicker!

Your coffee grounds are also a great fertilizer. Coffee is slightly acidic, so it is ideal mixed with fresh soil at the bottom of your hydrangeas, azaleas, camellias or tomato plants. Just a handful of coffee grounds per kilogram of topsoil should be enough! Reapply once a month for outdoor plants, or once every two months for indoors ones.

Coffee is also a very effective repellent in the garden. It can be used to protect against slugs, snails, caterpillars, ants, fleas and even… cats! No more chemical sprays just scatter the ground in the furry friends favourite spot.

MY WIFES LITTLE BEAUTY TIP

My wife runs her fashion and beauty business MyPersonalStyle from our home and informs me that coffee could become your best ally. More of her customers are wanting to go “chemical-free” in their beauty regime.  In other words, to get rid of beauty creams and other products crammed full of unpronounceable ingredients, but without missing out on their positive effects. So it is coffee to the rescue once again!

An effective scrub / cleanser for your face:

Using coffee grounds gives your face a deep clean, rejuvenating your skin and unclogging your pores. All you need is some natural oil (olive, coconut or almond oil for example). Mix with coffee grounds and massage onto your face using gentle, circular motions. Just rinse with warm water afterwards. You can use this technique to wash your face every day. No more chemicals, less risks of allergic reactions… and the coffee grounds are also extremely gentle to your skin! 

To make a face mask:

With just 3 simple ingredients, mix some coffee grounds with an egg white and a bit of honey. Liberally apply this natural homemade mask onto your face and neck. Leave to dry and rinse with warm water. Enjoy the anti-ageing effect and marvel at your brand-new, glowing complexion!

There are many other beauty recipes that include coffee grounds, such as: hair conditioner, anti-dark circles and anti-cellulite creams, body scrubs, hand creams, rehydration formulas for dry skin. But don’t worry, I’m not going to list them all out but we have the recipes stored away and have tried them all (we drink a lot of coffee).

AN UNLIKELY CLEANING PRODUCT IN THE KITCHEN

How can a waste product be a great cleaning product? I was as sceptical as anyone, but I decided to throw caution to the wind and tested it in my own home!

A great killer of smells:

You can also use coffee grounds on your hands to remove stubborn smells like garlic, onion or fish (no it doesn’t leave your hands smelling of coffee). It also works for your fridge too! Just fill a bowl with coffee grounds and leave it in the fridge to eliminate all the bad smells. The grounds will work their magic for around two weeks. If the unwanted smells return, simply refresh the contents of the bowl.

Clean out the u-bend:

Although we were always told not to empty the ground into he kitchen sink it is actually a great way of preventing your sink from getting clogged up with fat from food waste. Therefore saving you money from not putting expensive corrosive products down the plug hole! Simply put a tablespoon of coffee grounds in your sink and pour 2 litres of boiling water into the sink. The grounds will flow through your plumbing and naturally clean the pipes. Repeat this technique as often as possible, make it part of your daily routine.

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POLISH AND CLEAN FURNITURE

Damp coffee grounds can be used to polish fine scratches on wooden furniture. To do so, delicately rub the area in small circular motions using a cloth. You can also use your coffee as an abrasive cleaner for greasy pots and pans. Nice!

So there you have it, not an extensive but of my favourites. Feel free to send yours in and I will continue to add to this blog post. I hope this article has raised your interest and encouraged you to drink more coffee so you can get using this black gold!