July 18, 2025, 12:46 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
No one wants to return from vacation and be greeted by an unpleasant smell from the bathroom upon entering their home. Especially in the toilet, unpleasant odors or even deposits can form during extended absences. However, there is a surprisingly simple and eco-friendly trick that can help: putting coffee grounds in the toilet before you leave.
Why Coffee Grounds?
Coffee grounds are a tried-and-true home remedy used in many areas: from fertilizing the garden to neutralizing odors in the fridge. They can also be used in the toilet due to their natural odor-binding properties. These properties can help prevent unpleasant odors from developing in the toilet water during your absence. Additionally, coffee grounds are slightly abrasive: their grainy texture can help remove light deposits in the toilet that form when water sits in the bowl for an extended period.
How the Coffee Grounds Trick Works
The morning before vacation: The suitcases are packed, and before leaving, you enjoy a cup of coffee. The leftover coffee grounds don’t go in the trash as usual but directly into the toilet:
- Let the coffee grounds cool briefly
- Put 1–2 tablespoons of the coffee grounds directly into the toilet
- If desired, add some baking soda or baking powder
- Let it sit briefly
- Then flush once so the coffee grounds reach the siphon–where they are particularly effective at binding odors
During your absence, the coffee grounds prevent foul odors from developing in the drain or siphon. They can also help prevent light deposits caused by standing water.
Eco-Friendly and Free
The biggest advantage: This trick is eco-friendly and costs nothing–after all, coffee grounds are a daily byproduct for coffee drinkers. Unlike chemical cleaners or air fresheners, coffee grounds do not pollute the wastewater or the air in your home.
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Can Coffee Grounds Cause Clogs?
In general, coffee grounds are biodegradable and water-soluble, though not completely. In typical household amounts (one to two tablespoons), the risk of clogging is very low, especially if the toilet is flushed regularly and vigorously. Problems can arise only if coffee grounds are regularly disposed of in large quantities through the toilet–which should not be done anyway. In this case, the coffee grounds can combine with existing deposits in pipes and drains due to their fatty nature and lead to clogs.
Overall, the coffee grounds trick is a simple, eco-friendly, and nearly cost-free method to avoid unpleasant odors in the toilet during extended absences. If you want to avoid unpleasant surprises in the kitchen after vacation, it’s best to leave a sheet of paper and a glass in the sink.