Coffee grounds are the first thing we throw away when we finish preparing the coffee and get ready to wash the coffee maker.
There are those who drink coffee several times a day, even at night, and therefore have grams and grams of coffee grounds at their disposal to use in a hundred ways . However, not many people know this and waste them by throwing them down the sink drain or in the trash.
In this case, as in many others, homemade methods work 100% and allow you to obtain excellent results by solving difficult problems and issues without wasting money.
Common ingredients and objects at home that come in handy in a thousand ways
It is enough to use ingredients or objects that anyone has at home, often in the kitchen, to eliminate the strong and unpleasant odor from any surface. This is the case of coffee grounds that, spread inside shoes, give surprising results.
Shoes that are worn for a whole day to work, or while training or simply to go out to do some shopping, normally once removed they give off a bad smell that cannot be counteracted with any indicated product. Closed-toed shoes especially stink , but open-toed shoes are no joke either.
How to use coffee grounds to neutralize odors
Coffee grounds should be poured into your shoes, but they should be completely dry to do their best job. The drying step is essential, because only under these conditions can they act as a deodorant.
Coffee grounds can be used not only inside shoes, but also in many places in the house to absorb bad odors.
The first thing we should do is empty the coffee pot, perhaps onto a separate plate or bowl , to ensure that they dry quickly. In summer they will dry in less than a day, in winter it may take a little longer.
Once ready, you can crumble them inside your shoes and after a maximum of 5 hours take them off, shaking them well on the floor. Bad odors will no longer exist. To avoid the difficulty of cleaning, some people put them in a handkerchief or an open bag placed inside the shoe.
Alternatives to coffee grounds
Alternatively, you can use dryer softener sheets , which maintain a light, pleasant and not excessive aroma. In this case, the sheets are placed directly inside the shoes. If they do not smell as you want , you can also try adding drops of essential oil to them.
Or , you can use baking soda , two tablespoons of the product, with 5 drops of essential oil of the fragrance you like the most can solve the problem. Mix the baking soda well with the drops of oil and sprinkle them together inside the footwear directly on the sole where we place our feet. Simply follow the same instructions as for ground coffee and you will get great results in just a few hours.
The last emergency remedy may be cat litter . Pour a little directly into the shoes and then remove it, the same is done with citrus peels or with aromatic herbs or with cotton that must first be soaked with drops of essential oils and then placed inside the shoe . . In a few minutes your shoes will smell good.
Alternative uses for coffee grounds at home, this is what you didn’t know
Coffee grounds can be used in many other ways at home. For example to keep ants away. In this case, they are simply placed in the areas where intervention is necessary. Or to dye fabrics. They are brought to a boil and then used as a natural dye, they are used to paint on canvas, or for fabrics of any type, or simply to paint paper.
On the other hand, those who have a fireplace can try using them to eliminate bad odors. They can even be used to clean the house, to remove stubborn dirt. They are rubbed with a sponge. If this is not enough or to obtain a much better result, add a little water and natural soap that helps clean faster and without too much effort.