As a coffee aficionado, there’s one thing you’re sure to end up with every now and then – old coffee beans. Right?
What if I shared some of the most fascinating uses for coffee beans, would you still throw them out?
By Lilian.
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Many people take the shorter route of throwing them away because they think coffee beans take too much time to put them to any use. That could not be farther from the truth!
Read on!
What can I do with Old Whole Coffee Beans?
Coffee Beans Add That Unique Taste to Ordinary Recipes!
Forget the assumption that old coffee beans are stale… they can add plenty of flavor for ordinary recipes!
Add them to your spice section!
Corazon Padilla makes some coffee rub with them, and the rub pairs well with most sauces.
I personally love it paired with barbeque sauce!
Don’t even get me talking about the flavoring it adds to desserts like cake and ice cream!
Coffee Beans as Wood Stains or Fabric Dyes
Coffee’s dark color is a fantastic choice for covering scratches on wooden furniture and adding that worn-look to fabric.
- As a wood stain, brew the coffee and place the coffee grounds back inside.
- Leave it to darken for some time and you have a perfect wood stain!
(Of, course, don’t expect a very dark stain).
- As a fabric dye, brew the coffee and immerse the fabric inside.
- Leave it for a day or two.
- Rinse off and let it dry.
It’s going to have that brownish color, with a worn look!
Coffee Beans as Hair Dye
Hey brunettes! I have a delightful discovery for you!
You don’t have to spend your hard-earned dollars on those hair dyes. Make a color enhancer at the comfort of your home!
Sean Brennan mentions that all you need is to brew the coffee a little darker than usual, let it cool and add some coffee grounds.
Apply the hair dye to wet, shampooed hair and let it sit for an hour or two.
Rinse it off and you’re good to go!
Make Chocolate Espresso Beans
Previously, I’d buy chocolate espresso beans at the local store, but because I had them so often, the cost was unbearable. So, I learnt how to make the homemade version, which is just as good as the packed version – if not better.
All I do is melt down my favorite chocolate, stir the beans in and once they have a coating, I remove them. I then leave them to harden and I have the best chocolate espresso beans!
Side note – beans covered in chocolate are not suitable for high-tech bean grinders.
Coffee Beans Add That Grand Scent to Candles
Have you heard about coffee-scented candles?
I learnt how to make these amazing candles on WikiHow a few months ago and my guests can’t compliment me enough!
I wish they knew it takes me 10 minutes! (ha-ha!)
Coffee Beans Make Fantastic Skin Scrub
Dr. Cynthia Cobb, a nurse practitioner in aesthetics, cosmetics and skin care confirms that coffee is good for the skin!
Make a coffee scrub using the old beans, oil, rolled oats, a little vanilla extract, salt or sugar and your skin will be glowing.
A disclaimer here: if you’re not a regular coffee drinker, start with a patch test on your arm, just in case.
Old Coffee Beans Are Meat Tenderizers Too!
Before you throw off those old coffee beans, how about you brew them and soak that mutton steak or juicy chicken in there?
The beans are loaded with enzymes that cause tough meat to tenderize during the margination process!
Don’t even get me talking about the sweet, savory flavor on the meat…
Fantastic Ideas for Using Old Coffee Beans in the Garden
Old Coffee Beans Are Pet Repellants
Is your neighbor’s pet constantly on your flowerbed?
Here’s the secret…Grind old coffee beans and sprinkle the coffee grounds!
The odor will keep most pets away – especially dogs and cats.
For best results, you can actually mix the grounds with orange peels or any other citrus fruits peels and you have the perfect pet deterrent!
Old Coffee Beans Are Natural Pest Repellants too!
Just like with pets, pests such as mosquitoes, cockroaches and lizards dislike the smell of coffee.
So, how about you grind them and place the grounds in uncovered bowls out in the garden?
Better still, just sprinkle them around the garden to keep all insects – including slugs and snails – away!
Old Coffee Beans Are Natural Fertilizers!
Forget about that frequent trip to the store to buy fertilizers for the plants around your home!
Colleen Vanderlinden, an organic gardening expert, confirms that old coffee beans is a fantastic fertilizer.
They’re rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, nitrogen and magnesium, and many other minerals that help in the growth of plants.
Sprinkle the coffee grounds and let the plants thrive!
Coffee Beans Are Perfect for Growing Mushrooms
Mushrooms and coffee are age-old lovers, for better for worse!
The Modern Farmer suggests a detailed way of growing mushrooms with coffee grounds.
But if you’re a little impatient (like me, ha-ha), cut the slack and add some coffee grounds and mushroom spawn to your gardening container.
Period.
You’re sure to have a constant supply of this yummy addition to your mealtimes!
What are Some Other Uses for Coffee Beans?
Make Some Homemade Air Freshener
If you’re like me, then that smell of coffee rejuvenates you. How about we make an air freshener from those old coffee beans?
According to Noahw, all you need is a pair of ladies stockings and some fresh ground coffee. Double up the stockings and fill it with coffee grounds and tie off.
You have the perfect air freshener to give you that majestic coffee scent in your car or home!
Better still, to use it as a fridge deodorizer!
Coffee Beans Make Excellent Abrasive Cleaning Agents
Tired of scrubbing old, stained pots and pans with burnt-on food? Grind some old coffee beans and let it do the work for you!
I can assure you, like me, you’ll never miss that glass container of dried out ground coffee under your sink!
It comes in handy when the sponge just doesn’t work.
Oh, and you can be sure that the grounds aren’t so sharp as to damage your highly-treasured cookware!
Coffee Beans Make Good Paint For Kids
Hey parents! Stressed out that you barely get a break? Take those old coffee beans!
Grind and soak them in water. The longer the soaking period, the better (darker) the paint.
Get the paint out and let the kids explore their creativity painting, right?
This is the time for that well-deserved break, sipping that red wine as the kids brush the cardstock!
Have You Heard About Decorative Coffee Beans?
Old coffee beans can save you some dollars on your interior décor budget, and also leave your home looking stunning!
All you need to do is add some coffee beans to the bottom of glasses and place a candle at the top for that gorgeous look!
Amanda Bell, a home décor guide, shares the idea of decorating glass vases with coffee beans. Have you tried it?
All in all, two things are for sure.
First, that as long as coffee is around, we’ll always have some old coffee beans in our kitchen cabinet.
Second, NO single coffee bean is going to the waste bin!
Photos by Jamal Yahyayev and Georgi Petrov
