Recycle your Coffee
Coffee is one of the most common beverages that are consumed all across the world. Most of the people usually discard the coffee grounds that are left behind once the coffee is brewed. However, after reading this, you may reconsider your action. You may not know this but used coffee grounds have various practical uses around the home and garden. Along with this, they can also positively impact your beauty routine.
Every day there are billions of cups of coffee brewed and once these cups are consumed, the remaining grounds are thrown into trash. This is not only wastage of coffee, but it also affects the environment negatively. If you want to play your part towards a sustainable environment, you can use the following ways to recycle coffee grounds
1. Pest Repellent
You can use coffee ground to sprinkle around your plants to give them protection against destructive garden plants like snails, ants and slugs. Small bellied pests like snails and slugs get irritated by the texture of the coffee grounds, while ants get repulsed by its smell. It is also said that if you mix coffee grounds with dried orange peel, you will be able to keep away small mammals like cats.
Another way of using coffee grounds as pest repellent is by soaking coffee grounds in water overnight. This helps in extracting more coffee. Once the coffee is extracted properly, you can strain out the grounds and use the liquid as a foliar spray. The spray has antimicrobial properties which help in repelling many insects.
2.Compost It
If you do not need fertilizer immediately, you can compost used coffee grounds for later use. Composting is a natural process which turns organic items into a rich, dark material known as humus and compost. When you add compost to your garden or yard, it helps the soil hold onto more water and nutrients leading to healthier plants. According to a study, compost made with kitchen waste and coffee grounds is richer in nutrients as compared to the one which is made with only waste.
Some other items to compost include leaves, grass clippings, shredded newspaper, brush, vegetable trimmings, egg shells, stale bread, etc. You should try not to compost fish scraps, meat, diary products, grease, diseased plants, etc.
4. Neutralize Odors
A foul-smelling sulfur gas is present in the air which can easily be eliminated if carbon is combined with nitrogen. Coffee consists of nitrogen which means that it can easily absorb as well as eliminate any odors. You can keep a bowl of used coffee grounds in your freezer or fridge to neutralize the odor that comes from fragrant or spoiled foods. Along with this, you can also fill pantyhose or old socks with coffee grounds and tie them somewhere to be used as portable air fresheners. You can also place coffee grounds in your bedroom, shoes, gym bag, side table drawer, or any other place which may need deodorizing. Another way of using these coffee grounds is by placing them by your sink and washing your hands with them after chopping onions or garlic. These grounds will help remove the odor from your hands.
3. Fertilize Your Garden
If you grow plants like azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, camellias, or other acid-loving plants then coffee is the best fertilizer for you. Take some used coffee grounds and mix it with brown leaves, dead grass clippings or dry straw to neutralize some of the acidity and spread them around your plants. Pre-used coffee grounds provide nitrogen, potassium and a boost of magnesium to the soil which all plants require in order to stay healthy. Since the fertilizer lacks calcium and phosphorus, it is not ideal if you want to encourage fruiting and blooms. You will have to add wood ash or lime to the mixture if you want to make a complete fertilizer.
5. Exfoliate Your Skin
There are coarse particles in coffee grounds that work as an excellent exfoliating agent and remove dead cells and dirt from your skin. You have to mix coffee grounds with a bit of water or coconut oil and then scrub them with your hands on your face. If you mix coffee grounds with honey, they can also be used as a lip scrub. An amazing benefit of using coffee grounds on your skin is that they have potent antioxidant properties that prevent your skin from sun damage. They also increase your blood flow which makes your skin look healthier.
6. Natural Dye
You would know how difficult it is to clean a coffee stain present on your clothes. You can make a natural dye by rewetting used coffee grounds and it will help you in removing all these stains. This day is not only natural but also inexpensive which will also allow you to color rayon, cotton, paper, linen and cellophane. It is a great way to give any paper or fabric a vintage look or disguise stains on your clothes. This natural dye can also be used to deepen the color of dark hair or color Easter eggs. Commercial dyes are not safe to use as they contain various chemicals which may cause cancer.
In a Nutshell
Coffee is one of the most popular beverages all over the world and to brew this drink, you need to have coffee grounds. Once coffee is brewed, people tend to throw away the coffee grounds. Not a lot of people know this but used coffee beans are extremely useful. This guide has some of the best ways to reuse coffee grounds. From gardening to skin care, it covers different areas that will help you reuse coffee grounds. Along with reusing coffee grounds, you will also play your role towards making the environment sustainable.