A Floridian TikToker named LJ (@ljonthebayouuu) is helping to spread the word about an easy hack to help repel pesky bugs in your yard.
"Works like a charm," they proclaimed.
@ljonthebayouuu It works! Go enjoy your backyard! Your welcome! 🥰#bughacks #coffeegrounds #noseums ♬ original sound - ljonthebayouuu
The scoop
Seasonal bugs can be a real annoyance –– or even a danger –– to anyone trying to enjoy the outdoors. A TikToker from Florida shared a genius hack for helping with local no-see-ums or any bothersome bugs: burning coffee grounds.
Whether you're gardening or hosting a backyard gathering, enjoying the outdoors during the warmer months is a common activity that is often plagued by biting, or at the least, bothersome bugs.
Keeping a natural lawn or rewilding your yard by planting native species is a great way to promote biodiversity, attracting pollinators that help maintain a balanced ecosystem. However, not-so-fun friends like no-see-ums, mosquitoes, and other bugs can also thrive.
Rather than spraying them with harmful chemical pest killers that can hurt beneficial pollinators in the process, LJ shared that burning coffee, as also recommended by Death Wish Coffee, is an easy and environmentally friendly way to keep pests at bay so you can enjoy your outdoor space. As with the burning of any substance, it should not be done in a way that would have any humans or pets inhaling the smoke, but if it can be done in safe ways, the smell may deter insects.
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How it's helping
Annoying bugs may drive us indoors, but if we have an easy, environmentally friendly way to enjoy the outdoors, we can participate in activities like exercise, gardening, and simple relaxation.
Spending time outdoors gardening has proven to have physical and mental health benefits, so finding a way to prevent bugs from infringing upon our outdoor wellness activities is important to maintaining our health and the health of the local ecosystem.
Traditional chemical pest control methods can be harmful to plants and pollinators that help create a balanced ecosystem and can also be harmful to humans, so it is beneficial to the environment and our health to find alternative ways to drive unwanted bugs away.
LJ says that burning coffee grounds is an easy way to repel bugs without harming the local ecosystem by using toxic chemical methods. The native bugs can do their thing without bothering you.
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Do you worry about getting diseases from bug bites?
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Absolutely 👍 Coffee grounds are effective at repelling bugs because they have a strong smell that is repulsive to many bugs. You can use fresh or used coffee grounds, and burning them can be even more effective, strengthening the smell.
What everyone's saying
TikTokers were amazed at the simplicity and effectiveness of the coffee-ground repellent.
"Is it just coffee grounds?" one inquired.
"I'm going to try this," declared another.
The OP responded, telling followers, "you won't be disappointed!"
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