16 Creative Uses For Used Coffee Grounds - Healthline

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Evidence Based16 Creative Ways to Use Old Coffee Grounds

Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI — Written by Kayla McDonell, RD — Updated on October 24, 2024

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Used coffee grounds have many practical uses, including as plant fertilizer, scrubbing agents, and skin care products.

Coffee grounds may have several practical uses around the home and garden. They might even help spruce up your beauty routine.

If you don’t make coffee at home, consider visiting your local coffee shop. They may have used coffee grounds they’re willing to give away.

Keep reading to discover 16 creative uses for used coffee grounds.

How to use coffee grounds

Used coffee grounds may have several beneficial applications, ranging from your garden and household to your skin.

1. Fertilize your garden

Most soil doesn’t contain the essential nutrients needed for optimal plant growth.

Research suggests that used coffee grounds contain many bioactive compounds that could help enrich your garden soil.

Used coffee grounds may also help boost the nutritional value of vegetables and plants while providing natural fertilization to the soil.

To use coffee grounds as fertilizer, simply sprinkle them onto the soil surrounding your plants.

2. Compost it for later

Composting is a natural process that turns organic items like food scraps and yard debris into a dark, rich material called compost or humus.

Research suggests that used coffee grounds may help boost composting by absorbing heavy metals that may contaminate your garden soil.

A 2016 study compared four batches of compost containing 0%, 10%, 20%, and 40% coffee grounds. The batch containing 40% coffee grounds produced the fewest greenhouse gas emissions and the best quality compost.

Other items to compost include grass clippings, leaves, bark, herbs, egg shells, and fruit and vegetable trimmings.

Consider avoiding composting meat and fish scraps, dairy products, diseased plants, and grease and oils.

3. Repel insects and pests

Used coffee grounds may have several compounds that may be toxic to insects.

Some research suggests that used coffee grounds could help repel household ants and mosquitoes.

To use coffee grounds as an insect repellent, sprinkle wet coffee grounds in areas where insects congregate.

4. Remove fleas from your pet

Fleas are a common problem in household pets, and treating them can be costly and time consuming.

Rubbing coffee grounds throughout your pet’s fur after shampooing and then rinsing may help repel fleas naturally.

However, coffee grounds may be less effective than prescription products. If your pet has fleas and this treatment does not work, you may want to contact a vet to discuss alternative options.

Also, you should only use coffee grounds externally. They can be toxic to dogs if they consume it.

5. Neutralize odors

Coffee grounds contain compounds that may help eliminate bad odors.

For instance, a 2021 study found that sprinkling fermented coffee grounds on the floor of a dairy farm significantly reduced odors after 3 weeks.

Try placing a bowl of coffee grounds in your fridge to neutralize odors from spoiled or fragrant foods.

You can also fill old socks with coffee grounds and tie them off to make portable air fresheners for your gym bag, bedroom drawers, or under the car seat.

6. Use it as a natural cleaning scrub

Coffee grounds are abrasive and may help remove buildup on hard-to-clean surfaces. They may even help sanitize due to their antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Try using coffee grounds to scour your sink, polish your cookware, or clean your grill. However, don’t use them on porous materials, as they can cause brown stains.

7. Scour your pots and pans

The coarse texture of coffee grounds makes them ideal for scrubbing hard-to-clean kitchen utensils and removing caked-on food from pots and pans.

Simply sprinkle the grounds directly onto your pots and pans and scrub as usual. Make sure to rinse thoroughly afterward.

8. Exfoliate your skin

Used coffee grounds may have antibacterial properties that help exfoliate the skin and protect it from the sun. The coarse particles in coffee grounds may also help remove dirt and dead cells.

Mix coffee grounds with some water and scrub them gently with your hands onto your face and body.

You can also mix used coffee grounds with honey for an exfoliating lip scrub.

9. Reduce the appearance of cellulite

Cellulite gives the skin a dimpled, lumpy appearance. It affects 80% to 90% of females.

It occurs when fat deposits push through the connective tissue under your skin. You’ll commonly see cellulite in the buttocks and thighs. However, it’s important to note that cellulite isn’t harmful to physical health.

When you apply caffeine topically, it may help break down this fat and increase blood flow to the area, thus decreasing the appearance of cellulite.

Simply mix coffee grounds with water or coconut oil and scrub for 10 minutes twice weekly on any areas affected by cellulite.

10. Use it as a natural dye

If you’ve ever spilled coffee on a white shirt, you know that it can leave a stain.

By rewetting used coffee grounds, you can create an inexpensive and all-natural dye. You could use it to color cotton, rayon, cellophane, linen, and paper.

This is an easy way to give fabrics and paper a vintage look or disguise existing stains on your clothing and towels.

If you’ve dyed a piece of fabric or yarn that someone will wear or use for sewing or knitting, make sure to wash it in cold water with a very mild laundry detergent before using it.

11. Clean your fireplace

Cleaning ashes from a wood-burning fireplace can be an incredibly messy task.

By scattering used coffee grounds over the ashes, you can weigh them down and prevent smoke clouds from forming.

This not only makes the ashes easier to remove but also keeps dust from escaping and traveling to other parts of the room.

12. Tenderize meat

Meat contains muscle fibers and proteins that can give it a tough consistency. Tenderizing meat helps break down these fibers, resulting in a softer texture.

Salt, enzymes, and acids are three natural types of meat tenderizers. Coffee contains natural acids and enzymes, which could help tenderize meat.

Try adding used coffee grounds to your favorite dry rub recipe and applying the rub to the meat 2 hours before cooking.

Alternatively, you can rebrew used grounds to make coffee, allow it to cool and use it to marinade meat in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking.

