Like countless other conscientious people, you try your best to see that papers, plastics and cardboard products from your home get to the proper recycling location. But how about all of the other items you toss in the trash on a daily basis? A report by National Geographic reports that 80 percent of Americans drink coffee at least occasionally, where a fifth of all coffee is consumed. That is a lot of coffee grounds winding up in the garbage, when they could be put to better use.
Add a bit of water to coffee grounds to make a paste. Use a cotton swab to rub the paste into scratches on your dark wood furniture. Wipe the excess away with a soft cloth (like a piece of an old T-shirt).
Add grounds to your compost heap, or directly to the soil of plants that like acidic soil (see Resources below). An added benefit is that many insects such as ants and slugs do not like coffee.