Why Coffee Lovers Are Saving Their Grounds And You Should Too
At Win Win Coffee, we believe every bean has a story, and a second act.
Sure, the first chapter ends in your favorite mug, steamy, bold, maybe with a little oat milk and cinnamon on top. But what if I told you the journey doesn’t stop there?
Let me take you back to a conversation I had with one of our longtime customers, Mark. He’s a self-proclaimed espresso enthusiast and weekend mechanic. One afternoon, he emailed us, not about coffee flavor notes or brew ratios—but about how used coffee grounds changed the smell of his garage.
“I left a bowl of grounds in the corner next to the lawnmower, and by the next morning, no more gas smell,” he wrote.
That sparked a whole rabbit hole of research (and a quick sniff test in my own garage, of course). Turns out, Mark was onto something.
Coffee Grounds: The Unsung Hero of Home Hacks
Used coffee grounds are naturally absorbent and can neutralize odors like gasoline, oil, and even paint fumes. According to Foodie.com, simply placing a bowl of dried grounds in a musty garage or basement can soak up lingering smells, kind of like baking soda, but with more character.
You don’t need to be a DIY wizard to try this. Here’s how:
Quick Tip:
After brewing your Win Win blend (I’m partial to our Sunday Driver on slow mornings), lay the grounds out on a baking sheet to dry.
Once completely dry, place them in an open container or breathable fabric pouch.
Tuck it in your garage, gym bag, closet, or even your car.
Pro tip? Add a drop of essential oil, like orange or cedar, for bonus freshness.
A Ritual Worth Savoring
This whole discovery made me think about how often we rush through our coffee rituals. We brew, we sip, we toss the grounds, and in doing so, maybe we’re missing a quiet moment of connection.
One of my favorite things about coffee culture is how personal it is. At Win Win, we’ve had customers tell us they start every Sunday by grinding beans by hand just to hear the crunch-crunch rhythm echo through their kitchens. Others light a candle while their French press steeps. Some folks swear by the meditative swirl of their pour-over routine.
And now? Some of us are tossing a scoop of used grounds into a mason jar to fight off funky smells in the garage. That’s community, right there.
It’s more than just coffee. It’s how we live around it.
Brew Better. Waste Less.
Sustainability has always been part of our mission. That’s why we love learning new ways our blends keep giving long after your last cup.
Here are a few other ways our customers reuse their grounds (besides garage magic):
Garden Gold – Coffee grounds are great for your garden. Mix them into compost or sprinkle around acid-loving plants like tomatoes and hydrangeas.
Natural Scrub – Combine with coconut oil and a bit of sugar for a DIY body scrub. A few customers even use it to clean stubborn pans.
Pest Repellent – Believe it or not, some folks say ants and snails avoid coffee grounds like we avoid decaf on Monday mornings.
If you're trying any of these hacks, I encourage you to keep it safe and simple. Always dry your grounds first to avoid mold and when in doubt, just experiment with small batches.
Let’s Keep Brewing Something Good
Even though we don’t have a comment section, I read every customer email like it's a postcard from a friend. The tips you share, the rituals you’ve built around your morning mug, it all feeds back into what we do at Win Win Coffee.
Our blends might start in a bag, but their stories unfold in your homes, your hands, and apparently, your garages.
So the next time you’re about to toss those used grounds in the trash, think of Mark. Think of the scent of espresso doing battle with motor oil. And maybe, just maybe, give those grounds a second chance.
Because at Win Win Coffee, we believe every cup, and every bean, deserves a little more love.