13. Stimulate hair growth

Some research suggests that caffeine may help stimulate and accelerate hair growth. Caffeine may also benefit hair loss conditions like alopecia areata and telogen effluvium.

Before you shampoo, simply grab a handful of coffee grounds and massage them into your scalp and hair for a few minutes. Then wash and rinse as you normally would.

Do this one to two times per week, or as needed.

14. Repair scratched furniture

Various products can help minimize the appearance of scratches on wooden furniture, but you might want to try coffee grounds.

First, make a thick paste with used coffee grounds and water.

Then rub the paste into the scratch using a cotton swab. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, and then wipe with a cotton rag.

This may help buff out the scratch and conceal it by dying the exposed wood a dark-brown color.

Continue to dab coffee into the scratch using a cotton swab until you achieve the desired color, waiting a few hours between applications.

15. Grow mushrooms

Mushrooms only thrive in specific conditions and are notoriously difficult to grow.

For starters, they don’t grow in ordinary garden soil because they require a substrate (underlying substance or layer).

Used coffee grounds could make a great substrate because they’re packed full of nutrients that mushrooms like to grow on.

What’s more, the brewing process already sterilized them, which would otherwise be an extra step in the growing process.

16. Treat under-eye circles

Several factors may contribute to the development of dark circles and puffiness under the eyes, such as getting older and not getting enough sleep.

A 2016 review found that skin care products containing caffeine may help reduce under-eye circles, inflammation, and edema.

Add water or coconut oil to your coffee grounds to form a paste. Apply the mixture under your eyes and let it sit for about 10 minutes before rinsing. Repeat this process daily or as needed.

Are coffee grounds safe to consume?

Research links the compounds in used coffee grounds to several health benefits, such as reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. This could decrease the risk of chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, stroke, and cancers.

However, some doctors caution against consuming used coffee grounds.

Coffee beans contain compounds called cafestol and kahweol, which the paper filters typically remove when you brew coffee but remain in the grounds. Older studies have found that these two compounds may increase blood cholesterol.

Some recipes for baked goods, meat rubs, and sauces call for coffee grounds. Using coffee grounds this way is probably fine as long as you don’t consume them often.

Frequently asked questions

Do coffee grounds deter slugs?

A 2023 study found that applying a 1-centimeter top layer of used coffee grounds in garden pots helps deter slugs and snails. However, the authors note that coffee grounds aged for longer than 7 months had no anti-slug effects.

Can I just sprinkle coffee grounds in my garden?

Yes, used coffee grounds contain several bioactive compounds that may promote fertilization and composting in your garden. However, it’s important to regularly turn the soil and to maintain your garden.

What plants don’t like coffee grounds?

Research is mixed on which plants like coffee grounds and which ones don’t. To prevent harming your plants, try adding a small amount of used coffee grounds around some plants to see how they react.

The bottom line

You could use coffee grounds around the garden, inside your home, or as an addition to your skin care routine.

Next time you brew yourself a cup of coffee, consider repurposing the grounds.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

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Bevilacqua E, et al. (2023). The potential of spent coffee grounds in function food development. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9963703/
Cervera-Mata A, et al. (2019). Spent coffee grounds improve the nutritional value in elements of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and are an ecological alternative to inorganic fertilizers. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030881461930010X?via%3Dihub
Delgado-Arias S, et al. (2019). Evaluation of the antioxidant and physical properties of an exfoliating cream developed from coffee grounds. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332557874_Evaluation_of_the_antioxidant_and_physical_properties_of_an_exfoliating_cream_developed_from_coffee_grounds
Elias ML, et al. (2023). Caffeine in skincare: Its role in skin cancer, sun protection, and cosmetics. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10718232/
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Kim M-S, et al. (2021). Fermented coffee grounds diminish livestock odors: A microbiome study. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/10/1914
Miranda FR, et al. (2020). Biological, histological and immunohistochemical studies on the toxicity of spent coffee grounds and caffeine on the larvae of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749120369967?via%3Dihub
Santos C, et al. (2016). Effect of different rates of spent coffee grounds (SCG) on composting process, gaseous emissions and quality of end-product. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28340969/
Tombarkiewicz B, et al. (2022). Chemical properties of the coffee grounds and poultry eggshells mixture in terms of soil improver. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8850578/
Vrcek I, et al. (2016). Infrairbital dark circles: A review of the pathogenesis, evaluation and treatment. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4924417/
Yeoh XL, et al. (2018). Mortality and repellent effects of coffee extracts on the workers of three household ant species. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325921942_Mortality_and_Repellent_Effects_of_Coffee_Extracts_on_The_Workers_of_Three_Household_Ant_Species
Zhang L, et al. (2017). Using cow dung and spent coffee grounds to enhance the two-stage co-composting of green waste. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28892685/

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Evidence Based

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and to present both sides of the argument.

This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.

Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI — Written by Kayla McDonell, RD — Updated on October 24, 2024

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How to use coffee grounds

1. Fertilize your garden

2. Compost it for later

3. Repel insects and pests

4. Remove fleas from your pet

5. Neutralize odors

6. Use it as a natural cleaning scrub

7. Scour your pots and pans

8. Exfoliate your skin

9. Reduce the appearance of cellulite

10. Use it as a natural dye

11. Clean your fireplace

12. Tenderize meat

13. Stimulate hair growth

14. Repair scratched furniture

15. Grow mushrooms

16. Treat under-eye circles

Are coffee grounds safe to consume?

Frequently asked questions

Do coffee grounds deter slugs?

Can I just sprinkle coffee grounds in my garden?

What plants don’t like coffee grounds?

The bottom line

How we reviewed this article:

Evidence Based

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