6 genius ways to recycle used coffee grounds

If you love your morning cuppa as much as we do, you’re well aware of the amount of filter coffee grounds you have to dispose of on a daily basis.

Why not put them to good use by using them in one (or all) of the following ways?

We share some amazing things you can do with coffee grounds, from homemade body scrubs to neutralising fridge odours.

1. In the garden

Don’t go throwing your used coffee grounds just anywhere. Coffee grounds are very acidic, so adding them to the flowerbeds of acid-loving plants will guarantee beautiful blooms.

Think azaleas, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, camellias. Hydrangeas will especially benefit from coffee grounds and their flowers will bloom in the brightest blues ever.

2. Get rid of odours

Keeping coffee grounds in your fridge will neutralise odours. Dry the grounds first (on a baking sheet or tray) and then add them to a bowl and place in the fridge.

What’s more, if you just can’t get rid of that mothball smell or any other in your wardrobe, add a bowl of dried coffee grounds to it.

3. Clean the fireplace

Cleaning the fireplace is really easy when you use coffee grounds. Say goodbye to that dusty ashy cloud by adding damp grounds to the pile of ash before sweeping it all up.

4. Make an exfoliating soap

Melt a bar of glycerin soap and add some coffee grounds to the mix. The more coffee grounds you add, the more exfoliating the soap will be. Place the mixture in a mold (like a traveller’s soap dish) and leave to harden.

This homemade soap is great to leave by the sink and will exfoliate hard-working hands to ensure soft and squeaky-clean skin.

5. Natural, homemade body scrub

Used coffee grounds make a great body scrub. Simply add some olive oil to the grounds and keep in a container in your bathroom.

Another alternative is to add the grounds to a half empty tub of aqueous cream. When you’re ready to exfoliate, just scrub and rinse. Your skin will be left feeling soft and super moisturised, and as a bonus, caffeine is believed to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

6. Use as a hydrating face mask

Thanks to its antioxidant properties, coffee makes a fantastic skin cleanser. Mix grounds with milk to make a paste and rub onto your face. Leave on for 20 minutes and rinse.

Take care not to rub too vigorously as the grounds are extremely exfoliating. Simply wash off under the shower or wipe clean with a face cloth.

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