marc de café

Our tips for using your coffee grounds

Time to read 7 min

If you drink coffee every day, you probably already know that it can provide you with many benefits. But did you know that coffee grounds also have many benefits? Every day, tons of coffee grounds end up in the trash...


THE coffee grounds, it's the wet ground coffee you have left over after you've brewed your coffee. And it's a 100% natural material with multiple benefits and uses. For those who are curious, its chemical composition is as follows: Nitrogen 2.28%, Phosphorus 0.06%, Potassium 0.6%, pH 6.2.


In this article, you will find 11 tips that could be useful to you in your daily life, and you might be surprised!


We group all of this into 3 categories (even if we are convinced that there could be many others! If you know of any, do not hesitate to write them in the comments of this article 😉).

And you, what would you do with your coffee grounds? ?

Before revealing our 11 clever ideas, we offer you a small interactive selection.
You choose what interests you, we'll show you the tip that suits you best 👇

🔍 What Use of Coffee Grounds is Right for You ?

Choose what interests you most, and discover the tip that fits your lifestyle:

👉 Now that you have your personalized tip, discover the 10 other ingenious ideas for giving your coffee grounds a second life.

Garden Tips 🌿

As said above, coffee grounds are a natural waste, composed simply of ground coffee and water. And due to its composition, it is excellent as a natural fertilizer, but also as a repellent!

Boost your compost

If you have a composter, it's good to know that earthworms love coffee grounds, which help them digest organic matter. Their sensitivity to caffeine increases their activity in converting plants into compost! Coffee grounds are therefore ideal for enriching your compost.


A study published in Waste Management showed that coffee grounds can be composted if the correct proportions are used. Researchers found that a batch of compost containing 40% coffee grounds produced higher-quality compost and lower greenhouse gas emissions.


Marc de café dans votre compost

Natural repellent

Coffee is a excellent repellent natural, just like ash or sand, without harming animals.


In your garden, place coffee grounds at the base of plants infested with aphids or attacked by slugs. In the same spirit, you can also mix water and coffee grounds and spray your plants with the mixture.


Have ants invaded your home? Mix coffee grounds with lemon juice and create a barrier by drawing a line of the mixture, perhaps on a windowsill. Ants won't cross this line!


Marc de café contre les fourmis

Feeding your plants

The coffee grounds gradually release nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, basic components of fertilizers, very useful for the growth of your plants. In addition, it absorbs heavy metals that contaminate soil and water.


How to use it? Once it's completely dry and powdered, you can use it sparingly at the base of your indoor and outdoor plants.


It's a very nourishing natural fertilizer!


Marc de café pour vos plantes

Tips Home 🏡

If you are looking for THE 100% natural and therefore ecological miracle product that will help you do your dishes or unblock your pipes, this section is for you!

An excellent cleaning product

Coffee grounds can be used as household product! It is not very abrasive, and due to its antibacterial properties, it can be used for homemade soap recipes, for example. Its grainy texture gives a scrubbing effect and can therefore help you scour burnt pans.


Naturally degreasing, cleaning and deodorizing, it can also replace your dishwashing liquid! To unclog your pipes, you can regularly put a spoonful of coffee grounds mixed with warm water, it will prevent odors and grease deposits.

These coffee grounds are magical!


Marc de café pour nettoyer

Salt your walkways

Just like sand or salt, coffee grounds are effective for avoid slipping in winter.


Indeed, thanks to its acidity, coffee grounds will "salt" the icy surfaces. Note, however, that it is more effective on snow than on real ice.


There is still a much better way more economical and more environmentally friendly for your driveways!


Marc de café pour saler votre allée

Keep cats away

Are you tired of having the tips of your leaves chewed when you have catnip and your cat isn't even interested in it?


Mix coffee grounds and citrus peels (or juice) and sprinkle them over the top of your plant pots. The smell will bother your felines, who may end up being interested in your catnip! (it's nice to dream)


Note that this technique is also very good outdoors to scare away cats that are a little too interested in your flowerbeds.


