What to Do with Leftover Coffee Grounds

Published on Tuesday, April 7, 2009, by CHOW Video Team / Edit Post

What to Do With Leftover Coffee Grounds

CHOW Video Producer Meredith Arthur says that used coffee grounds should never go straight into the trash. Compost, maybe. Better yet, use them to help your plants thrive and your skin remain youthful. We’ve got more green tips, and though they won’t all make your skin shine brightly, they will put a little ecofriendly spring in your step. Learn how to extend the use of scallions, veggie scraps, and a chicken carcass. Plus, how to do your dishes and clean your counters the environmental way.

CHOW Tips are the shared wisdom of our community. If you’ve figured out some piece of food, drink, or cooking wisdom that you’d like to share on video (and you can be in San Francisco), email Meredith Arthur and tell us what you’ve got in mind.

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POST A COMMENT |12 Comments

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  • Those a great tips, Michelly and MiriamOttawa. No, gluk0se, coffee grounds won't stain your face. Your skin is not made from the same material as your teeth.;-)

  • I like the idea of using the coffee grounds to get rid of smells. But this idea of rubbing it on your face is weird. If coffee stains your teeth, won't it also stain your face?

  • I use my coffee grounds and tea bags to refresh my refrigerator.
    The coffee seems to get rid of the spice smells quite well.
    Also if you leave the coffee grounds out in a small bowl you can use them for an air freshener for a day or 2.
    I can't use the store bought plug in or can air fresheners without very bad headaches and this is cheaper too.

    Also like the idea of using as a food...+READ

    I use my coffee grounds and tea bags to refresh my refrigerator.
    The coffee seems to get rid of the spice smells quite well.
    Also if you leave the coffee grounds out in a small bowl you can use them for an air freshener for a day or 2.
    I can't use the store bought plug in or can air fresheners without very bad headaches and this is cheaper too.

    Also like the idea of using as a food scrub,will have to try.-COLLAPSE

  • After brewing the morning pot, I take the filter with the ground and put it in a bowl. Then, when I make something using fresh garlic (which I do I lot), I get the garlic smell off my hands, utensils,, and cutting board by combining the grounds with dishwashing soap, then rinsing.
    At the end of the day, I toss whatever grounds are left into the roses.

  • An old-timer told me that ants won't cross a barrier of coffee grounds -- and since I have any invasion problems at my house, I tried it. It works!

  • It is probably the same reasoning behind caffeinated lotion(or cleanser?) for cellulite...I've never heard first-hand from anyone if they thought it worked.

  • i have heard coffee grounds are good for cellulite. never tried this myself bc i was concerned about clogging my drain, but somebody recommended putting the grounds on your butt or other afflicted area and then wrap yourself in cellophane.

  • I like the exfoliant idea. I have sensitive skin and tried this and it works very well. BUT-I work in a pro kitchen and am exposed to smoke and grease all day long. Plus it smells really nice.

  • Regarding used coffee in gardens: I've heard it also helps keep cats away from the plants.
    I use the larger coffee grounds (from a drip or press pot) to exfoliate the typical rough patches on the body, like elbows, knees, and feet. I reserve the finely ground espresso for my face. I'd recommend mixing the grounds with some oil, milk or honey. Other recipes suggest adding sugar or salt.
    Keep in...+READ

    Regarding used coffee in gardens: I've heard it also helps keep cats away from the plants.
    I use the larger coffee grounds (from a drip or press pot) to exfoliate the typical rough patches on the body, like elbows, knees, and feet. I reserve the finely ground espresso for my face. I'd recommend mixing the grounds with some oil, milk or honey. Other recipes suggest adding sugar or salt.
    Keep in mind, the coffee cleansers can be really messy. They all should be safe for USA plumbing, although I don't know about using with a septic tank.-COLLAPSE

  • Coffee grinds are too large & rough as a facial skin scrub.
    I might consider gently scrub lower legs in place of shaving...but in the garden is a safer bet & as mayi mentioned kinder to your plumbing.

  • My grandmother used to throw coffee grounds into her garden, as well as other organic matter, to enrich the soil. Once there was a peach pit in among the foods she tossed into the garden and it took root and grew into a tree that gave the family peaches for at least a decade.

    But for my face, I use plain white sugar as an exfoliant, mixed with facial cleanser or a carrier oil like apricot kernel...+READ

    My grandmother used to throw coffee grounds into her garden, as well as other organic matter, to enrich the soil. Once there was a peach pit in among the foods she tossed into the garden and it took root and grew into a tree that gave the family peaches for at least a decade.

    But for my face, I use plain white sugar as an exfoliant, mixed with facial cleanser or a carrier oil like apricot kernel or almond oil. It is probably gentler for the skin, more easily dissolved, and kinder to the drain in the bathroom sink.-COLLAPSE

  • I think oatmeal is kinder to facial skin. I use coffee grounds on my rosesand hydrangeas--acidifies the soil out here in the West.