Although we've recently shown you how to use a Walnut to cover scratches in furniture that needs a little love, some weren't big on the idea due to nut allergies. Although the risk in the idea might be small, there's another way you can buff out those nicks and dings — coffee grounds.
Over at 365 Ways To Go Green, Mike Lieberman shows us how to apply used coffee grounds with a cotton swab to help cover those unsightly scratches. This is a perfect trick for those with medium-dark furniture as the coffee is slightly darker than the walnut oil we had been using previously.
We would suggest that after the application, you let the grounds sit for 5-10 minutes before buffing things with a cotton rag to ensure you won't end up with coffee pants next time you sit down — because no one will believe you that it's coffee and not something else.
Do you have a great furniture fix? Let us know below!
(via: 365 Ways To Go Green)
Image: Mike Lieberman
DIY Idea: Concrete Pendant Lamp
Danielle's Charming, Classic Walk-Up
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
White Enamel Flatwa...
On Saying No to Paleo: Why Eating Isn't One Size Fits All
Perfect Summer Cocktail Recipe: Honey Bourbon Lemonade
I'd like to see some examples of this in action before I put coffee all over my MCM walnut dining table...
I agree. And though I love me some coffee, what about smell? I really don't want my house smelling like a coffee house!
Laura
http://www.justalittlebit.net
Hmmm. Sounds ingenious. Is it too good to be true? Has anyone tried this? I would like to hear about the results.
-anna
chateausavoie.com
@Laura You DON'T want your house to smell like coffee? Preposterous.
Mixing up a little acrylic paint works wonders, imo. You can even water it down to act more like a stain.
here's another coffee tip. i've used multiple thin applications of coffee to stain a spot on a beige sisal rug back to normal after i (stupidly) scrubbed the color out it with carpet cleaner. it really worked. i used a little craft brush and the last sip of my morning coffee each day for a few days. now the spot is barely noticeable.
coffee grounds.
My son has allergies to several foods, including nuts. Although my son's nut allergies are not severe unless he actually ingests them, there are many, many people who will react severely (sometimes even resulting in death) from a mere speck of nut dust. There is also evidence that each subsequent exposure can increase the severity of their reactions. I knew absolutely nothing about food allergies until my son started eating solid foods as a baby. I had no choice but to educate myself, and he is part of the reason I went back to school to become a registered nurse. Thanks for being sensitive to the request, and offering an alternative. I'll definitely give this a try!
ah coffee: not only does it wake you up in the morning (mid morning, afternoon etc..) it also actually acts as a scent absorber and repels ants.
no worries, laura, your house will actually smell better (or -- at least -- less).
Haha, I don't mind if the house has a faint smell of coffee, or if a particular piece of furniture does, but the boyfriend is a coffee-hater, so it might not go over too well. I should try it and see if he notices.. ;)
Laura
http://www.justalittlebit.net
My old boyfriend put coffee beans in his shoes when he got home from work everyday to absorb the stinky feet smell. It didn't smell like coffee when you walked in the door though, just not like stinky shoes.
i clicked thru just to see how many people were going to take issue with coffee "grinds" vs "grounds. surprised to see there weren't more.
Sounds like a nice idea which I could certainly use right about now, but alas, I'm a tea drinker. The only coffee in my house is a very small canister of instant.