Coffee is clearly a drink about which we cannot say enough. It is our manna and our muse, a wellspring of both solace and celebration into which we dip without hesitation or regret. But let us not sell its capabilities short, for the sweet essence of the bean is more than a beverage. It’s a magician with multiple tricks up its sleeve. Here are a few of our favorites:
Fabric Dye. Light colored fabrics soaked in coffee take on a lovely aged patina. Place yours in coffee for 24 hours, rinse, and air dry. The longer it sits, the deeper the antiqued shade of tan you’ll achieve.
Wood Stain. Brew a pot of extra strong coffee. When it’s finished, dump the spent grounds back into your carafe. Let the coffee cool, then saturate any untreated wood with the results. Wait a while then wipe everything clean. As with fabric, the longer your wood soaks, the deeper the stain.
Breath Mint. If you’ve got breath issues, suck on a coffee bean. It will freshen your outflow, and you can chew it when you’re done to finish the job.
Hair Solution. Brew a pot of strong coffee, let it cool, and pour it into a bowl. Over the bowl in a sink, pour the coffee through your hair several times until your mane is saturated. Cover your head in a shower cap, wait 30 minutes, then rinse. Dark hair will get darker and attain a wonderful shine. Grey hair won’t be for awhile.
Vase Fillers. Whole coffee beans can be used as attractive natural vase fillers or in pencil holders and other containers that need some weight or stability. They have a gorgeous look and a great smell, too!
Furniture Scratch Remover. Dip a cotton swab in strong coffee or a paste of very finely ground beans. Rub the swab over the scratches in any dark wood. Let everything dry and brush off the remnants.
Scented Mood Candles. Fill a bowl with fresh roasted whole beans and place a tea light in the middle. The heat from the candle will cause the beans to emit their scent. Or buy some candle wicks from a craft store and grind some fresh coffee. Melt eight to ten tea lights in a double boiler, remove their wicks, add the coffee, stir, and pour into a small jelly jar. Tie the wick to a pencil and hang it down in the center of the candle (you may need to weight the wick’s bottom). Light the candle to add a delicious coffee scent to any room.
Air Freshener. Take an old pair of nylons, cut the legs off, insert one leg into the other, fill the toe with freshly coarse-ground coffee, cut the nylons somewhere above (exactly where will depend on how much grounds you’ve added) and tie off the nylon above the coffee. Place these around the house to absorb odors and add the aroma of your preferred beverage to every corner of your home.