If you brew coffee at home, you'll have a steady supply of used coffee grounds. Please don't pour them down the sink: they don't dissolve, and over time they can help block your pipes. Here are 10 better ways to use them, and a few popular ideas we'd skip.
A quick tip first: damp grounds go mouldy within a few days. If you're saving them up, spread them on a tray to dry, then keep them in a jar.
In the garden
1. Add them to your compost
This is the best use of all. Coffee grounds count as a "green" (nitrogen-rich) ingredient, so mix them in with "browns" such as cardboard, dry leaves and shredded paper. Paper filters can go in too.
2. Feed a wormery
Worms are happy to eat coffee grounds in small amounts, alongside their usual kitchen scraps. Add a little at a time rather than a whole week's worth at once.
3. Use them sparingly on the garden
You can scatter a thin layer of grounds on beds and fork them into the soil, but go easy. A thick layer can form a crust that stops water getting through. And despite what you may have heard, used grounds won't make your soil noticeably more acidic, so they're not a fix for acid-loving plants.
Around the house
4. Freshen up the fridge
A small bowl of dried coffee grounds in the fridge can help soak up strong smells. Swap it for fresh grounds every week or two. A cloth sachet of dried grounds works in shoes and gym bags too.
5. Scrub pots and pans
The gritty texture makes coffee grounds a handy scrub for stubborn food on cast iron and stainless steel pans. Put a spoonful on a cloth, scrub and rinse well. Avoid non-stick pans and anything that stains easily.
6. Dye paper and fabric
Coffee gives paper and natural fabrics such as cotton a warm brown, vintage look. Simmer the grounds in water, strain, and soak your paper or fabric until it's the shade you want. It's a lovely way to age paper for cards and craft projects.
7. Make coffee-scented candles
- Choose a heatproof glass jar or mug, and fix a candle wick to the centre of the base with a dab of glue or a wick sticker.
- Melt about 300g of candle wax in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Never melt wax directly over the heat.
- Stir in a tablespoon or two of dried coffee grounds.
- Pour the wax into the jar, holding the wick upright, and leave it to set.
As with any candle, never leave it burning unattended.
In the kitchen and bathroom
8. Make a coffee rub for meat
Coffee adds a rich, smoky depth to steak, pork and brisket, and helps form a dark crust. Fresh grounds give the most flavour, but a spoonful of used grounds mixed into your favourite rub works well too. Try our coffee rub spice blend.
9. Make a body scrub
Mix grounds with a little coconut or olive oil for a simple exfoliating scrub. Use it gently, and not on your face, broken skin or skin with spots. Rinse the shower well afterwards, and don't let too many grounds go down the drain.
10. Grow oyster mushrooms
Oyster mushrooms grow well on fresh coffee grounds. Use grounds within a day of brewing, before other moulds move in. A home oyster mushroom kit is the easiest way to get started.
What not to do with coffee grounds
- Don't pour them down the sink. They don't dissolve and can build up in your pipes.
- Keep them away from pets. Coffee contains caffeine, which is harmful to dogs and cats, so don't use grounds as a flea treatment and keep them out of reach.
- Don't pile them on the garden. A little goes a long way, and the compost bin is the best place for most of them.
Got another good use for your coffee grounds? Tell us at [email protected].
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