Are you guilty of draining your coffee grounds down the sink? We are. There are times you just want to get rid of them and when the laziness takes over, down the sink they go. But is that the most elegant solution for disposing of coffee grounds?
Can you put coffee grounds down the sink? No, you shouldn’t put coffee grounds down the sink. Coffee grounds don’t break up easily. Over time, these coffee grounds will get stuck with the already present sludge buildup in your drain and can cause clogging. For the same reason, you should avoid disposing of them in garbage disposals as well.
Let’s take a couple of minutes of your time and find out why this isn’t a great practice and what you can do with your used coffee grinds so that you can prevent a clogged drain and even safeguard your septic system (more on that later).
Can You Flush Coffee Grounds Down the Sink?
We already gave this question a quick answer with a firm no.
But why do people do it?
Well, for one, it’s easy to just put your coffee grounds in your sink and turn the water on. People are lazy sometimes, and sometimes they genuinely can’t think of a better way. Here’s where we come in.
So why shouldn’t you put your coffee grounds in your sink or drain?
Draining your coffee grounds through the sink drain once won’t cause any damage. Coffee grounds alone won’t cause any clogging.
If you handle your drain cleaning, you should know that grease accumulates in your drain pipes as a result of the substances we drain in our sink. This grease is mostly made up of fatty solids.
When you put your coffee down the kitchen drain, there is a good chance that it can stick to the grease, and the build-up over time can cause the clogging of your drain pipe.
That’s the reason why it’s not a great idea to send your coffee grounds down the drain. But if you have done it once or twice, then there is no need to fret over it.
Related Read: Can You Eat Coffee Grounds?
Can You Dispose of Coffee Grounds Using a Garbage Disposal?
If flushing coffee grounds down the sink is not a good idea, then how about using a garbage disposal?
Garbage disposal is the next place people look after they realize that coffee grounds and sinks are not good friends.
Unfortunately, garbage disposal and coffee grounds don’t work well together.
Let me explain.
Just like the sink, the garbage disposal also poses the same risk of clogging when you put used coffee grounds in it. It won’t happen after a couple of times, but it is a strong possibility when you do it regularly.
If your garbage disposal gets clogged, you might have to call in a plumber to set that right and that’s going to cost you some $$$. If you don’t want to involve a plumbing service, then do avoid putting your coffee grounds in your garbage disposal.
What to do if you’ve already done that once or twice?
Well, there is no need to panic. You can flush the coffee grounds with a lot of water. You can also use moderate hot water to ensure those coffee grounds won’t clog your garbage disposal.
Can You Flush Coffee Grounds Down Your Toilet or Shower Drain?
So the kitchen sink and the garbage disposal are a no-go for getting rid of your coffee grounds. What’s next? Toilet? Shower drain?
While it might not look like a bad idea as clogging, in this case, is a remote possibility, it can lead to a whole different kind of problem.
If you drain your coffee grounds down the toilet or shower drain, you increase the chances of accumulating solid waste in your septic tank. When you keep doing this for a long enough time, your septic tank is going to be full of solid waste that needs to be handled professionally which in turn is going to cost you money.
Unlike other types of waste, coffee has acidic elements that may spike the pH level of your septic tank, and these acidic levels will have a negative impact on the tank, which may then lead to bacteria accumulation.
And certain bacteria are known to affect the natural decomposition of waste.
So above all, it is safe to say that disposing of coffee grounds down the sink, garbage disposal, toilet, and shower drains is not ideal. While each of these methods may seem like unharmful practices, the adverse long-term effects can be a pain in the you-know-what.
Also Read: Can You Use Coffee Grounds Twice?
What is the Best Way to Dispose of Coffee Grounds?
So if none of the above options is advisable, what then is the best way to dispose of ground coffee waste?
In my opinion, the best way to do it is to empty the grounds into a paper bag or nylon, tie or seal it and dump it into your waste bin for eventual disposal outside your home.
This way, you don’t give room for your pipes to be compromised when your flush the coffee down your drain line. Secondly, your pipes and septic tank will not accumulate grease and organic materials that disrupt the flow or the natural decomposing process.
However, consider emptying them outside your home if the coffee grounds are liquid and can not be placed in a bag. If you have a garden, you can pour it there. Evidence suggests that coffee ground compost is good for the soil.
Note: If you pour coffee grounds into your sink by accident, ensure that you flush it with enough water as quickly as possible. This will reduce the possibility of congealment.
Better Ways to Use Coffee Grounds
Remember when we said you can use spend your coffee grounds outside your home?
In this section, we’ll explain exactly how to do that. These smart ways are practical options that have been proven to be quite useful. So instead of wasting your used coffee grounds, you can try any of these methods.
As a Garden Fertilizer
Coffee grounds contain some mineral components that are good for the soil. So you can use it to fertilize your garden. Throw coffee grounds into your compost pile and you have a natural fertilizer that’s great for your garden.
Coffee grounds will make your plants grow much better by enriching the soil. Above that, coffee grounds are good at absorbing heavy metals and contaminants in the soil. So all these work to purify the soil, which can only have a positive effect on plants.
Grounds also attract worms which helps hardness to flourish. So for what it’s worth, disposing of your spent coffee grounds in your garden (if you have one) is a good idea.
As an Insect Repellent
You can also use the grounds as an insect repellent.
This practice may be unpopular, but it is effective. You can sprinkle the grounds in areas you don’t want insects invading, and the odor will keep them away.
Tend Your Pets
Is your dog or cat suffering from fleas infestation?
You can shampoo your pet with ground coffee to kill off fleas and insects in its furs.
You might wanna be a bit more careful here as it involves the health of your pet.
Make sure you know all of your pet’s allergies before doing something like this. Ask your vet if this is harmless for your pet and then proceed.
Eliminate Odours
Ground coffee can be used to eliminate odors in your home. You can do this by masking the odor with that of coffee.
To do this, pour the coffee into a bowl and place it in your fridge. The frozen or cold coffee will give out a pleasant odor that will mask the foul odor in your home.
That brings us to the end of the post.
We hope you liked the advice.
Draining coffee grounds down the sink is never a good idea.
It can give your temporary relief, but one day you will have to clean the drainage pipes in your plumbing system and that might drain your wallet.
Instead, use some of the alternative ways we suggested. Let us know how it works out. If you have any other awesome ideas on how to reuse coffee grounds, do let us know below!