How to Dispose of Coffee Grounds

By Robert Parsons December 31, 2020

While tossing them in the trash may be your first instinct, there are other ways to dispose of coffee grounds. For example, you can reuse them. Reusing your coffee grounds is a great way to get the most use of your coffee. Many people do not know this, but you can reuse them in the following ways: 

  • – To scrub away hard to remove residue on pots and pans
  • – To remove stinky odors from the refrigerator 
  • – To exfoliate and moisturize your skin
  • – To make dye for paper, clothing, hair, and more!  

So, how to dispose of coffee grounds? We’ll cover this and more. 

dispose of coffee grounds

Scrub Stubborn Buildup Off Pots and Pans 

First things first, your leftover coffee grounds are abrasive and acidic. This makes them great for scrubbing away stubborn residue on pots and pans. They leave behind a bit of a brown tinge, so anything you clean with them should be stain resistant.

And, once more, remember that when used too often, this ingredient can clog your homes drain. Therefore, when scrubbing your pots of pans, use a kitchen sink plug and a drain basket to collect all the grounds. Then, toss them in the trash.

Use as a Facial Exfoliation Scrub 

Used coffee grounds on your skin is a good idea? 

Yes! This ingredient is actually great to exfoliate and moisturize the skin. Are you familiar with sugar scrubs? These products help physically exfoliate dead skin buildup. To create a great scrub at home, mix the following: 

  • – Olive oil (1 tablespoon)
  • – Coffee grounds (1/4 cup) 

Next, massage your face with this mixture for 1-2 minutes and rinse off with warm water. You’ll find that this helps create smoother, glowing skin. 

Note: If you have oily skin, skip the olive oil and just massage your face with coffee grounds.

Dye Clothing, Hair, and More!

Soak your leftover grounds in hot water to make a dye. To do so follow these simple steps: 

  1. Grab your coffee filter filled with grounds 
  2. Tie it with a rubber band 
  3. Soak in 2 cups of water 
  4. Steep for 10 minutes (or longer if you’re looking for a darker color)
  5. Mix in a teaspoon of vinegar to set the dye 

Once your dye is ready, you can use it on faded clothing or color your hair naturally. Some people even use it to dye paper or touch up worn out brown furniture. Coffee grounds offer a natural and affordable way to dye anything from clothing to furniture. 

Remove Funny Odors 

Coffee grounds offer an easy way to absorb food odor. An opened container of grounds will help remove stinky smells from your refrigerator. They are a natural and effective alternative to baking soda. It’s truly a win-win! 

Preparing Coffee Grounds 

Before using leftover grounds, you need to make sure they’re completely dry to avoid mold growth. To do so, lay them out on a sheet of newspaper for 2-3 days, or until completely dry. We like to let them sit out under the sun to speed up the drying process. You can also dry them in the oven at 200 °F for 20-30 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet every 10 minutes to see if they’re dry.

Final Thoughts 

Coffee grounds disposal is easy. If you choose not to reuse them, simply throw them away in the trash can. NEVER pour them down the drain as this is a very common cause of clogs and septic tank issues. 

You may have heard that coffee grounds can clean and freshen the scent in drains. While this is true, they clump together when wet. Over time, they’ll create clogs that won’t let drains move water properly. So, in our opinion, make the most of your grounds and reuse them in one of the ways mentioned above!