Why Putting Coffee Grounds In Your Freezer Before A Vacation Is So Smart

it a power outage happens while you're away on vacation, any food stored in your freezer is in jeopardy. Whether due to a weather-related power outage or random appliance failure, spoiled food smells bad... and it gets even worse as the days go by. By the time you come back home to clean it all out, the inside of your freezer is liable to have developed into a pretty ugly scene. However, with one proactive tip, you can jet off with peace of mind by simply leaving some coffee grounds in the freezer.

Coffee grounds can help neutralize fridge odors for day-to-day freshness. But, in an emergency, those grounds can also neutralize foul odors if the food in the freezer spoils. While foodies will still have an unsavory cleanup job awaiting them, at least the stench will be minimized, making an unpleasant job slightly less unpleasant. According to the USDA, food stored in a freezer can go bad just 24 hours after a power outage, and meat and dairy products are likely to spoil even faster. For maximum odor absorption, spread dry coffee grounds out on a tray or plate before popping them in the freezer. 

The odor-eliminating power of coffee grounds is due to their naturally porous structure and high nitrogen content. The coffee's nitrogen neutralizes sulfur-containing compounds — a major player in food spoilage smells. Simultaneously, the roasting process opens a network of channels rippling through the coffee grounds, a labyrinth of available surface area upon which those odor molecules can adhere.

If food goes bad and odors still linger inside the freezer, those coffee grounds can be used once again to fight any stubborn smells. After giving that freezer a deep scrub, loosely sprinkle dry coffee grounds over a cookie sheet, then place the sheet on the bottom of the freezer. Here, the adsorbent agents will be able to soak up as much of those odor-causing molecules as possible. Keep the freezer running on its normal setting for two to three days. After this period, the spoilage smells will be replaced by a faint coffee aroma, which can be scrubbed out using hot, soapy water. 

For regular housekeeping, the stink-fighting abilities of coffee grounds can be applied to the fridge, too. To do it, place those grounds in a breathable container like a fabric sachet or a jar covered with a paper towel, then strategically place the jar in your fridge. This odor-controlling tip also works for other areas in the home, like in your garage.