Coffee is a big part of my of my life, my day doesn’t start until I’ve had that first cup. You ask me a question before I’ve downed my first cup and the best response that you’ll probably get is a grunt or maybe a groan. Coffee was a big part of my grandmother’s life too. Not because she couldn’t function without it, like me, but because she couldn’t frugally run her home without it. I remember her frugal living tips journal containing a huge list of uses for coffee. I can’t recall specifically what was on her list, but my family and I were able to come up with some uses for coffee that were surely on that list.
I’m amazed that coffee hasn’t made it into the medical journals as a life saving elixir. My kids would definitely agree that it has saved their lives on more than one occasion.
Health
Always consult a doctor before using coffee as a treatment.
- Breath – to freshen, chew on a coffee bean.
- Headache – to treat, drink a cup of coffee that contains
caffeine.
- Cellulite – to reduce the appearance, apply a mixture of
warm, used coffee grounds and olive oil to your skin. Rub it in using a circular
motion and rinse. Repeat daily. - Hair – to add shine, apply a pot of cooled, strong brewed coffee
to clean, dry hair. Let it do it do its magic for 20-30 minutes before rinsing. Repeat once a week. - Hair – to soften, mix coffee grounds with your shampoo.
- Hair – to temporarily dye, apply a pot of cooled,
strong-brewed coffee to clean, dry hair. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes before
rinsing. - Hands – to remove smells, rub your hands with used coffee
grounds. Rinse. - Skin – to exfoliate, scrub your skin with a mixture of equal
parts ground coffee and olive oil. Rinse. - Skin – to minimize wrinkles, scrub your skin with a mixture
of coffee grounds and pure pineapple juice. - Skin – to tighten, scrub your skin with a mixture of equal
parts ground coffee and olive oil.
- Air Freshener – to make your own, pour fresh coffee grounds
into the leg of a pantyhose. Tie a knot and hang. - Air Freshener – to make your own, toast some coffee beans in
a skillet until the oils are released. Place them in a decorative dish. - Cleaning Abrasive – to make your own, mix used coffee
grounds with a little dish soap. - Drains – to remove odors, pour a cup of coffee grounds into
the drain followed by a pot of boiling water. - Fireplace – to minimize dust when cleaning, let the embers cool and then
sprinkle them with used, damp coffee grounds. Let the ground sit for about
15-20 minutes before scooping out the ashes. - Furniture – to hide scratches, wipe the area with a paste
made from instant coffee and water. - Garbage Disposal – to remove odors, pour a cup of coffee
grounds into the garbage disposal and let it sit for 30-40 minutes. Flush with
hot water while running the garbage disposal. - Refrigerator – to absorb odors, place a bowl of unused
coffee grounds in the fridge for a couple of days.
Miscellaneous
- Ants – to kill the mound, pour a pot of hot brewed coffee inside.
- Ants – to repel, sprinkle dry, used coffee grounds around
the area that you see ants. - Cats – to keep out of your garden, sprinkle soil with a mixture
of used coffee grounds and orange peels. - Dogs – to repel fleas, rub damp, used coffee grounds on your
dogs coat after bathing. - Eggs – to dye, soak the eggs in a cup of strong brewed
coffee until you reach the desired color. - Fabric – to dye, soak fabric in hot coffee until you reach
the desired color. - House Plants – to fertilize, water with diluted coffee.
- House Plants – to remedy yellowing, sprinkle the soil with a
mixture made from equal parts coffee grounds and sugar. - Meat – to tenderize, marinade meat in freshly brewed coffee.
- Paper – to dye, apply strong brewed coffee to paper using a
paint brush and let it dry. - Pin Cushion – to make your own, tie up some dry, used coffee
grounds in a piece of fabric. This also keeps your pins from rusting. - Plants – to fertilize acidic plants, sprinkle used coffee
grounds around the base of the plant. Repeat monthly. - Slugs – to repel, sprinkle your garden with used coffee
grounds.
amy mayen says
We throw ours out in the garden in summertime. I knew it was good for soil but had no idea about slugs!
Kathe says
Awesome list! And yes I agree! Coffee is truly a lifesaver LOL!
Stephanie Jackson says
I will have to use the fireplace tip. We already drink it, bake with it, flavor foods, and compost it.