If you enjoy brewing a hot cup of coffee each morning, you might have a powerful pest deterrent sitting in your coffee machine. If your backyard is plagued with weasels, make sure to save your spent coffee grounds rather than throwing them out. That’s because you can use them to repel the weasels from your lawn. While Weasels might look cute at first glance, their burrows create a whole host of problems for homeowners. Not only do they ruin the aesthetic of your lawn, but these cozy dens can also encourage other pests to set up camp in your yard, including moles and snakes. To avoid this headache, use your spent coffee grounds to push them out.
This is a great hack to try because it utilizes something you already have in your home — rather than running to the store to buy a specialty pest repellant — and gives a second life to something you were about to toss in the trash. Moreover, it’s a humane way to keep critters out of your yard, which is great for people who want to relocate rather than hurt animals. Here’s how to use coffee to get these animals off your property for good.
How to use coffee grounds to repel weasels
Coffee grounds have a strong, acidic, and bitter scent, which will overload the sensitive noses of weasels. They use their sense of smell to find food and communicate with one another, so when they are near something pungent such as used coffee grounds, they will run in the opposite direction. To use it as a deterrent, grab your spent dregs and spread them around their burrow holes or near places you think they’re hunting — such as around a chicken coop or near trees with bird nests. Since you’re relying on the strong smell to drive them out of your yard, you will need to replace the coffee grounds at least once a week or after it rains.
The good news is that the grounds won’t harm your soil or lawn, either. While coffee beans are acidic, they become a neutral pH after being brewed, meaning they will have either a temporary or no effect on your soil. However, this might not be the best hack to try if you allow your cats or dogs outside. According to Nationwide Pet Insurance, grounds can be highly toxic to these animals due to their caffeine content, so be sure to keep your pets away from the dregs.
