Combine This Pantry Staple With Coffee Grounds For The Hands-Down Best Natural Kitchen Cleaner

Whether you're using a pour-over brew method, drip machine, espresso machine, moka pot, or cold brew to make your morning cup of joe, you have a pile of used coffee grounds at the end of it all (a bigger pile if you're using the cold brew method). There are a few things you can do with leftover grounds: throw them in the trash, add them to your compost, or use them as fertilizer in your garden. The latter two options are great for sustainability and eco-friendliness. But there's another option that combines used coffee grounds with a pantry staple you may not know about, and it could change the way you clean your kitchen forever.

You may have heard of mixing white vinegar and baking soda to make a cleaning solution, but instead, mix vinegar with your coffee grounds for the best natural kitchen cleaner. Forget citrus or fresh scents, coffee-scented cleaner just might be the best smelling, and it works well. Similarly to the vinegar-baking soda mixture, the coffee grounds provide a mild abrasiveness, perfect for scrubbing away stuck-on food and other messes. The vinegar acts as a natural disinfectant against some foodborne bacteria, such as salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria monocytogenes, perfect for cleaning many areas of your kitchen (although it isn't as effective at dealing with other germs as standard disinfectants). Plus, vinegar's acidity helps break down grease and gunk. When you mix the two ingredients together you get that same fizzy action that helps lift away messes with ease. Less time scrubbing vigorously? Yes please! 

Before you make this natural kitchen cleaner, dry your used coffee grounds by spreading them in a thin layer on a baking sheet, then store them in an airtight container. It's best to keep them refrigerated to prevent mold from growing. You can leave them on your countertop, but you'll need to use them within a couple days. Note that you won't want to combine the grounds and vinegar before you plan on using this cleaner, because you need it to fizz only when you're ready to clean. So, you're going to keep them separated until it's time to tackle any kitchen messes, then you'll mix equal parts coffee grounds and vinegar. If you're more of a measure-with-your-heart person, feel free to spread some grounds on the surface you're cleaning and pour a little vinegar over them. Either way, allow the mixture to sit for five to 10 minutes before scrubbing with a sponge and wiping the surface clean. 

One of the best ways to use this cleaner is on your kitchen sink. It will lift up any stains and odors, leaving you with a deodorized and refreshed surface. It's best to avoid rinsing excess grounds down the drain to prevent clogs, though. This natural cleaner is also perfect for cleaning the inside of your dishwasher, fridge seal, countertops, inside of your oven, stovetops, and cutting boards. However, it is mildly abrasive due to the coffee grounds and can scratch certain surfaces, and vinegar can damage granite, so you should avoid using this combo on stainless steel, marble, granite countertops, and laminate.