Most people probably throw away coffee grounds. We reveal why you shouldn’t do this any more – and how coffee grounds keep mosquitoes and wasps away.
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in Germany. No wonder, as it not only wakes you up and tastes good, but can also have a positive effect on your health, as studies have shown.
The remaining coffee grounds can also be used in a variety of ways, for example as a fertiliser in the garden or as a hair and scalp treatment.
Good to know in summer: coffee grounds can also repel mosquitoes and wasps.
Get rid of mosquitoes: How coffee grounds help
Coffee grounds can be used as protection against mosquitoes and other insects. All you need to do is light them on fire. The resulting smoke drives away insects and therefore acts as a mosquito repellent, especially during outdoor activities and events.
REPELLING MOSQUITOES AND WASPS WITH COFFEE GROUNDS: HOW TO DO IT
- Collect the coffee grounds in advance and leave them on a baking tray or plate to dry thoroughly in the sun for a day so that they burn well later.
- Alternatively, you can heat them in the oven at 80 degrees for about half an hour or put them in the microwave for 5 minutes at medium power.
- When grilling, place the dried coffee grounds in a grill tray or on a sheet of aluminium foil and then light it with some charcoal or kitchen paper. Allow the resulting smoke to spread.
- If you want to enhance the effect of the smoke, you can also add fresh sage or rosemary and light it.
What’s behind the coffee grounds mosquito trick
The already strong odour of coffee or coffee grounds is intensified by burning and spread over a large area, keeping mosquitoes and other insects away.
Compared to chemical mosquito repellents, the use of coffee grounds is also natural, cheap and sustainable. What’s more, you can also clean the grill grate the next day with some coffee grounds.
