12 alternative uses for coffee filters

[Catty1]

Some of these are pretty neat!

http://ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/home-g...coffee_filters

12 alternative uses for coffee filters
By Lori Bongiorno, Yahoo!Green

I was surprised to come across several articles with long lists of alternative uses for coffee filters. I'd never really considered them for anything more than making coffee, and even then I know that choosing a reusable filter or making coffee in a French press is one way to stop throwing money away and cut back on waste.

I have to admit, though, that there are some very good reasons to keep a box of coffee filters on hand.

They can come in handy in a number of situations and ultimately save you money since coffee filters are less expensive than other options.

Here are some of the most interesting and practical uses for coffee filters that I've come across. Please feel free to suggest other uses!


1. Clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are
lint-free so they don't leave behind any residue.

2. Save a bottle of wine. Broke the cork? No problem. Just place a filter over a pitcher and carefully pour the wine into it.

3. Line flower pots. Place a filter at the bottom of the pot to prevent soil from leaking out of the drainage hole.

4. Protect china and non-stick cookware. Place a coffee filter between dishes or pans when storing or packing.

5. Wipe off smudges. In a pinch, you can use to clean eyeglasses, camera lenses, televisions, and computer monitors.

6. Keep your microwave clean. Prevent splatters by covering dishes or bowls in the microwave with coffee filters. Using another plate is your best bet, but filters are a good alternative to plastic wrap. And you can easily reuse them a few times.

7. Make a bouquet garni. Tie up bay leaves, parsley, or other herbs in a coffee filter. Drop it in your stew or soup pot, and easily remove it when you're done cooking. Recipes often suggest cheesecloth for this process, but a coffee filter is an easy-to-find alternative.

8. Diffuse the flash on your camera. Place a coffee filter over your flash to soften the brightness. You can also try putting coffee filters over lights or lamps to lessen the harshness of direct light when taking indoor photos.

9. Make sachets. Tie lavender or other dried flowers and herbs in a coffee filter to make great-smelling bundles you can store in drawers and closets.

10. Use for sewing projects. Coffee filters make a great backing for
embroidering or appliqueing soft fabrics.

11. Make tea bags. Wrap loose tea in a filter and tie with a string.

12. Use for storage. Wrap Christmas ornaments and other rarely used fragile items before packing away.

Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green's users. Send Lori a question or suggestion for potential use in a future column. Her book, Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life is available on Yahoo! Shopping and Amazon.com.

(Photo: Getty Images)

[Karen]

For many of these suggestions, paper towel's a whole lot cheaper. Not for use in making tea bags, or cooking, but ...

[RICHARD]

I still have a ton of the large ones-I don't drink coffee-so I use them to eat microwave popcorn out of.

[Marigold2]

I use number 6 all the time at work.

[Laura's Babies]

Hay! The guys on the boat also have another use for them, disposable bowls for chips.. Perfect size for a man size snack!

[happylabs]

For many of these suggestions, paper towel's a whole lot cheaper. Not for use in making tea bags, or cooking, but ...

Yes. As a matter of fact, I have been using paper towels for coffe filters - LOL!

[sirrahbed]

They make great snowflakes at Christmas time - fold and clip

[Cataholic]

Either you guys buy very expensive coffee filters or super cheap paper towels. I can buy 120 filters for less than $1.50. Paper towels are nearly 75 cents a roll for 'decent' ones.

Anyhow- I use filters to make greek yogurt from 'normal' yogurt. A cost savings event all in itself.

I also use them to separate glass things that I might stack, and at times have used them to pick up odd things on the floor.

[sirrahbed]

Either you guys buy very expensive coffee filters or super cheap paper towels. I can buy 120 filters for less than $1.50. Paper towels are nearly 75 cents a roll for 'decent' ones.

I wondered this exact thing. I believe paper towels are much more expensive than the coffee filters I buy - round ones with tucked/fluted edges for a dollar. The paper towel - even the store brand are over a dollar and not nearly as versatile or sturdy as the coffee filters I think the type that are "V" shaped are more expensive. I love having a big package of round coffee filters on hand for all sorts of things like mentioned in the list. Put one in each of your cake pans to help them stack and not rust - easier to get apart too. Put one in your cast iron skillet. Kids having a popsicle? push the stick through a coffee filter for a drip cup. Each kitty can have one for his treats....LOTS of ways to use them! Great for picking up hairballs...I will have to try the greek style yogurt Johanna! Cool!

[Catty1]

Actually, for a coffee maker, I prefer a reusable plastic filter.

This article caught my eye cause I was wondering what to do with paper filters if I had had some left when I got the plastic filter.

[Cataholic]

I wondered this exact thing. I believe paper towels are much more expensive than the coffee filters I buy - round ones with tucked/fluted edges for a dollar. The paper towel - even the store brand are over a dollar and not nearly as versatile or sturdy as the coffee filters I think the type that are "V" shaped are more expensive. I love having a big package of round coffee filters on hand for all sorts of things like mentioned in the list. Put one in each of your cake pans to help them stack and not rust - easier to get apart too. Put one in your cast iron skillet. Kids having a popsicle? push the stick through a coffee filter for a drip cup. Each kitty can have one for his treats....LOTS of ways to use them! Great for picking up hairballs...I will have to try the greek style yogurt Johanna! Cool!

I find it tough to locate non-fat greek yogurt anyhow. So, I buy Dannon (or what is on sale), fat free. I have a small strainer that I put one large coffee filter in, and spoon the contents into the strainer with the filter in it. Then, I place that over a larger bowl- make sure that it doesn't sit in the bowl, as the whey is going to collect there. My strainer has a 'leg'...so as long as I put the strainer in a bowl large enough to contain it, but small enough so that the strainer sits up in the bowl, all is good.

I don't rinse out the yogurt container, I put it in the fridge, with the lid on, and cover up the yogurt with another filter (lol, lots of uses). When the whey has run out (about 4-6 hours), I dump the contents back into the old yogurt container!

If you don't like the consistency...you can add some of the whey back in. AND, there are things to do with the whey...I don't...but search online and you can really squeeze the penny.

J loves parfaits (thanks to his aunt). I use the greek yogurt, berries, granola and honey. He will eat 3 cups worth of it.

[Cataholic]

Actually, for a coffee maker, I prefer a reusable plastic filter.

I trust you wash it out well after picking up cat poop with it? LOL.