12 Ways to Reuse Leftover Coffee Grounds

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Can You Reuse Coffee Grounds?

Yes! Coffee is definitely grounds for sustainability.

Coffee is (obviously) one of the most popular drinks on the planet, with an estimated 3.3 billion pounds of java consumed in the United States alone last year. But beyond being a beloved beverage, coffee leads a double life as a versatile resource just waiting to be repurposed. 

Not only are those used grounds a nitrogen-rich organic material, making them a fantastic addition to your compost bin, but they also have a gritty texture that makes them an excellent cleaning agent.

Coffee grounds are a natural exfoliant, too, ideal for skin scrubs.

They can even absorb odors, making them a secret weapon against funky fridge smells or even your housemate's aromatic shoes (not yours, of course). 

With all these uses and more, it’s pretty obvious that spent coffee grounds are a valuable resource that should never go to waste.

How to Reuse Leftover Coffee Grounds

Here are some suggestions and how-tos:

1. Compost Coffee Grounds Spent coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen and all kinds of beneficial trace nutrients, making them an excellent addition to your compost pile. 
   

2. Garden with Coffee Grounds Some say spent coffee grounds are highly acidic and will therefore turn soil acidic, too. This simply isn't true. Once water has been run through the grounds, almost all the acidity is gone. So coffee grounds can indeed be used in moderation to fertilize both house and garden plants, as can the leftover brewed coffee remaining in your pot. Here’s how.
   

3. Create Heat and Ambiance with Used Coffee Grounds Mixed with a binder like sawdust, newspaper, or other leftovers, coffee grounds can be used to make aromatic fire logs. Here’s how.
   

4. Clean with Coffee The gritty texture of coffee grounds makes them an excellent cleaning agent for taking on grime in your kitchen or bathroom. Here’s how.
   

5. Make Coffee Ground Skincare Coffee grounds are a natural exfoliant, so they make a great ingredient for skin scrubs. They can also be used to make a gardener’s soap. Here’s how. Here's a handmade coffee facial scrub made with Arabica ground coffee, coconut sugar, raw coconut oil, vitamin E, jojoba oil, apricot kernel oil, aloe vera oil, and lavender and tea tree essential oils.
   

6. Deodorize with Spent Coffee Coffee grounds can absorb odors, making them a viable alternative to baking soda or foot powder. Put some used grounds in a bowl or other open container and place them in your fridge to counter those funky, spoiled-food smells. You can also fill socks or fine mesh bags and put leftover grounds in odor-prone places like shoes, gym bags, etc.
   

7. Reuse Coffee in the Kitchen Coffee grounds can be used as a spice rub for meats or a flavor enhancer in baked goods. Here’s how.
   

8. Do Some Dyeing with Coffee Coffee grounds can be used to dye fabric or paper. Here’s how. Here's an example of pretty coffee-dyed paper in a variety of lace patterns. You can also use up some leftover wood ash to prep the fabric before you dye it.
   

9. Make Coffee Ground Candles Coffee grounds can be used to make candles with a unique scent. Here’s how (video).
   

10. Create Coffee Art Coffee grounds can even be part of creative works of art. I know, sounds strange, but here’s how.
    

11. Repel Insects with Used Coffee Coffee grounds can repel ants, snails, and slugs. Here’s how.
    

12. Reuse Coffee Grounds for Pet Care Apparently, finicky fleas hate coffee, so you can use spent grounds to repel those biting buggers and deodorize pet bedding, too. After bathing your pup, rub a cup or two of wet grounds into their fur, then rinse well. That said, only use coffee grounds externally; they can be very toxic to dogs if ingested. 

Wait! Don't Toss That Leftover Grind

With all these ways to reuse leftover coffee grounds, I think it’s pretty clear they’re a valuable resource that should never go to waste. Whether you’re composting and gardening like we are, cleaning, or creating art, there’s no limit to what you can do with a spent grind.

So, the next time you brew a pot of java, don’t toss those grounds in the trash! Harness their potential and transform the leftovers into all things useful.

Reusing Coffee Grounds FAQs

• Can used coffee grounds be added to compost?

  Yes, spent coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen and beneficial trace nutrients, making them an excellent addition to your compost pile.
  

• Do coffee grounds make soil acidic?

  No, once water has been run through the coffee grounds, most of the acidity is gone. Coffee grounds can be used in moderation to fertilize both house and garden plants.
  

• How can coffee grounds be used as a cleaning agent?

  The gritty texture of coffee grounds makes them an excellent cleaning agent for tackling grime in your kitchen or bathroom.
  

• Can coffee grounds help with odor control?

  Yes, coffee grounds can absorb odors. Place them in a bowl in your fridge or use them in socks or fine mesh bags in odor-prone areas like shoes and gym bags.
  

• Are coffee grounds safe to use on pets?

  Coffee grounds can be used externally on pets to repel fleas and deodorize pet bedding. However, they should never be ingested by pets, as they can be toxic if consumed.