Have you ever drained leftover coffee grounds down the kitchen sink? If your answer is yes, know that it isn’t the best practice.
Disposing of coffee grounds down the sink won’t have immediate consequences, but doing it continuously can result in drainage clogs in the long run.
So, it’s definitely not safe to dispose of coffee grounds down the sink. Read this blog to know how to dispose of coffee grounds properly.
Can I Dispose of Coffee Grounds Down the Sink?
Many people pour the leftover coffee grounds into their kitchen sink for two reasons; it’s convenient, and it masks the unpleasant smell that often comes from kitchen drains.
Well, while disposing of coffee grounds down the sink might make your kitchen smell pleasant for the time being, you’re welcoming trouble by doing so.
Can you dispose of coffee grounds down the sink? Yes. Should you do it? NO.
An old myth says pouring leftover coffee grounds in the drain is good, but there’s absolutely no truth in it. You shouldn’t dispose of coffee grounds down the sink, no matter how tempted you may feel.
Why Should You Avoid Disposing of Coffee Grounds Down the Sink?
Dry coffee grounds look like a very fine powder. What harm can they possibly do? Well, this is where you’re mistaken.
When coffee grounds are wet, they form a clumpy, thick paste that won’t flow down the drain as swiftly as you think it would. It would stick to the pipes and wreak havoc.
Coffee grounds don’t break in the water. Instead, they become sticky and form clumps.
Coffee grounds aren’t the primary factor that contributes to drain clogs. It’s the grease from washing dishes. The grease sticks to the walls of the drainage pipes, and it continues to build up over time.
When you drain wet coffee grounds down the drain, they stick to the congealed grease in the drainage pipes and become a part of the drain sludge.
If you continue to pour coffee grounds in the sink, it’ll soon block your drainage pipes completely. And that’s nothing short of a nightmare for homeowners!
If you’re ever too lazy to dispose of coffee grounds in your compost bin, you can pour wet coffee grounds down the sink. Doing it occasionally won’t do any damage.
But if you start doing it routinely, that’s when you start stirring plumbing troubles!
Can I Dispose of Coffee Grounds Down the Garbage Disposal?
Your natural instinct would be to dispose of coffee grounds down the garbage disposal, if not the sink. After all, the garbage disposal is for disposing of garbage, and that’s what used coffee grounds are. Right?
Wrong.
Disposing of coffee grounds down the garbage disposal is as dangerous as pouring them down your kitchen sink. Yes, used coffee grounds are waste, but they shouldn’t be disposed of through garbage disposal.
Just like a wet, sticky mass of coffee grounds can clog the drainage pipes, it can also clog the garbage disposal system.
Disposing of coffee grounds through garbage disposal occasionally is alright, but doing it every time you make coffee will jam your garbage disposal system.
Even when you occasionally dump coffee grounds in your garbage disposal, it should be followed by pouring lots of water.
That’ll ensure that coffee grounds don’t dry out and accumulate in the drain pipes or impellers.
But, once a drain clog is formed, pouring water won’t make a difference. At this point, you’ll need to call a professional plumber to unclog the garbage disposal system.
What is the Safest Way of Disposing of Coffee Grounds?
Now that the options to pour coffee grounds down the sink and garbage disposal are out, what is the correct way to dispose of coffee grounds?
Dump Them in the Trash
The safest way of disposing of coffee grounds is by dumping them into the trash. When you’re washing your coffee mugs or kettle, simply pour the leftover contents through a strainer.
Dump the contents of the strainer directly into the trash. Pouring through a strainer would ensure no coffee grounds end up in your drainage. You can also dump coffee grounds in your compost bin.
If you use filter paper for your coffee, simply dump the entire thing (filter paper with coffee grounds) into your trash bin.
Dump Them in the Compost Bin
Dumping coffee grounds in the compost bin is an even better option. Coffee grounds contain high quantities of nitrogen and potassium. They’re also rich in carbon content, which is great for the soil.
