Filter coffee from the machine: 8 tips on what you can do with coffee grounds
Whether from the filter coffee machine or from the fully automatic coffee machine – for many, coffee is part of everyday enjoyment and a “must” to start the day successfully! Every German alone drinks a total of 165 liters of coffee per year and the caffeinated hot drink is also very popular worldwide as a pick-me-up. If the filter coffee is brewed with the machine, in most cases the filter and coffee grounds are thrown into the bin. Because what should the black, sticky residue that remains in the filter be good for? What many do not know is that the coffee grounds that are produced when brewing the coffee powder in filter coffee machines and fully automatic coffee machines are more than supposed waste, but a real miracle cure. There are numerous ways to reuse the precious coffee grounds and even replace expensive, man-made products. Because the black flour from the remains of the coffee beans is a valuable natural product that can also be used for the home, garden and cosmetics. We did some research and compiled the best and most effective tips for reusing coffee grounds from filter coffee machines.
Coffee grounds in the home
Tip 1: Coffee grounds neutralize odors
We all know the wonderful smell of freshly ground coffee. A positive side effect: coffee itself has the property of absorbing foreign odors and thus neutralizing them. Cheese can be delicious, but you don’t necessarily need the smell of Camembert in the fridge. Our tip: Simply put a bowl of freshly ground coffee or coffee grounds in the fridge overnight – or for several days if necessary – and the musty smell of cheese will be gone.
Tip 2: Remove scratches in wooden furniture
Scratches in wooden furniture are very annoying, but unfortunately they happen very quickly. Here, too, the miracle cure coffee grounds is at hand: Due to the coloring properties of coffee, blemishes in dark wooden furniture can be easily repaired. To do this, slightly moisten the coffee grounds from the filter coffee machine and spread them over the scraper with a Q-tip. The remaining ground coffee settles in the joint and the coffee oil then closes it. Scratch? No one to see! By the way: Due to the coloring properties of coffee, even handicraft paper, fabrics or eggs can be colored with the residue from the pulp container of the coffee machine.
Tip 3: Clean the grill and glass vases
It’s finally barbecue season again, but the grate also needs to be looked after so that steaks and sausages continue to taste good. Where others use aggressive cleaning agents, the coffee grounds from the filter coffee machine can also be used here. Simply apply the black powder to a sponge and scrub the rust like you would with scouring milk and the dirt is gone. Two spoons of coffee grounds will help with deposits in flower vases. Pour hot water over it and let it stand for about an hour. Rinse and the glass vase will shine like new.
Using coffee grounds in the garden
Coffee grounds for plants works wonders: Before you dispose of the coffee grounds from the filter coffee machine, think about your green plants, because coffee is an excellent fertilizer and help against annoying visitors in the garden. Coffee grounds as a fertilizer are often underestimated, but it doesn’t always have to be the expensive, chemically produced fertilizers from the garden center. For a purely plant-based starting product, coffee contains a lot of nitrogen, sulfur and a protein content rich in phosphorus.
Although this is destroyed by the heat when brewing in the coffee machine, the coffee grounds have a slightly acidic pH value, which improves the condition of the soil for garden and potted plants and enriches them with plant nutrients. Fertilizing with coffee grounds is very effective: the nitrogen underneath the soil ensures that leaf growth is stimulated; Phosphorus stimulates flowering and fruit ripening. Try it out and use the coffee grounds for your plants.
Tip 4: Fertilize with coffee grounds
To use coffee grounds as fertilizer, sprinkle a handful onto the soil around the plant’s root area, then work the coffee grounds into the soil. For potted plants, you can alternatively mix a handful of coffee grounds into the potting soil when repotting to enrich the soil with additional nutrients. For indoor plants, you can use cold, leftover liquid coffee from the pot. However, first dilute it with water in a 1:1 ratio, otherwise you will have the opposite effect and your plant will acidify.
Tip 5: Keep ants, snails, wasps and cats away
We cherish and care for our garden, including the flowers and vegetable patch, and we want them to stay beautiful for a long time and not be attacked by snails, ants and the like. Coffee grounds from filter coffee machines serve as effective protection against voracious snails. Simply sprinkle the black powder around the plants you want to protect and the snails will stay away, because the caffeine in the coffee grounds is poisonous to them. Not only snails run away, coffee grounds also act against ants and drive them away, because the smell of coffee neutralizes the scent traces that ants lay for orientation. If you are annoyed that the neighbor’s cat prefers your garden to the litter box, then coffee grounds can also help here. In the places where coffee grounds have been scattered, the cat is guaranteed not to want to dig and do its business. Last but not least, our tip against annoying wasps, which can be extremely unpleasant in summer. In contrast to us humans, the stinging insects cannot stand the smell of coffee and coffee grounds at all. Are you planning a barbecue evening without uninvited guests? Then take precautions: Put some dry coffee grounds in a fireproof bowl and light it. The rising smoke chases away the wasps and is hardly perceptible to humans, but is actually perceived as a pleasant aroma.
Nicer with coffee grounds
Tip 6: Coffee peeling for the skin
In combination with oil, coffee grounds result in a natural and beneficial peeling for the skin. The coffee grounds peeling is spread over the skin and gently massaged in. The small particles act like mini whetstones and replace the plastic particles in conventional peelings. The result: velvety soft, well-groomed skin. So brew your next coffee with your filter coffee machine and then use the coffee grounds for an extensive beauty experience.
Tip 7: Bye, orange peel skin! Coffee grounds also help against cellulite
Yet another reason to love coffee! Instead of buying expensive creams, try coffee. Simply mix 2 tablespoons of dried coffee grounds with a teaspoon of cane sugar and a tablespoon of coconut or olive oil. You can now gently massage this peeling in for at least 5 minutes or, alternatively, wrap it in kitchen foil, wrap it around your thighs and let it take effect for 10 to 15 minutes. Caffeine has been shown to improve blood circulation and dilate blood vessels, reducing cellulite.
Tip 8: Hair treatment
In addition to the skin, our hair also benefits from the coffee grounds. Next time, simply massage the brown powder gently into your hair and scalp and leave on for ten minutes. Then rinse well again and enjoy the newly gained, voluminous hair!
Coffee cups made from coffee grounds
We would like to give you an unusual tip: How about coffee from coffee cups? And by that we don’t mean grandma’s good china from the living room cupboard, but coffee cups made from coffee grounds. The Kaffeeform project has set itself the task of counteracting the waste of coffee. Therefore, together with the coffee grounds of smaller restaurants, you offer the production of coffee cups from coffee grounds and now deliver worldwide – even cappuccino and espresso cups due to the high demand.
Store coffee grounds properly
All that remains to be said is: drink coffee and use the coffee grounds wisely. There are always enough options. In order to get the best out of the coffee grounds, they should first be dried and never stored damp, otherwise they will become mouldy. To do this, simply spread the coffee grounds out on a baking sheet, for example, and let them dry for a few hours. After that, the brown powder can be kept very well and stored with foresight for the implementation of our tips. So every cup of filter coffee from the machine fulfills another purpose in addition to enjoyment!
