Every month and year a big amount of used coffee grounds are thrown in the garbage and shipped on a landfill, but this will instantly change if everyone knew that coffee grounds can be very useful. Here are some ways in which you can use them:
Compost
Used coffee ground can be added to your compost pile in order to accelerate the compost process and mask the unpleasant smell. Just throw some leftover coffee grounds in your compost bin and you’re good to go.
Fertilizer
The high nitrogen content is what makes coffee grounds a great fertilizer. Mixing them with your soil will stimulate the growth of microbes in the ground, and while they are breaking down, the nitrogen will be a great source of nutrients for your plants. Used coffee grounds are not acidic as some people claim – the acid in them is water soluble, so it is washed away into the coffee, making the ground free of acid.
Staining wood
Used coffee grounds are a great alternative for DIY wood-staining. They are easy to apply and will give your wood a great organic tone. Gather some of your leftover coffee grounds and pour them into a coffee pot, then add some boiling water and leave the mixture for a couple of hours or overnight if possible. Afterwards, filter the grounds and pour the liquid into a bigger container.
Apply the coffee grounds on wood generously by soaking a paintbrush in the mixture, and add layer after layer with a 10-minute pause in between. Repeat the process until you achieve the desired shade. For a darker shade, rub any leftover coffee grounds on the wood.
Mosquito repellent
Mosquitoes don’t like the strong scent of coffee grounds, and several studies have shown that coffee can also kill mosquito larvae, meaning that it is a great natural insecticide. Pour some fine coffee grounds into still bodies of water around your house and mosquitoes will start avoiding the area soon. Burning coffee grounds in tin cans or spraying hot water mixed with coffee grounds in infested areas are other great ways of eliminating mosquitoes.
Source: http://theheartysoul.com/