Monday's can be rough... But I'm here to help.
In celebration of my 15th year selling my handmade stuff...
I am going to be featuring things I've seen on blogs, on the internet, in books
...wherever inspiration strikes! On making new items from old goods..
hence, MondayUPs (upcycling)...
***
These past few days have been really hectic... and a bit overwhelming.
And so... even though it's sorta late in the evening... I am having a cuppa coffee.
Which got me thinking... of ways to recycle coffee grounds.
Scrub your hands of
odors: Rub a scoop of grounds between palms as an exfoliant to remove dead skin
and help eliminate smells from foods like fish and garlic.
Deodorize your
fridge: Place a bowl of dry grounds in your refrigerator or freezer to
neutralize odors left by stale or spoiled food.
Also works on cutting boards
and counters.
Clean up the grease: Place
a few teaspoons of grounds on a thin cleaning rag and use to scour away grease
and grime.
Finish with a thorough rinsing.
Fix scratches on
your furniture: Dip a cotton swab into steeped grounds and dab on scratches in
dark wood furniture to minimize them. Just test in an inconspicuous area first.
Contain ashes: Sprinkle damp grounds on fireplace ashes to
cut down on airborne dust as you sweep them up.
Repel bugs:: Mound grounds into a
ring to create a protective border around plants that will ward off ants and
slugs.
Used grounds are said to repel snails and slugs, so sprinkle them
in problem areas.
Catch Cockroaches: Fill a can or jar with an inch or two of
moistened coffee grounds, then line the container's neck with extra-sticky
double-sided tape. The scent will draw the roaches into the trap.
Make your hydrangeas bluer: Work grounds into the soil at the
base of mophead hydrangeas to increase the acidity level. This helps the shrubs
absorb aluminum, which you can add to the soil to keep the flowers a vibrant
blue.
In the garden: due to the high acidic content, coffee grounds
are perfect fertilizer for acid loving plants such as tomatoes, carrots, roses,
rhododendrons and azaleas.
Fortify your plants: Give seedlings a nitrogen boost by
stirring grounds into soil or a watering can.
Perk up your pedicure… soak your feet in coffee grounds and
water. Freshens the skin and helps remove stains, etc. Both
coffee and tea are loaded with beneficial properties that sooth irritated skin
and brighten a dull, tired winter complexion. For an instant pick-me-up,
combine used coffee grounds with honey or mashed avocado, and apply to your
face in slow, circular motions like a face scrub. Grounds will act as a gentle
exfoliant, buffing off dead skin cells while the caffeine perks up tired skin. Also good; is a body scrub made of coffee grounds, coconut oil, and a little brown sugar. Gently massage it on in the shower, rinse, be soft.
Easter Egg dye: sure they won't be pink or blue, but they will be a dyed a lovely shade of brown.
Fabric and paper dye
Deodorize your shoes: dried grounds help to deodorize your
stinky shoes.
Also, grounds are said to help shine your black shoes!
Pet grooming: Mix coffee grounds with water and you have a nice
grooming solution that leaves Fido’s hair shining bright. Also helps to kill
fleas!
Cat repellent: Neighborhood cats using your garden as a private
bathroom?
Coffee grounds can help keep them away (and of course, fertilize the
garden too).
whoa!
