Freshly ground, part one

There’s nothing quite like enjoying a good mug of coffee in the crisp, early morning air. As an added bonus, the spent grounds lurking in your pot are just bursting with potential ways to go on doing good stuff for you in true spotless style. They have so many uses I’ve decided to write about them over a few posts. This one is about ways to use them for household tasks.

1. As coffee grounds are slightly abrasive and oil clings to them, you can use them to scour greasy pots and pans. (Don’t use them on surfaces that will stain.)
2. Gently warm a tablespoon of grounds with two tablespoons of olive oil in a small pot on the stove. Cool and strain through a fine metal sieve lined with a paper towel. Gather up the edges and squeeze the towel to get most of the oil through. Use this brown oil to polish wooden furniture and hide scratches. Buff well to remove excess oil.
3. Steep the grounds in a bit of hot water (or cold water overnight). Drain off the dark liquid and use it as a wood stain, or apply it with a small brush for covering scratches on dark wood.
4. To remove strong smells such as onions or fish, rub your hands with coffee grounds and rinse .
5. Dry grounds on a baking tray using your oven’s residual heat after cooking a meal. Then use them to absorb household odours. You can keep them in a cut off section of old nylon stockings with the ends tied off, or just put them in an open container. They will absorb odours in cupboards, fridges, cars, etc. and work best in an enclosed space.

(I’ve read the suggestion of pouring grounds straight down the drain in order to clean the pipes. However, I think the opposite would be the case. Coffee grounds tend to stick to grease so I imagine they would further clog drains rather than clear them. If you use them as a scourer or any of the other suggested uses here that end up with them going down the drain, follow with some salt or vinegar and hot water to flush the drain clear.)

My next post will share ways to use coffee grounds for personal care – they are great for both skin and hair!

P.S. For a great tip on making a delicious cup of coffee, read this. (Scroll right to the bottom. Or better, read the whole post! :))