How much coffee do you drink a day? Worldwide, more than 1.4 billion cups of the black hot beverage are consumed every day. But what do you do with the coffee grounds afterwards? Personally, I tend to drink other herbal pick-me-ups such as cocoa with caffeine. My boyfriend loves to drink coffee, though, and I’ve always wondered if there wasn’t a more useful purpose for the used grounds.

Here are the best ideas I found out:

1. coffee grounds as fertilizer: because of the nutrients they contain, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, the powder is ideal for fertilizing plants. Especially balcony plants and plants in the garden are happy about the additional nutrients. However, you should be careful with indoor plants.
2. coffee grounds against vermin: The caffeine in acts as a deterrent nerve poison on many animals, this applies for example to snails. It is therefore worthwhile to make a ring around affected plants such as lettuce with coffee grounds. This will keep pests away without harming the animals. You can keep ants away by sprinkling coffee grounds specifically on the running routes of the small animals.
3. coffee grounds against wasps and mosquitoes: If you like to sit outside in the summer, you may also often feel bothered by wasps and mosquitoes. But there’s help! Simply put about 3 tablespoons of coffee grounds in a fireproof container (e.g., an ashtray) and light the grounds on fire. The smell and smoke will keep wasps and mosquitoes away. However, not all people find the smell pleasant either.
4. coffee grounds as a peeling: the abrasive particles in the powder and the caffeine they contain can be very beneficial for the skin. So, you can easily make your own scrub: Mix 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of oil (e.g., coconut oil, olive oil, massage oil) and rub the scrub onto your skin. But be careful in your face because the skin is more sensitive here.
5. coffee grounds for cleaning pots, grill grate & Co: You can do without abrasive cleaners if you have grounds at home. Because they contains abrasive particles, with which you can loosen even stubborn incrustations. Simply put a little coffee grounds on a damp sponge and scrub away the dirt. Vases, teapots, or stains on wooden furniture can also be polished away in this way.

Have fun trying it out!