Store Coffee Filters for These Savvy Reasons
Linda Loosli, author of Food Storage Moms, suggests there are some very savvy reasons for storing coffee filters. For instance:
THEY PROTECT DINNERWARE: You can prevent damaging your dinner plates by adding coffee filters in between the plates as you stack them on your shelves. This will act as a buffer and will save your dinnerware from any chips or cracks.
THEY EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR BLENDER: If you use your blender often, then chances are the rubber seal has seen better days. To get more uses out of it, line the inside of the lid with a coffee filter. This will help to create a tighter seal and will prevent any liquid from leaking out. The good thing, you can repeat the process a number of times and save repair or replacement costs in the short term.
THEY KEEP YOUR DRAINS CLEAR: Hair and soap can easily build up in your drains and cause them to become clogged. To help keep things flowing smoothly, place coffee filters over your drain before each shower. This will catch any hair before it has a chance to go down the drain. Seriously consider this step in the bathrooms used by those in the family with the longest hair. Most short hairs in the sink and shower go right down the drain, not always the case for the longer strands.
THEY MAKE PERFECT DRYER SHEETS: Just add a few drops of essential oil to a dryer sheet and toss it in with your wet clothes. The filter will help to absorb the moisture and the essential oils will leave your clothes smelling great. While it may not address the wrinkles, they will come out smelling fresh and clean. And they stand up to multiple uses before needing to be discarded.
THEY ELIMINATE GLASS STREAKS: Simply wet a filter and run it over your glasses. The filter will pick up any dust or streaks and will leave them sparkling clean.
THEY WILL CLEAN YOUR KEYBOARD: Easily clean it by dampening a filter and running it over the keys. It will pick up any dirt or dust and will leave your keyboard looking new. (Obviously you just want it damp-dry and not dripping wet.)
THEY STRAIN BACON GREASE OR FRY OIL: Instead of using expensive paper towels the next time you’re needing to strain fat from your bacon or French frying, use a coffee filter instead and marvel at its efficiency.
THEY KEEP ICE CREAM SOFT: If you store your ice cream in the freezer in a container with a coffee filter over the top, it will help to keep it from getting hard as a rock. Simply poke a few holes in the lid, remove the lid and place the coffee filter over the ice cream, then replace the lid.
THEY MAKE THE PERFECT PESTO STRAINER: To avoid having big chunks of basil leaves in your homemade pesto, place a coffee filter over the top of your blender or food processor while you’re blending the mixture. Remove the lid and use the filter to strain out the big pieces while still letting all of the delicious pesto flavors through.
THEY CAN FLAVOR YOUR COFFEE: Simply add a few drops of extract to a filter and place it in your coffee maker. The extract will flavor the coffee as it brews and you’ll have a delicious cup of flavored coffee without having to spend a fortune.
THEY MAKE EXCELLENT AIR FRESHENERS: Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the filter and place it in the room that you want to freshen up. The filter will absorb the oil and diffuse the scent into the air.
THEY DE-GREASE DISHES: Just dampen a filter and run it over your dishes before you start washing them. The coffee filter will absorb the grease and will make washing your dishes a breeze.
THEY’RE THE PERFECT FRESH FLOWER WRAP: If you’re giving someone flowers, you can keep them fresh longer by wrapping the stems in a coffee filter. It’ll keep the moisture in, thus slowing the dry-out factor.
THEY ARE A GOOD FRUIT FLY TRAP: To keep fruit flies away from your fruit bowl, place a coffee filter over the top. The little bugs will be able to get in, but they won’t be able to get back out.
THEY MAKE A TERRIFIC FACIAL MASK: Mix together some oatmeal, honey, and milk. Then, place a coffee filter over your face and pour the mixture on top. The coffee filter will allow the mask to stay in place while still being able to breathe.
THEY ARE A GREAT SPOON REST: When cooking, use a coffee filter to rest your utensils. This eliminates needing to wash your traditional spoon rest. This is an especially nice practice for motor homes, campers, trailers, and 5th wheels that are short on space. Just toss the filter when you’re done.
THEY WILL KEEP YOUR CAR WINDOWS FOG-FREE: Place a coffee filter over your car vent. This absorbs moisture—the facilitator to window fog.
THEY CAN PREVENT SOIL EROSION: If you have plants that are in danger of being washed away by heavy rains in a small garden area, place coffee filters over the soil. They will absorb some of the water and help prevent the soil from eroding.
THEY ARE GOOD MAKE-UP BRUSH CLEANERS: Wet a coffee filter and run it over the bristles. The coffee filter will pick up any dirt or makeup and will leave your brushes looking new.
THEY’RE GOOD PORTABLE SNACK HOLDERS: Just fill a filter with your snack and go!
THEY CAN PROTECT YOUR DELICATE CLOTHING: Delicates that need hand-washing come clean when placed in a sink with a coffee filter over the top. This prevents tangling and also protects them from any sharp objects that might be in the sink.
THEY’RE PERFECT WRAPS FOR FRAGILE ITEMS: When moving, wrap your fragile things in coffee filters. They provide extra padding that can protect against chipping.
THEY MAKE FINE POTPOURRI HOLDERS: Mix together dried lavender, dried rosemary, and a few drops of essential oil. Then, place the mixture in a coffee filter and tie it up.
THEY MAKE GOOD SEED SPROUTERS: If you’d like to get a head start with your garden next year, sprout your seeds in a coffee filter. Just place the seeds in the filter and fold it up. Then, moisten the filter and put it in a sunny spot. Coffee filters will provide drainage and will help to keep the seeds moist.