Marc de café pour éloigner les chats de vos plantes

Neutralize odors

Got that delicious cheese filling your fridge? The nitrogen in coffee grounds helps neutralize odors!


Take a bowl or a small jar and place some still-damp grounds in it. Place it at the bottom of your fridge without covering it. Once it becomes completely dry, it's time to change the grounds.


And for DIY enthusiasts, the trick also works for fresh paint smells!

Marc de café pour éliminer les mauvaises odeurs du frigo

💡 Bonus tip: To avoid mess, slip the grounds into a cotton sock or small bag, or store them in an airtight jar ready to use.

Discover our coffee grounds containers

Tips Beauty 💆🏻‍♀️


We're always looking for great beauty products to help us shine every day and take care of our bodies. Well, coffee grounds are also excellent for beauty secrets!


Do a scrub

We're not telling you anything new, coffee grounds have a grainy texture. And so it's an ingredient perfect for your scrubs of skin! You can use it for the body or the face.


Use circular motions in the shower for a gentle exfoliating result.


For your face, you can prepare a mixture of one spoonful of marc, one spoonful of honey and one spoonful of almond oil, and apply it gently to your face, massaging gently to exfoliate your skin.


Marc de café pour vos gommages.

Soften your lips

As you saw just before, the grainy side of coffee grounds is perfect for exfoliating and scrubbing.


Do you have chapped lips? Mix half a spoonful of marc with half a spoonful of honey and you'll get a perfect scrub for your damaged lips.


Moisten your lips with a damp cloth, apply the mixture and make circular movements for 30 seconds, then wipe with a damp washcloth.


Sweet kisses guaranteed!


Marc de café pour adoucir vos lévres.

Bring your hair back to life

With coffee grounds, you can remove excess hair residue, make your hair shinier, and stimulate its growth! Note that this tip is mainly intended for brown hair, and yes, brunettes are not fools! :)


For shine, apply coffee grounds to your scalp with your fingertips and massage for 60 seconds. Rinse with cold water and then shampoo your hair with your regular shampoo. This will make your hair shinier in the long run!

Marc de café pour entretenir ses cheveux.

Fight against dark circles

The anti-inflammatory properties of caffeine help constrict blood vessels, which helps reduce puffiness under the eyes.


A very simple recipe to help you get rid of those nasty dark circles: a spoonful of coffee grounds, a spoonful of cottage cheese and a few drops of lemon.


Mix everything together and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours. You can then apply the mixture under your eyes, leave it on for 15 minutes, then wipe off with a cotton ball or damp washcloth.


You can also simply apply cooled coffee grounds under your eyes, let it sit for 10 minutes and rinse well to finish.

Marc de café pour lutter contre les cernes.

💬 Remember to dry the grounds well and store them in an airtight container away from humidity.

Discover our storage containers

Don't throw away your coffee grounds! They will be so useful to you every day :)

Do you have any other tips? Share them with us and write them in the comments of this article!

FAQ – Everything you need to know about coffee grounds

Should I rinse coffee grounds before using them?

No, no need.The grounds can be used as is once they are dry.
On the other hand, avoid using it while it is still wet , except within 24 hours, because it can quickly go moldy.

Can you store coffee grounds?

Yes, but only if it is well dried .
Spread it out on a tray, leave it out in the open air or near a radiator, then store it in an airtight container. You can also freeze it if you're storing a lot.

Is grounds good for all plants?

Not all of them. The grounds are slightly acidic , therefore ideal for hydrangeas, azaleas, tomatoes...
But avoid it for plants that prefer alkaline soil, such as lavender or geraniums.
Tip: Mix it with other composts to balance the pH.

Is it dangerous for animals?

The coffee grounds are toxic to dogs and cats if ingested in large quantities .
Keep it out of reach if you use it outdoors or in the garden.

Can I use it on my face or hair?

Yes, but gently. Grounds are a good natural exfoliant.
Choose a fine grind (espresso type) and mix with vegetable oil.
⚠️ Avoid the eye area and do not rub too hard.

Gaelle, gérante boutique

Gaelle, store manager & marketing

Has a big weakness for espresso, but also cappuccino with Sproud pea milk.