A mainstay for most people when they get up in the morning is coffee. There is nothing like the nurturing aroma of the morning brew to help you wake up and face the perils of the day. But after it’s gone there is something left that you have no use for; the coffee grounds. They are pretty useless right? You can’t make coffee with them again so you might as well throw them away. Before you do, there’s something you should know. You can reuse your coffee grounds for many purposes that you don’t even realize. We have listed eight of our favorites below. Give them a try instead of creating more waste! 

1.     Used coffee grounds help you cut cellulite! The caffeine in the grounds helps the body metabolize fat and reduce the pockets that form under the skin. Just mix the coffee grounds with a little bit of coconut oil and apply to the skin with a circular motion.

2.     Coffee is an excellent skin exfoliator! Try massaging them over your body or include it into a skin mask to help clear unwanted oils and keep your skin free and clear.

3.     If you are feeling adventurous, use coffee on your hair! This one doesn’t require the coffee grounds though; you need to percolate some strong coffee. After it cools, soak your dry hair with the coffee and leave it in for about 20 minutes. After you rinse it out, you will be left with a clean, glossy look to your hair and maybe even some extra highlights! 

4.     Do you have acidic soil around your house? Save on fertilizer by mixing in coffee grounds! They are nutrient rich and will cheaply feed your plants. Grounds can also be used if you have an ant problem. They work as an excellent ant repellent around your yard.

5.     If you have a dog or a cat, include some used grounds into your pet’s wash cycle! They are an excellent flea and tick repellent. All you have to do is rub some through your animals fur after you give them a bath.

6.     If you are using baking soda in your fridge to try to prevent unwanted odors from building up, we have an alternative for you. We suggest that you take some unused grounds, put them in a bowl and stick them either in the freezer or fridge.  Within a day or two, the grounds will absorb your unwanted odors!

7.     Do you have a fireplace in your house? Then you know how much of a mess it is to clean it out each time you use it. Coffee grounds help you decrease this mess. Just sprinkle a little bit over the ashes after the fire has cooled. Coffee has a special attraction to ashes and clings to them, making it easier and cleaner to get rid of your winter fire remains.

8.     Finally, we have one for anyone trying to scrub his or her countertops but don’t have a scrubber handy. Just add a little bit of coffee grounds to your soap mix and scrub away. The acid and abrasiveness of the grounds will take away orders and get out hard to beat stains. Just don’t use them on any surface that scratches easily!

There are many purposes for these versatile coffee grounds, not just the ones that we listed above. If you have a favorite use for these miracle workers that we haven’t listed, leave a comment below. Make your coffee work for you!