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Recycling your used coffee grinds

Did you know that the average American consumes about 3 cups of coffee a day? That’s a lot of used coffee grinds going into the trash.

There are actually many ways you can recycle and reuse your old coffee grinds to help preserve the environment and maintain your health.  And for other ways to green your caffeine, check out the wiki all about having an eco-cup o' joe or maybe even look into drinking organic coffee!

A Cup of Joe Goes a Long Way

You’d be surprised at just how many different methods have worked for people:

  • Touch up furniture and other wood scratches with grounds and a Q-tip.
  • Sprinkle around areas where pesky insects, slugs and snails dwell to drive them away.
  • Mix with soil as a natural fertilizer for plants.
  • Dye clothing or paper.
  • Rub into your dog as an organic flea dip.
  • Fill old nylons and hang in your closet or fridge to repel odors.
  • Use to fill old pin cushions.
  • Scrub away grease and grime from pots and pans.
  • Throw on ashes before cleaning out the fireplace to reduce dust from spreading.
  • Feed to worms to help with your garden.
  • Rub on your hands to eliminate odors.
  • Mix ¼ grinds with one egg white and massage onto face like a mud pack.

If you’re not an avid coffee drinker but you live near a coffee shop or cafe, you can always ask them for the old grinds. Places like Starbucks actually give bags of used grinds away to people who use them for their home and gardens.

Recycling is just one way that we can help maintain the natural beauty of our environment, so next time you drink a cup of coffee save those coffee grinds for future use.


Huddler's tight-knit community of eco-minded consumers share their knowledge about sustainable products and services ranging from electric cars to organic toothpaste. This post was originally published at http://greenhome.huddler.com/wiki/recycling-your-used-coffee-grinds. Click here to participate.

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comments from our community

Showing 1 - 15 of 135 comments

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  • Posted by themommytree Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:28pm PDT
    Those are some incredibly inventive ways to reuse coffee grinds. Does it work the same same way for tea? The Mommy Tree
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  • Posted by Tom T Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:55pm PDT
    True Story!...I find that if you sprinkle coffee-grounds (decaf is okay but Folgers Dark Roast is the best) around the foundation of your house, especially the door ways, that small varmints, insects and most mother-inlaws will not step foot in your house.
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  • Posted by the tusk Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:22pm PDT
    Use it asd a fertilizer it works really good. It does I dont know if its the caffeine or what but your plants will take off. Ashes to ashes dust to dust I guess.
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  • Posted by Mis Wed Apr 29, 2009 9:24pm PDT
    It is particularly helpful around your acid loving plants, like azaleas, gardenias, tomatoes, etc. Aside from the benefit, one should compost all organic material. Even if you have a tiny space, you can have a tiny compost area. This material is great for pot plants and gardens. Most Of all it keeps tuns of organic material from taking up space in landfills. It all adds up.. fast.
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  • Posted by gyersin1 Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:14am PDT
    I have many flower beds, garden plot and each day I bury right into the ground my coffee grounds, banana peel, egg shells etc. My grandmother did it that way in the 1950's - no compost pile. Works great.
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  • Posted by Terra Furnishings Eco Decor Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:10am PDT
    Now that spring is here, it's a perfect time to reuse your coffee grounds. Great post!
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  • Posted by Douglas Sat May 2, 2009 11:32am PDT
    Use dried grounds to replace some of the flour in your cooking (i.e. brownies). Adds wonderful flavor.
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  • Posted by karen_bartleson Sat May 2, 2009 11:34am PDT
    Do the grounds have to be dry before filling old nylons as an odor repellent?
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  • Posted by Andrea C Sat May 2, 2009 11:37am PDT
    The coffee grounds also make a good drain deodorizer
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  • Posted by Kimberly Sat May 2, 2009 11:41am PDT
    I'm a very avid coffee drinker and didnt know there were so many uses for the grouns! Bet that I start saving the grounds more!
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  • Posted by vnicholson63 Sat May 2, 2009 11:45am PDT
    Thanku! thanku! I can really help the environment. some people call them mother-laws I call them thousand-legs or silver-fish what ever. I don't drink but one a day but I have one big plant, and lots of little creatures at certain times of the year. thanks again! If we all learn how to recycle the world would be less trashy. We did when i was a little girl, not that many years ago but a few. Ha Ha.
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  • Posted by Ant Doe Sat May 2, 2009 11:53am PDT
    Already knew about some of the uses but did learn a few new ones. I guess old dogs can learn new tricks too.
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  • Posted by notarunaroundsue Sat May 2, 2009 11:56am PDT
    not so sure about putting grounds down the sink, as it may clog the plumbing!
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  • Posted by onesavvysista Sat May 2, 2009 11:57am PDT
    Will coffee grinds help repel insects on tomato plants?
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  • Posted by Sir Gregory F Sat May 2, 2009 11:59am PDT
    i pour coffee on my coffee grinds and eat them. like a boss.
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