28 Uses For Spent Coffee Grounds You’ll Actually Want To Try

If you’re anything like me, mornings are a struggle without that perfect cup of coffee to kickstart your day. It’s the fuel that reanimates me and propels me into my daily responsibilities.

Before that first cup, I’m not the friendliest person to be around. It’s best to avoid any conversation with me, and you might want to avert your eyes too – it’s for your own safety.

But once I take that magical first sip, everything changes. “I love you, Coffee,” escapes from my lips, and suddenly I’m human again. It’s the first coherent thought I have every morning.

As avid coffee drinkers, we often find ourselves left with a surplus of spent coffee grounds. Rather than simply tossing them in the trash, let me introduce you to a list of ingenious ways to put those grounds to good use around your home.

Coffee Ground Uses In the Kitchen:

1. Gentle Abrasive for Cleaning Annoying Stuck on Food

Coffee grounds make an excellent gentle abrasive for tackling stubborn, crusty cooked-on food. Whether it’s a frittata pan or any other dish, this simple and cost-effective trick can help you remove stuck-on residue without causing any damage.

Simply sprinkle some coffee grounds onto the dish you’re cleaning and use a sponge or scrub brush to scrub away the gunk. The grounds act as a natural abrasive, breaking up the grime and making it easier to clean. This method is particularly effective for cast iron pans, where preserving the seasoning is crucial.

So, the next time you’re faced with a tough cleaning job, reach for those coffee grounds and let them work their magic in restoring your cookware to its former glory.

2. Odor Absorbing Power

Put an open jar of coffee grounds in your fridge or freezer to absorb any funky odors and keep your food fresh. Switch them out with new grounds once a month or even sooner if your fridge has odor problems to begin with.

3. Fight Funky Cooking Smells

Oh man, do I love a good fish fry! What I don’t love is smelling it in my kitchen the next day.

Simmer one cup of coffee grounds and two cups of water on your stove while you are cooking foods with a strong odor. This deodorizes the air at the source, leaving your kitchen odor free after dinner!

4. Remove Garlic and Onion Smell from Your Hands

Keep a jar of coffee grounds next to the sink. When you are finished handling onions and garlic scrub your hands with a couple of teaspoons of coffee grounds.

Not only will this cut through the smell, but it will also leave your hands exfoliated and smooth.

5. Meat Marinade/Rub

If you’re looking for an easy way to get a smoky flavor in your meat, toss a tablespoon of coffee grounds into your marinade or rub them directly onto your meat before cooking. This is an excellent trick if you aren’t grilling but still want that charred flavor.

6. Ice Melter

In the wintertime, take those coffee grounds outside! Use your leftover coffee grounds to help clear icy sidewalks. The natural acidity of coffee helps to melt ice faster, and the gritty texture offers you sure-footed traction.

7. Clean Your Grill

Dab a damp sponge into coffee grounds, and use these them to scour a gunky grill. Rinse thoroughly with water and enjoy a mess-free barbecue.

8. Repel Mosquitoes Naturally

Burning coffee grounds keeps those blood-suckers at bay during the hot summer months.

BE SMART! Be careful when handling fire and keep away from pets and children.

Place a layer of dry coffee grounds about ½” deep in a tin pie dish. Add one or two drops of charcoal lighter fluid. Light with a long match or long-necked lighter. After about a minute or two once the grounds are smoking on their own, smother with a damp paper towel. The coffee grounds will keep burning, and you can enjoy the outdoors bug-free.

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