Your uses for coffee don’t have to end at your morning caffeine ritual. Coffee grinds both before and after brewing have a ton of benefits and use. From a tasty new ingredient to an important skincare staple, let’s look at the top ways to find further uses for those coffee grinds.
All About That Rub
All about that rub. Coffee is a great ingredient to play with in different savory recipes because of its deep flavor profiles. Consider updating your next meaty meal with a coffee rub, we love this one from the NY Times, the mix of coffee and deep chili flavors are a perfect combination of spices. Coffee grounds contain natural acids and enzymes that help tenderize the meat and enhance its flavor, leaving you with a well-seasoned and tender piece of meat (it’s also a great way to spice up halloumi for all you vegetarians).
No More Smell
Coffee can be used as an odor neutralizer. Whether you need it for your shoes, gym bag, car, closet, fridge, or anywhere in between, coffee is a great option to keep those nasty smells away. After you’ve had your morning coffee, put the wet coffee grounds in a thin layer on a baking sheet and dry them in a 250° oven. Once you’ve completed that, store in an open jar and set it anywhere in your home where there may be bad aromas (kitchen cabinets, the refrigerator, the bathroom, near the litter box). Allow the grounds to sit and absorb as much odor as possible and change as needed.
Bugs Be Gone!
Caffeine and diterpenes, two chemicals present in coffee, can be extremely poisonous to insects, and as a result, you can use coffee grinds to repel those creepy crawlies. Set out bowls of coffee grinds or sprinkle them around outdoor dining areas to use as an insect and pest repellent. This can also be done for your garden by distributing coffee grounds around your plants, aiding in the creation of a barrier that slugs and snails dislike crawling over. There’s even been evidence of burning grinds to help in repelling mosquitoes, bees and wasps – super helpful living in Thailand, that’s for sure.
For All You Green Thumbs
Speaking of gardens, did you know coffee grinds make the perfect fertilizer for your garden because it contains various key minerals for plant growth like potassium, nitrogen, iron, phosphorus, magnesium among many others. Coffee can also help eliminate heavy metals in your soil and attracts worms (which is a great thing for your soil).
Beauty Dream
There’s a good reason why major beauty brands are picking up this magic ingredient, you’ll see coffee as an ingredient to products like body scrub and even eye cream. But why? This is due to its antioxidants, which include phenols, which aid in the battle against free radicals that can cause skin damage. While a cup of coffee can give antioxidants on an internal level, coffee’s putative skin benefits are mostly gained through topical application. Fresh coffee grounds are used to make masks, scrubs, pastes, serums, hair tonic and so much more.
We’ve known the magic that coffee can be in many facets of life and wanted to share that with you. Of course, for those of you just looking for a great brew in the morning you can always start off your day with a cup of Red Cliff Coffee.