“Coffee filters are FUN!”
“No they’re not.”
“Yes they ARE!!!”
It’s fun to find multi-uses for everyday things.
It’s fun not spending money on things when you can use what you have.
It’s fun to be creative!
My favorite use for coffee filters is, of course, for making coffee.
Next? I use them as a popcorn bowl.
Next? I use them as a popcorn bowl.
The guys at the shop I worked at years ago (theatrical sound & lighting) used them for popcorn all the time. You’d think we worked in a popcorn factory the way the yummy popcorn smells would fill the atmosphere of our warehousey building. (You know, concrete floors, limited windows. I was the “nice voice” on the phone and did a lot of the clerical work.) So, mid-afternoon the popcorn would come out, “pop, pop popping” in the microwave. We’d split it up in coffee filters for everyone to take back to their desks. Easy cleanup!
So, as a tribute to the very versatile coffee filter, here are 21 excellent uses:
1. Air Fresheners – most of us know that baking soda is a fine, natural air freshener. Instead of placing an open box in the refrigerator, spread it around. Put some baking soda in your coffee filters and tie them up at one end with a ribbon or string. Place a couple in the refrigerator and use others in “stinky places” like athletic shoes and such.
2. Bowl – as we said, they make simple, disposable bowls for all kinds of snacks including popcorn, cookies, trail mix, etc.
3. Coffee – of course, of course, of course BREW SOME COFFEE!
4. Computer Screen Cleaner– now this comes with the caveat that you must be GENTLE with computer screens. Use high quality filters and gently wipe the screen.
5. Crisper — wrap your celery in a coffee filter before placing it in your refrigerator crisping drawer. Keeps it crisp longer!
6. Decorations–have you seen the gorgeous “floral” arrangements and wreaths made out of COFFEE FILTERS? The talent out there is amazing. Some of them are simply elegant!
This fall wreath is just one fabulous example:
7. Eye Glass Cleaner– as with computer screens, be very gentle. Coffee filters do not leave lint behind like other paper products so that can be very good for cleaning eye glasses.
8. Flower Pot Liner– before you pot your plants, lay a single coffee filter at the bottom of the pot. If you have leakage, it will minimize the mess.
9. Fruit Bowl Liner – place a coffee filter underneath your fresh fruit centerpiece and keep it fresh longer.
10. Glass Cleaner – coffee filters used in place of paper toweling give a streak-free, lint-free clean to your windows.
11. Hot Dog or Taco Holder – coffee filters make great holders for hot dogs and tacos. Keeps the muss from little hands (and big ones, too.)
12. Kids Crafts — make everything from butterflies to fish to flowers using coffee filters.
13. Popsicle Stick “Drip Catcher” – use mini-coffee filters to keep that popsicle from dripping down your little one’s arm! Just poke a hole in the filter and slip it up the stick like a skirt.
14. Rust Preventer – cast iron skillets tend to rust. After washing and drying yours, put a coffee filter in the bottom and store away.
15. Sandwich Wrap – wrap sandwiches in coffee filters before placing them in plastic sandwich bags. Keeps the bread from getting soggy.
16. Scratch Preventer -place coffee filters in between your fine china in the cupboard to protect them from scratching each other.
17. Shoe Polishing — apply shoe polish to leather shoes with coffee filters. Buff them with them, too.
18. Sorter – organize craft beads and other small items that can roll away from you when doing projects. Sort, separate and when you’re done just throw the filter away!
18. Sorter – organize craft beads and other small items that can roll away from you when doing projects. Sort, separate and when you’re done just throw the filter away!
19. Strainer – coffee filters make great strainers for bacon fat that you want to save (gets the little pieces out) and just about any other liquid you need to strain!
20. Work Room Storage – since coffee filters protect metal from rusting, you can put filters in containers of nails, screws and other metal objects to protect them from rusting.
21. Toys – children can use coffee filters to make little parachutes for action figures or hats & skirts for Barbie dolls. How about coloring them for curtains in a doll house? The possibilities are endless.
Got any other great ideas for coffee filters?
Share ’em with us – leave a comment!
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