We love our coffee. Door County Coffee Co. has been roasting coffee in Door County for 27 years and aren’t stopping! The only problem with coffee is when it’s gone. We hate to throw away those grounds of goodness after they have done their job. But WAIT – don’t throw them away! There are plenty of ways to use them!
Coffee grounds have many uses after they have been brewed. With so many of us spending extra time at home, utilizing your coffee grounds gives you a fun project to do with what you already have at home!
1: DIY Face Scrubs: Making a homemade face scrub is the ultimate way to pamper yourself with a few simple ingredients! First, enjoy your favorite Door County Coffee, and save those grounds. The caffeine and antioxidants in the grounds is the perfect way to tighten and brighten your skin. Simply combine all ingredients and mix well. Add to container with lid and store right in the shower or in a cabinet.
• 1 Cup brown sugar
• ½ cup coconut oil
• ½ cup coffee grounds
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Optional add-ins: 1 tsp orange zest & 7 drops orange essential oils in place of vanilla
2: Grounds for Your Garden: We love planting beautiful flowers and big gardens in spring and summer, so why not help them flourish with your coffee grounds? After enjoying your favorite brew, you can spread coffee grounds in your flower beds to help them flourish. You can also use them as compost because the grounds release nitrogen as they degrade which makes for very rich compost. Grounds can also be very beneficial to your young seedlings to help them get a great start before transplant. The grounds add organic material to the soil, which improves drainage, water retention and aeration in the soil, in turn helping them grow!
3: Coffee Soap: We know coffee makes a great body and face scrub, so why not put it right into your bar of soap? All you need is plain glycerin soap and grounds. Melt your soap base in the microwave until it has melted completely, checking on it until it is totally liquid. You can start at 20 seconds and keep going. Then stir in 1/3 cup of your coffee grounds, pour into a mold (preferably silicone so it has easily removal) and let it harden!
4: Home Décor: We admit, we get so caught up in trying new flavors, sometimes a bag of beans falls to the bottom of the cupboard and we don’t find it until spring cleaning…oops! Our coffee will never go bad, but for the freshest brew, we recommend drinking it within one year. We don’t let these older beans go to waste and will use them around the house! These beans still have a great smell, so grab a clear vase or bowl and place a plain candle inside and fill around it with your beans. Now light it up and your favorite coffee is now your favorite candle scent throughout your house! You can also use beans in different shaped jars on your coffee bar for a fun added touch.
While we know the very best part of coffee is drinking that cup of your favorite blend, we love that we can re-purpose those beans or grounds all over the house. So brew that second pot and find what you have around the house to create some amazing DIY projects!