Don't Throw Out Old Coffee Grounds Before Trying This Simple Cleaning Hack

After a morning brew of coffee, what's the next logical step? If you're like most, you probably toss out those used coffee grounds into the trash, only to repeat the process the following day. Turns out, you shouldn't throw out your old coffee grounds after every brew. Instead, give them a second life as a powerful and natural deodorizer. You can use them to help keep stubborn smells away from your fridge, trash can, or cat litter. You can even leave a jar of coffee grounds in your garage to remove weird lingering smells.

Using coffee grounds to freshen up your home sounds so simple, you might be wondering whether it even works and why it would remove any odors at all. This hack works thanks to the power of nitrogen, a chemical component that's found in coffee grounds. Coffee grounds help absorb hydrogen sulfide gas, which is responsible for that rotten egg sewage smell that's so unpleasant. 

In fact, there are several commercial cleaners on the market that work with nitrogen, too. Instead of spending money on cleaning products, why not just place a bit of used coffee grounds around the house to get the job done? It's a natural cleaning ingredient you already have at home and that won't cost you anything. This hack is one of the many affordable and sustainable ways you can give coffee grounds a second life at home, and it works whether you're an espresso lover or a drip brew kind of caffeine addict. 

The key to utilizing used coffee grounds as a natural deodorizer is to first let them dry completely. So, after you've brewed your pot of coffee or pulled an espresso shot, lay the wet coffee grounds on a plate or baking sheet and leave them to air dry. After a few hours, scoop the dried coffee grounds into small open containers to use throughout the house. Leave one near a trash can, another behind a cat litter box (out of nibble range, just to be safe), and one directly in the fridge. You should also put a few scoops of coffee grounds in your bathroom, and other areas of your home where weird odors tend to develop.

Another way to use the dried coffee grounds against bad smells is to create small pouches. These small bags can be used in shoes to deodorize them, and even in closets to help keep yucky odors out. To do this, DIY a small bag using a clean sock tied at the top, or create a pouch with a clean coffee filter folded and closed with a staple. 

To keep smells out consistently, you do need to toss out the used coffee grounds after a couple of days and replace them with a new batch. The great thing about this hack is that it's sustainable, as long as you've got coffee drinkers at home, you've got a steady supply of natural deodorizer.