Humans love coffee so much that a handful of countries observe a whole day, September 29, in its honor. Every year around this time, coffee lovers get to take advantage of new coffee tastes, drink discounts, or even get daily free cups of Joe on select days. But besides actually making and drinking coffee, folks aren’t sure of what else to do with it. If you’ve ever wondered if you could get additional use from coffee grounds, you are absolutely right. I’ll be sharing 10 creative and unexpected ways to use coffee grounds starting today in this article.
1. Minimize the appearance of cellulite.
Talk about a crazy tip that gives such satisfying results! Natural beauty expert Renée Loux tested this hack and revealed that the “treatment can be moderately effective.” The trick to reducing the appearance of cellulite is in the recipe. To achieve results:
- Mix 1/4 cup ground coffee with 3 tablespoons hot water. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes to absorb the water and form a paste.
- Next, mix in 2 tablespoons of olive oil to help bind the grinds.
- Cleanse problem areas in a warm shower, then turn off the water and apply the scrub by massaging in a circular motion for two to four minutes with your hands or a washcloth.
- Rinse with warm water to remove all grounds, then pat dry and moisturize if desired.
2. Eliminate pests; increase harvest.
Add a liberal amount of coffee grounds to your [carrot and radish] seeds when planting for an beneficial effect. Doing this will double your harvest while also protecting them from nasty bugs and pests that are set out to destroy them anyway.
3. Cut out cats.
Cats might be a bigger problem than bugs and pests! When they are, drop coffee grounds and orange peels wherever you’d prefer they not hang out. This simple trick will keep them away, while adding an even more glorious fragrance to your garden.
4. Clean dirty pans.
Have you ever cooked a delicious meal only to be left with massive food residue in the pans later? Now you don’t have to. Cut your dish-washing time in half by placing a few teaspoons of coffee grounds on a thin rag and use it to eliminate grease and whatever else lingers in your pans.
5. Beautify your hair.
Did you know that mixing coffee grounds with your conditioner (and using it weekly) will give you long and shiny hair? Your hair will shine and most importantly, you won’t break the bank achieving this result. Plus, this mix will strip your hair of build up.
6. Unclog your drain.
Kitchen and bathroom sinks get clogged all the time for various reasons, and can be hard or costly to unclog. By combining a pot of boiled water, a small amount of dish soap and coffee grounds, your drains will become clear and clean of built up grease and other mystery substances.
7. Tenderize meat.
Here’s a cool recipe that will tenderize your meats for any occasion. If you use coffee as a spice for a meat rub, it will tenderize it and add a smokey flavor that your guests will appreciate.
8. Make an air freshener.
Some people love coffee so much that they want to smell it all the time. With a pair of stockings, heavy duty string, a plastic cup and, of course, coffee grounds, you can make your very own semi-permanent coffee air freshener for your home, office or car. For a step-by-step tutorial, click here. Enjoy the whiffs!
9. Love your dog with flea repellent.
Did you know that adding coffee grounds to your dog’s shampoo will create a natural flea repellent? It does! Add a teaspoon of used coffee grounds to your pup’s favorite shampoo and expect a ton of licks in thanks for no bugs!
10. Remove dark circles from under your eyes.
Women scour beauty stores for products that will tighten skin, reduce puffiness, treat acne and smooth and exfoliate the skin. Save money and time by brewing coffee grounds and applying them under your eyes. Allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. And another word of advice: do this exercise over your bathroom sink! Watch it live here.
Featured photo credit: Olga Filonenko via flickr.com
