What Are Old Coffee Grounds Good For? Steve Tanko’s Tips For Getting All You Can Out Of Your Used Grounds

"Good to the last drop" was the slogan of Maxwell House coffee for decades.  But they could have easily changed the wording of that jingle to "good to the last grounds" - considering the useful ways you can utilize your spent coffee grounds.

First off - if you're reading this sipping your $5 coffee from some hip chain you might want to move on.  But if you regularly brew your own coffee at home or the office - there are many ways you can utilize your old coffee grounds.

Here are three ways that I have used spent coffee grounds in my own home and kitchen:

• Deodorizing your refrigerator:  Place your used grounds in a bowl or mug and place it into your refrigerator.  You'll be surprised at the way that the grounds neutralize odors and keep your refrigerator smelling fresh.  It really does work  and it doesn't cost you any extra.
• Clean Pots and Pans:  Pots and pans regularly need scrubbing to get them clean.  Used coffee grounds provide the right amount of grit to release stubborn, cooked-on food.  This can be an especially useful tip if you cook with cast iron; coffee grounds are natural and won't harm the seasoning of your cast iron.
• Neutralizing odors on your hands:  If you've ever handled pungent items in your kitchen (think fish, garlic, onions, etc.) you've probably been left with smelly hands afterwards.  Save your old coffee grounds and use them to rub on your hands after handling these odorous items.  You'll be surprised at how well the coffee grounds get rid of the smell.
• Fertilize and aerate the soil in your plants:  Old coffee grounds are an excellent compost material and should be saved and added to your compost pile.  But even if you don't have a compost pile, you can still utilize the benefits on a smaller scale in your house plants. Old coffee grounds can be mixed into the potting soil in your house plants  - or, in small doses - can be added to the top of the soil to furnish nutrients to your plants.

These are just some of the ways that I have used my old coffee grounds in my kitchen and home.  But, I'm guessing that you might have some additional ideas.  If you do - leave a comment and share!