So, the next time you reach for a coffee filter, think beyond brewing, get creative, and save a little money along the way!
THEY EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR BLENDER: If you use your blender often, then chances are the rubber seal has seen better days. To get more uses out of it, line the inside of the lid with a coffee filter. This will help to create a tighter seal and will prevent any liquid from leaking out. The good thing, you can repeat the process a number of times and save repair or replacement costs in the short term.
THEY KEEP YOUR DRAINS CLEAR: Hair and soap can easily build up in your drains and cause them to become clogged. To help keep things flowing smoothly, place coffee filters over your drain before each shower. This will catch any hair before it has a chance to go down the drain. Seriously consider this step in the bathrooms used by those in the family with the longest hair. Most short hairs in the sink and shower go right down the drain, not always the case for the longer strands.
THEY MAKE PERFECT DRYER SHEETS: Just add a few drops of essential oil to a dryer sheet and toss it in with your wet clothes. The filter will help to absorb the moisture and the essential oils will leave your clothes smelling great. While it may not address the wrinkles, they will come out smelling fresh and clean. And they stand up to multiple uses before needing to be discarded.
THEY ELIMINATE GLASS STREAKS: Simply wet a filter and run it over your glasses. The filter will pick up any dust or streaks and will leave them sparkling clean.
THEY WILL CLEAN YOUR KEYBOARD: Easily clean it by dampening a filter and running it over the keys. It will pick up any dirt or dust and will leave your keyboard looking new. (Obviously you just want it damp-dry and not dripping wet.)
THEY STRAIN BACON GREASE OR FRY OIL: Instead of using expensive paper towels the next time you’re needing to strain fat from your bacon or French frying, use a coffee filter instead and marvel at its efficiency.
THEY KEEP ICE CREAM SOFT: If you store your ice cream in the freezer in a container with a coffee filter over the top, it will help to keep it from getting hard as a rock. Simply poke a few holes in the lid, remove the lid and place the coffee filter over the ice cream, then replace the lid.
THEY MAKE THE PERFECT PESTO STRAINER: To avoid having big chunks of basil leaves in your homemade pesto, place a coffee filter over the top of your blender or food processor while you’re blending the mixture. Remove the lid and use the filter to strain out the big pieces while still letting all of the delicious pesto flavors through.
THEY CAN FLAVOR YOUR COFFEE: Simply add a few drops of extract to a filter and place it in your coffee maker. The extract will flavor the coffee as it brews and you’ll have a delicious cup of flavored coffee without having to spend a fortune.
THEY MAKE EXCELLENT AIR FRESHENERS: Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the filter and place it in the room that you want to freshen up. The filter will absorb the oil and diffuse the scent into the air.
THEY DE-GREASE DISHES: Just dampen a filter and run it over your dishes before you start washing them. The coffee filter will absorb the grease and will make washing your dishes a breeze.
THEY’RE THE PERFECT FRESH FLOWER WRAP: If you’re giving someone flowers, you can keep them fresh longer by wrapping the stems in a coffee filter. It’ll keep the moisture in, thus slowing the dry-out factor.
THEY ARE A GOOD FRUIT FLY TRAP: To keep fruit flies away from your fruit bowl, place a coffee filter over the top. The little bugs will be able to get in, but they won’t be able to get back out.
THEY MAKE A TERRIFIC FACIAL MASK: Mix together some oatmeal, honey, and milk. Then, place a coffee filter over your face and pour the mixture on top. The coffee filter will allow the mask to stay in place while still being able to breathe.
THEY ARE A GREAT SPOON REST: When cooking, use a coffee filter to rest your utensils. This eliminates needing to wash your traditional spoon rest. This is an especially nice practice for motor homes, campers, trailers, and 5th wheels that are short on space. Just toss the filter when you’re done.
THEY WILL KEEP YOUR CAR WINDOWS FOG-FREE: Place a coffee filter over your car vent. This absorbs moisture—the facilitator to window fog.
THEY CAN PREVENT SOIL EROSION: If you have plants that are in danger of being washed away by heavy rains in a small garden area, place coffee filters over the soil. They will absorb some of the water and help prevent the soil from eroding.
THEY ARE GOOD MAKE-UP BRUSH CLEANERS: Wet a coffee filter and run it over the bristles. The coffee filter will pick up any dirt or makeup and will leave your brushes looking new.
THEY’RE GOOD PORTABLE SNACK HOLDERS: Just fill a filter with your snack and go!
THEY CAN PROTECT YOUR DELICATE CLOTHING: Delicates that need hand-washing come clean when placed in a sink with a coffee filter over the top. This prevents tangling and also protects them from any sharp objects that might be in the sink.
THEY’RE PERFECT WRAPS FOR FRAGILE ITEMS: When moving, wrap your fragile things in coffee filters. They provide extra padding that can protect against chipping.
THEY MAKE FINE POTPOURRI HOLDERS: Mix together dried lavender, dried rosemary, and a few drops of essential oil. Then, place the mixture in a coffee filter and tie it up.
THEY MAKE GOOD SEED SPROUTERS: If you’d like to get a head start with your garden next year, sprout your seeds in a coffee filter. Just place the seeds in the filter and fold it up. Then, moisten the filter and put it in a sunny spot. Coffee filters will provide drainage and will help to keep the seeds moist.
So, the next time you reach for a coffee filter, think beyond brewing, get creative, and save a little money along the way!
Alice Osborne
DVO Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
Sources:
- www.food-hacks.wonderhowto.com
- www.chascrazycreations.com
- www.lovelovething.com
- www.pinterest.com
- www.familyfaithandhome.com
- www.gardenbetty.com