Coffee grounds add these essential elements to the soil to make it more fertile. They also absorb heavy metals, which aren’t the best for plants. Coffee grounds also attract beneficial earthworms.
Coffee grounds are too acidic to be used in the garden directly. If you pour coffee grounds into the soil directly, they can change the pH of the soil.
However, when they’re mixed with other organic matter in the compost bin, they make an amazing compost mix that’s great for gardening!
If you’ve got a garden, coffee grounds can help you make in-house fertilizer for your plants!
What Else Can You Do with Your Coffee Grounds?
The sticky mass of coffee grounds that you think is ‘wastage’ is so much more than just that! Most people only have two options when it comes to disposing of coffee grounds; dump them in the trash or add them to the compost.
But you can use coffee grounds in so many other ways. Your coffee grounds don’t necessarily have to end up in the waste (or in the drainage pipes!).
Let’s see what you can do with your coffee grounds instead of disposing of them.
Use Them as Odor Absorbers
Coffee grounds make excellent odor absorbers for your fridge or anywhere in your house where unpleasant odors overwhelm the atmosphere.
All you’ve got to do is spread used coffee grounds on a tray and leave them to dry. Once they’re dry, pour the dried used coffee grounds into a bowl. Place the bowl at the back of the fridge or anywhere in your house.
Coffee grounds absorb odors efficiently. They’ll absorb the odor of the leftovers in your fridge and ensure everything in your fridge doesn’t smell like what you had last night.
You can also place a bowl of dried coffee grounds in your living room to keep it from smelling like what you cook. They can also be used to make your bedroom smell pleasant.
Use Them as Exfoliant
Coffee is so much more than just the morning supply of energy. You can continue to enjoy the benefits even after you’ve used your coffee grounds to make a hot cup of coffee.
Coffee grounds make an excellent exfoliant. You can use coffee grounds to exfoliate your hands to get rid of stubborn smells.
You can also mix coffee grounds with coconut oil to scrub your body to scrape off dead skin cells.
Coffee grounds can offer tremendous benefits for your skin. You can incorporate coffee grounds into any DIY scrubs to exfoliate the rough areas of your skin, like knees, elbows, and feet.
Coffee grounds contain caffeine (of course) which can improve the look of your skin. Caffeine constricts your skin and makes it look tighter and firmer. The effects are temporary but prominent.
Exfoliating your skin with coffee grounds can make cellulite look less obvious and also reduce the puffiness of your eyes. If you’re heading out, treating your face with a DIY coffee grounds scrub won’t hurt!
Make Scented Candles
Aromatherapy is a real thing. Certain fragrances can make you feel better, and the fragrance of coffee is one of those.
You can make coffee-scented candles at home. Just melt wax in a pot, add some coffee grounds, and pour the mixture into a container with candlewick, and you’re done!
Make Soap
You can also make handmade soap using coffee grounds. Not only will the soap smell great, but you can enjoy the benefits of caffeine for the skin. What many people don’t know is that the skin can absorb the caffeine.
Use an Insect Repellent
As much as humans like the smell of coffee, insects dislike it. You can place dried coffee grounds in your living room or bedroom and use them as insect repellent.
It’s time you bid farewell to unpleasant-smelling insect repellent sprays. Coffee grounds will serve 2 purposes simultaneously; repel insects and leave your home smelling nice!
Closing Word
Disposing of coffee grounds down the sink isn’t the best practice. You won’t notice the consequences right away. The wet mass will keep building up in the drainage pipes, and it’ll be too late by the time you know.
Drainage clogs are a major inconvenience. Not to mention the mess that comes with it. Coffee grounds will clog and jam your drainage; you’ll need to call a professional plumber to fix it.
If you can’t see yourself using coffee grounds productively, the safest way to dispose of coffee grounds is to dump them in the trash. Convenient and harmless!
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