by Jennifer Hinders

Created on: August 12, 2010

Today, more and more responsible people are choosing to go “green”.   One of the best ways to accomplish green living is by recycling. Recycling allows the reuse of materials and the replenishing of our natural resources.  This simple process can have a huge impact on our planet. Many people recycle their used coffee grounds as a beginning step towards green living. Recycled coffee grounds have a wide variety of uses.  Here are just a few of the ways to recycle used coffee grounds. 

 Plant fertilizer

Used coffee grounds make great fertilizer for acid loving plants like azaleas, hydrangeas and poinsettias.  House plants benefit from the nitrogen rich used coffee grounds, too. Save used coffee grounds each day in a container then simply sprinkle the used coffee grounds around plants and shrubs. The result will be healthy, happy plants.

Compost

Dump used coffee grounds into your compost bin each day.  Used coffee grounds are high in nitrogen which speeds up the decaying process of the compost waste. Coffee shops like Starbucks or Caribou will save their used coffee grounds for you each week if you ask them.  Add these used coffee grounds to your compost for extra benefits.  

Dye Paper

Used coffee grounds make a great dye for paper or cotton material. Twist or tie a wet t-shirt with rubber bands, then place the t-shirt into a mixture of used coffee grounds and warm water for several hours. Remove the t-shirt and rinse well. The result will be a natural looking tie dyed t-shirt. Sprinkle used coffee grounds on white paper to create a mottled, distressed look paper. Use this dyed paper for making cards or wrapping gifts.  Using coffee grounds as a dye is an old method that dates back to the colonial era when colonists used loose tea and coffee grounds for dying cloth and paper. 

Stain wooden furniture

Used coffee grounds are the perfect solution for covering up scratches on wooden furniture. Simply apply some damp coffee grounds on the scratches and rub gently. The coffee grounds will stain the scratched area. Viola, a natural stain for your furniture.   

Recycling is a big commitment, but the rewards are worth the extra effort. Recycling used coffee grounds is one way to begin green living. Used coffee grounds have an endless amount of uses. They can be used for everything from plant fertilizer to paper dye to wood furniture stain.  So, enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee then consider the many ways you’ll use the used coffee grounds afterwards.

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