Five Household Uses for Coffee Filters

If your house is anything like mine, you may run out of other household products – but you always have a big stack of coffee filters on hand. Fortunately for you, these versatile filters can be used to solve a variety of household problems.

1. Microwave covers. Forget trying to fold that paper towel over the top of a bowl. Coffee filters are just the right size and shape to cover a bowl in the microwave. Flatten the filter and spread it over the top of the bowl to catch splatters when heating up leftovers. Simply remove the filter and discard in the trash – or compost bin – when you are finished.
2. Cast iron pan liners. Wash and dry your cast iron pans thoroughly. Season with hot oil and wipe them clean with a soft cloth or paper towel. Spread a coffee filter in the bottom of the pan before nestling the pans for storage. The coffee keeps the protective oils in the bottom of the pan and absorbs moisture preventing your pans from rusting when not in use.
3. Line a sieve. Before you use that fine sieve for straining used oil or other liquids, like fresh brewed tea or herbed oils, line it with a coffee filter. The liquid drains right through the filter, but catches any solids in the oil. Remove the filter and wash the sieve with hot soapy water. No more scrubbing to remove tiny bits of food that lodge in the sieve.
4. Make an air freshener. For a quick pick me up or to remove stale cooking odors from the kitchen, fill a coffee filter with baking soda and seal with a twist tie. Tuck into corners of the kitchen to reduce odors. As an alternative, add citrus rinds or fresh herbs to the air freshener and place in drawers, pet areas or the bathroom to add fragrance to the room.
5. Line plant pots. I’ll admit it. This one is my favorite because quite simply is makes my life much easier. When repotting your houseplants, cover the drainage hole with a coffee filter before adding the soil. Water can easily drain away when you water your plants, but the filter prevents soil from leaking from the bottom of the pot.

Coffee filters are inexpensive and make the perfect solution for many household chores. So the next time you buy coffee supplies, buy and extra box of filters to have on hand for your other household needs.