Of course, when most people are done with a pot of coffee, their first instinct is to throw away their used coffee grounds. The next time you brew a pot of java, hold on to your spent grounds, as there are numerous uses for them.
For starters, you can compost your spent grounds right along with the coffee filter. What a great thing to do for the environment.
There are so many uses for spent coffee grounds right in your yard and or garden. Tossing grounds on the dirt surrounding your plants before you water them allows nitrogen to be released slowly. This is believed to prevent ants from bothering your garden plants.
In fact, you can opt to sprinkle spent grounds right on top of an anthill in your yard. Used coffee grounds are also great for thwarting cutworms. Simply sprinkle your grounds around the area where cutworms are causing you grief.
Creating a blend of soil and used coffee grounds gives your plants a good start at a healthy life. Not only will this blend cause your plants to grow tall and strong, but it will aid them in protection from mites and little bugs.
Be careful however not to use too many spent coffee grounds because the salt content found in coffee grounds can harm plants if used in excessive amounts.
Worms adore spent coffee grounds. Before your next fishing trip, store your worms in a tight container with damp grounds and they will be as happy as can be.
If you live in an area with soil that is very alkaline, using coffee grounds in your soil and around your plants is a cheap and effective way to balance your soil. This will give your plants and flowers a much better chance of thriving happily.
In the winter, moist coffee grounds can be used to prevent slipping on ice. Simply sprinkle some spent grounds on the ice around your home and you will have a good grip for walking. A bonus of this is that when the ice melts, your surround grass will have a good dose of nourishing coffee grounds to promote healthy growth.
Spent coffee grounds can be used inside of your home as well. Spent grounds placed inside something with air holes such as nylon can be used to absorb household odors. If you use this trick however, make sure the used grounds are completely dry first.
Coffee grounds in a small shallow pan or container can be placed inside your fridge or anywhere in your home as a very effective odor eater.
If you find tiny scratches in your dark furniture, used grounds can help. Simply soak your grounds in water and with a small brush; paint over the nicks for an instant scratch makeover.
Many people find that spent coffee grounds are the perfect sweeping compound. Allow your grounds to dry out and sprinkle them onto spills. The mess will sweep up with complete ease.
Most people would not think of used coffee grounds as being a beauty product, but they are. Spent grounds can be used as a cheap and effective way to exfoliate your skin. Just dampen your skin and gently wash with a small handful of used grounds for a shiny complexion.
You can even combine a quarter of a cup of spend grounds with an egg white to create your own facial at home. This facial will leave your skin feeling firm and toned. Remember however to apply a layer of moisturizer after rinsing your skin clean.
Spent coffee grounds can also be used for a wide variety of crafting projects. If you steep your spent grounds in water, you can create crafts such as parchment paper, tan colored Easter eggs and more.
In fact, you can even use water steeped from coffee grounds to dye your clothing, white works best of course. Especially if you are a big coffee drinker, you can have fun experimenting with many different spent coffee ground crafts.