As a daily coffee drinker, I’m feeling a little upset that I’ve been tossing my used coffee grounds instead of utilizing them in my house cleaning! Aside from it’s general purpose, it is known coffee grounds give off a powerful strong aroma, a scent so inviting that even non-coffee drinkers enjoy the revitalizing smell, but did you know you can also clean with them? Here are a few tips and tricks for your leftover grinds!
- Deodorizer: Just as you would with lemon, you can get rid of the lingering smell of onion, fish etc, by rubbing your hands with coffee grounds and rinsing them off with water. Works great for neutralizing the smell of cigarettes left on your fingers too! *For removing unwanted smells in your refrigerator, dry grounds out on a cookie sheet before placing them in a bowl inside your fridge or freezer (if you cover the bowl be sure you poke holes in the top, the grounds will not be able to suck up odors effectively without oxygen! )
- Freshen up your Sink: Especially if you don’t have a sink disposal, the drain can be the stinkiest part of your kitchen! Use coffee grounds to clear the smell keeping your sink smelling fresh all week! pour 1/2 cup coffee grounds down drain immediately followed by 5-6 cups boiling water (do not use this method if you have a porcelain sink or plastic PVC pipes!). The boiling water pushes the grounds through ensuring that your sink will not clog. Goodbye stinky pipes!!
- Pot n’ Pan Cleaner: When washing the dishes if you have a particularly hard spot on your pan try mixing some grounds with a bit of water, scrubbing at the difficult spot with a brush.
- Get Rid of Ants: Sprinkle coffee grounds around your home/garden and on top of ant hills to keep the pests out of your home.
- Give Fido a Shinier Coat: rub grounds generously over your dogs coat after a shampoo and rise. Coffee grounds is also rumored as a flea killer for dogs (although this is not scientifically proven)
- And last but not least…use coffee grounds as a Dust Inhibitor! No joke. Coffee grounds are helpful if you own a fireplace and actively use it. Before cleaning your fireplace, place a generous amount of wet coffee grounds on top of ashes and soot. The moist grounds quickly soak up most of the dust, keeping it under control as you clean.
There you go coffee fans! Another reason to love your cup of joe in the morning!