Most items have many, many uses..... we just don't think about it.
Today I am going to touch on the many uses for used coffee grounds, used tea bags, and egg shells. Some may actually surprise you. I hope you find something that will be useful for you and your family.
COFFEE GROUNDS
- Used grounds can be placed in an open container in the frig to absorb odors. Once you change it out - put it in the compost pile
- Exfoliator - it is great on skin. Add to your face cloth with some soap and wash your face - it will be so smooth. I do this once in a while - it is very messy - but it works. Many people add to their homemade soaps
- Scrub your hands with grounds after cutting onions or garlic - removes odors
- Mix with some oil and use to cover scratches on wood furniture
- Place a small cup of grounds under your car seat or in your cup holder. The heat from the sun warms it and your car smells fresh
- Use around garden plants to repel ants, snails, and slugs - it also helps fertilize
- Make a 2nd or 3rd pot of coffee using grounds and freeze into cubes or jar and refrigerate. Makes a great cooler of HOT coffee, great for smoothies, and wonderful to use in baking or ice cream (anything with chocolate)
- Use as a dye (mix with water) for an antique look
- Attracts worms to garden soil
- Helps clean blades of garbage disposal and keeps it smelling clean
- Add grounds to homemade candles
- Use as a cleanser for scrubbing gunky pans or grill grates
- Place around hydrangeas to change the soil PH and change flower color
- Great for pest control around plants - snails and slugs can't crawl over them
- Adds calcium to soil around plants
- Deer hate the smell of eggs
- Dry and crush and add to bird seed (especially in winter) to give the birds a calcium boost
- Add to oyster shells to feed chickens
- Crush shells - place in a jar - cover with cider vinegar. Within a couple days the shells dissolve. This is supposed to be excellent to rubs on aching joints. Keeps on the shelf for months. I am going to try this one for sure!!!!
- Many folks sterilize shells, dry, and grind and place into capsules for a daily calcium supplement
- Keep shells in a jug or bucket of water and use to water your plants. African violets love the calcium intake.
- Use in crafts
- Compost
TEA BAGS
- Place old bags in a bucket of water and use to water plants - add egg shells too and you have a great compost tea. Tea helps repel fungus.
- Dry used bags and place in cabinets to repel mice. They don't like the smell.
- Add bags to a hot bath - contains antioxidants. Great for softening the skin.
- Cold wet bags on eyes (while resting) helps reduce puffiness
- 'Brew' some old bags and use the water as a conditioner rinse for your hair. It is a natural conditioner.
- Tea water makes a great dye for paper or cloth. Use to make it took antique or vintage (makes pretty 'old' lace)
- Place in hot dishwater 5 - 10 minutes prior to washing greasy pans or dishes. It helps loosen the grease
- Make a weak tea to clean hard wood floors
- Place a cold wet bag over a bee sting, cold sore, bug bite, pimple, or sunburn to reduce inflammation. Promotes healing.
- Wash hands or soak feet to remove odors
- Place in the frig to remove odors.
- Dry old bags, and open - spread tea over cat box litter to remove odors.
I know that I am definitely keeping ALL my tea bags for re-use. I will be using them in in the bath and for medicinal and garden purposes for sure.
I already use the coffee grounds in the garden, as well as the egg shells.
I will be keeping most tea bags in a sealed jar in the frig - but I will also be letting some dry out for other uses.
I am sure there are dozens of other re-use ideas for these items. DO YOU HAVE ANY THAT WEREN'T MENTIONED?
Trash can be a wonderful thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!