I don't mean that you take your cup of coffee and sip it in the toilet room. I mean having coffee grounds in that place.
There is this cafe in Baguio City where I go to take a break in between my errands. One reason why I like this particular cafe is because it is in a mezzanine so the street noise is negligible. Aside from that, they provide wi-fi service for free. It is like Starbucks where you can "work" in there for as long as you want and they won't get your attention about it.
One thing that I noticed in this cafe is their toilet. Every time I used it, there was this container of brown powder on the toilet tank. I did not care at first but the last time I went there, my curiosity caught me. I pinched a little and rubbed between my fingers. I cannot make the texture. I smelled my fingers: coffee. The powder was fine so I thought it was instant coffee powder. What is this doing in a toilet? Why are they wasting coffee powder?
When I was about to leave, I had a quick chat with one of the crew members who was standing by the stairway to greet or thank incoming and outgoing customers. To start the conversation I asked what the brown powder in the toilet is.
She said coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are the granules or powder left-over after brewing coffee. By default, I thought these are nothing more but waste. I was wrong.
I asked why the grounds are in the toilet.
"To absorb bad odor, ma'am."
"Oh, yeah? The coffee grounds can do that?"
"Yes, ma'am. It is actually good at it."
I did not answer. She must have noticed that I was trying to absorb what she said. She continued.
"You can also put it in your room especially these rainy days. It will help absorb moisture to avoid molds from developing, especially when drying clothes."
"I can do that? Even for molds?" I asked. She confirmed.
I came home and searched the internet about coffee grounds. Indeed, it has many uses as I captured a summary on this photo.
Compost
The coffee grounds promote nitrogen which is good for plants. Just add the grounds on your compost pile.
Exfoliation
The caffeine in the coffee is said to be a stimulant that helps skin cells and promotes tighter skin. I need to try this!
Insect Repellent
Coffee is said to have diterpenes which is toxic to insects. You can sprinkle the grounds in your garden to drive insects away.
Fertilizer
Aside from the promotion of nitrogen like with the compost, sprinkling and mixing coffee grounds onto your garden soil can help improve aeration, drainage and water retention.
Cleaning and Deodorizing
The abrasive texture of the grounds can help in cleaning stains on pots, pans or other surfaces. The nitrogen content of the coffee is also highly effective in eliminating bad odors in a room, refrigerator, or even smelly shoes. So there is where those grounds in the toilet come in!
Natural Dye
Coffee has strong color which can be used as natural dye on fabric and on hair. I thought this is also the reason why it can stain the teeth. So that is one thing to watch out for.
Ice Melter
Coffee has natural acidity which accelarates melting of ice. The article talks about melting of ice along the sidewalk during winter but it can also be applied in the kitchen.
There are more specific uses of coffee grounds as explained on the referred articles. I just find it amusing to learn these tips and make use of something I initially thought as already waste. So next time you brew your coffee, do not trash the grounds immediately. Make use of them and let me know how it went...
By the way, this painting is hanging on the toilet room wall. I am not sure what a madonna painting is doing in such a place. Maybe to have a better and more positive aura of the room other than waste.
Yup coffee can neutralize odors... some perfume boutiques have some coffee grounds for those who test the scents of the perfumes. After smelling one perfume, you might not be able to distinguish the scent of the other perfume... smelling the coffee grounds "resets" your sense of smell.
In Italy, kung magluto daw ang mga pinoy ng daing o tuyo, para hindi magreklamo yung mga kapitbahay nila sa amoy, sinasabayan nila ng pagluto ng kape. heheheh
And yeah, you listed down the other benefits of used coffee grounds.
I can't imagine coffee in perfumes. So far, I haven't smelled anyone of coffee yet. 😄
And yes, kape with tuyo. Perfect combination! 👍🏻😁
haha... pang neutralize lang ang kape. Aamuyin mo lang ang kape pagkatapos mong mag test ng isang perfume. hehehe
Oh-em-gee... Akala ko ingredient ng perfume yong kape! 😄🙃😄
Wahaha... well... ginamit na ng Axe ang chocolate sa body spray nila... hahahah...
Paano kaya,,, French-Vanilla Coffee scent..
🤣😂🤣🤣🤣😂😂
I can't imagine coffee-scented perfume. Why don't you try that Axe thing and blog about it later? 😄
Hahaha...
I can't try any strong scents... they triggers my sinusitis.
It’s the first time I see someone use coffee for this. If it really works it’s gonna be very convenient use of the waste. I only don’t like the plastic container. It feels really out of place.
Coffee beans (roasted) really have the ability to absorb moisture - they are hygroscopic, but in the case with already brewed, I don’t think that this will work. They first have to be dried and only then they can absorb more moisture.
Very informative post!
I was actually wondering why I didn't smell it until I rubbed and smelled with my fingers. I guess that is because it was already brewed so the usual aroma strength is gone.
It's amusing that you noticed the plastic container. I wonder if you would suggest using a paper box in the toilet?
Yes, the powder was dry when I tried to get a feel of it. A bit moistened, actually. So maybe it could have been dried and already started working to absorb moisture.
I think some ceramic plate or cup would fit better the whole setup. Maybe it’s a bit pricier, but looks a lot nicer!
I think every coffee would lose its aroma when left open for a long period of time. That’s why coffee has to be stored in and air tight container.
Ah, yeah. Ceramic would have been better. It would even be more classy.
I am not sure about the aroma. What I observed with instant coffee is that it melts and hardens when exposed.
I am not really a coffee lover but it is good to know that coffee has a lot of use. Some artist too use coffee as their medium to paint, hehe! I love the painting, very virbant!
I wonder how artists would use coffee for painting. As the paint color?
yes. :) For the paint color, it will depend on how much water to put in the mixture. The more water in the mixture, the more the color will be lighter. :)
I guess we can just prepare the coffee and use as paint 😄
I did not know it had so many uses. I only use it for compost/fertilizer. Removing/absorbing bad odor, eh? I typically use charcoal for that.
Can we use it as an ingredient for a mouth wash? 😅
Yes, I heard about charcoal being used for such purpose. You can try coffee grounds and tell me how it goes...
Mouth wash? It cannot be, tutubi! Baka lalong magkakulay yong ngipin kesa pumuti. 😄
💪😉😎🤙☕☕
oh wow, i didn't know all thoses uses.. i thought they might put it there just for the nice smell. (i luv coffee smell, so dont mind when i spill anywhere and don't even wipe it up)
:)
I like the coffee seems to have good use in the garden. will have to try that one..
If you spill it, clean it up!
Yeah, try in the garden and let us know how it goes...
😉😂 well, i should clarify.. if i spill in my room, like on the floor in the corner.. somewhere out of the way, then i might dab up any puddle, but i leave it to dry. if i spill on the kitchen counter or somewhere public like that, i wipe it up. :)
It's okay, you need not explain 😄😄😄