If you’re one of those people who toss coffee grounds straight into the bin without thinking twice, this trick is going to change your mind! Turns out those remains you usually throw away without a second thought can be useful for a thousand things at home: from cleaning the toilet to getting rid of bad smells or helping your plants. All without chemicals, without complications, and without spending a single extra euro, because you were going to throw it out anyway!
Sometimes the simplest solutions are right in front of us, and this one starts with not throwing away what you thought was useless.
A homemade trick that smells good
According to the German outlet Chip, a spoonful of coffee grounds and a brush can clean the toilet better than many expensive products. You just need to scrub a bit and goodbye light dirt, no need to use harsh chemicals or choke on those horrible smells. Ideal if you have allergies or just hate filling the house with weird odors.
And if you’re going away for the weekend or on a trip, you can leave the bathroom ready: scrub the inside with grounds before leaving, let it sit for a couple of minutes and then flush. When you come back, there won’t be a trace of bad smells!
It also works for drains
If you notice that the sink or the basin is starting to smell a little weird, try this: pour the coffee leftovers down the drain and follow it with a good splash of hot water or vinegar. It helps carry away residue and leaves a much nicer smell than the usual products!
Goodbye to garlic and onion smell on your hands
Surely more than once you’ve struggled with that garlic or onion smell that sticks to your fingers after cooking. Well, try rubbing your hands with damp coffee grounds. Not only do they neutralize the smell, but they also leave your skin soft. And no weird products. Now, if you don’t drink coffee, the trick is to run water over your hands without rubbing! Ten seconds and you’ll thank me later 😉
Natural deodorizer for the fridge (and even shoes)
Put a spoonful in an open jar inside the fridge, in cupboards, or even in some sneakers that smell awful. The grounds absorb the bad odor like activated charcoal. And you save on buying air fresheners.
And if you have plants… what are you waiting for
Even if they’re no longer good for making coffee, the grounds are still rich in nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Mix them with the soil in your pots or throw them directly into the garden if you have one. Plants like tomatoes, zucchinis or cucumbers really love it.
They also keep insects and other unwanted visitors away
Sprinkle a thin layer of grounds around your plants to keep ants, snails and even cats that sneak into the garden at bay. It’s not magic, it’s just common sense: their smell and texture scare them off.
And for hair and skin?
Well, there are options there too! Want your hair to grow? Coffee grounds with conditioner or a bit of oil can help, plus they also exfoliate the scalp from all the products we use every day.
But wait, that’s not all, you can also make a natural scrub with a bit of coconut oil, rub it all over your body and your skin ends up even and glowing.
And cellulite? The big enemy, well, the leftover caffeine in those grounds might help you reduce it!
A small change, lots of advantages
Reusing coffee grounds is one of those things you can start doing right now, no effort, no strange know-how and without spending anything. It’s better for the planet, for your wallet, and for your home.
And you don’t need to be a gardener or a DIY fan. You just need a coffee maker and the will to make the most out of what’s left in the cup.