In the No Buy Month Facebook Group, someone had a dilemma where they were frying food and were at a loss as to what they should use instead of paper towels to drain their food with. I suggested using coffee filters. Curious what else they could be used for I did a little research and voila! This list was born. (All of these are for the standard flared coffee filter variety unless otherwise stated).
- Cover food in microwave – Keep your dinner from flying all over when reheating it
- Clean windows – Like newspaper, they work great, and it’s even cheaper if you use DIY Window Cleaner
- Snack bowl – This is great for popcorn, dry cereal and anything else you want to eat after you’ve washed the dishes.
- Drain food – Line a plate or tray with filters and drain extra grease off of fried foods, or even to fix food mistakes like this clever cook!
- Shoe deodorizer – pour a few tablespoons of baking soda into a coffee filter and tie up with a rubber band or string.
- Clean your glasses – Next time you’re in the break room, grab a coffee filter and clean your specs
- Air freshener – Like the foot deodorizer, but with added essential oils. (You can tuck these in a drawer or two to freshen things up)
- Filter loose tea – Don’t have a tea ball? Use a coffee filter to steep loose tea. You can just use a strainer or check out this DIY coffee filter teabag tutorial.
- Apply shoe polish – Instead of messing up a cloth (I still recommend buffing with one though)
- Wax your eyebrows – I have not done this, but you apparently you can rip (or cut) a filter into thin strips and use them when you wax or sugar.
- Portable Strainer – Strain anything if you’re in a hurry and not near a traditional one
- Refill a narrow mouth container – The flat version of filter is best for this. I use a filter to refill my pepper mill. Works like a charm!
- Spoon rest – You can keep a plate cleaner if you do this
- Remove fingernail polish – Run out of cotton balls? use a piece of coffee filter instead!
- Dish Separator – I put a coffee filter between my good china plates to preserve them (This is also great for packing!)
- Soak up carpet spills – right after a spill, put a coffee filter on it to absorb most of the liquid before you start cleaning it
- Facial Blotter – Makeup running? Oily skin? Hot flashes?Just cut one of these into squares and keep in a littl baggie in your purse for those moments.
- Dryer sheets – Check out this tutorial on how to make your own!
- Screen Cleaner – Like washing your windows, but spray the cleaner on the filter first and then the computer or television screen
- Flowerpot liner – Cover that hole in the bottom of the pot with a single filter. this will keep things clean when you water, and wil also hold water near the roots for a bit longer!
- Cure for Puffy Eyes – soak one filter in aloe vera juice that’s been in the fridge, wring it out a bit, then cover eyes and relax.
- Napkins – I use fabric napkins, but while I’m cooking, I’ll use a coffee filter to wipe my hands on sometimes
- Juice a lemon – catch the seeds by wrapping a half lemon in a filter and then squeezing.
- Cleaning Chrome – Coffee Filters are excellent for cleaning chrome especially when using a mixture of McCormick%20Cream%20of%20Tartar,%201.5%20oz">McCormick%20Cream%20of%20Tartar,%201.5%20oz">McCormick%20Cream%20of%20Tartar,%201.5%20oz">McCormick%20Cream%20of%20Tartar,%201.5%20oz" target="_blank" title="cream of tartar, savvybrown">cream of tartar and water.
- Preserve vegetables – Wrap up cut veggies like carrots or celery int a coffee filter before placing in a plastic bag and refrigerating. They’ll last longer.
These are just some of the other uses for coffee filters. The great thing about them is that like 800 of filters cost less than $10. Whereas you only get 130 sheets or so (approx. 3 rolls of paper towels) is about the same price. And if you buy biodegradable coffee filters, they are better for the environment. If you’re trying to cut costs and green up your pantry, I suggest picking up a pack on your next grocery trip…even if you don’t drink coffee.
• What are some of your other uses for coffee filters?
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