I love a good life hack.
Granted, the internet is flooded with people who claim to have discovered nearly every life hack under the sun. You never really know if they'll work until you try, with some producing epic (and often hilarious) "fails."
But every once in a while, you run across a life hack that's so brilliant and practical that you have to wonder how you never thought of it before — like this blender-cleaning hack that'll save you tons of time (and protect your fingers)!
And luckily, these tips for using coffee filters in unexpected ways around your house are the brilliant kind of hack.
You probably don't realize it, but if your coffee pot uses those thin, paper filters, you've got a powerful tool right at your fingertips. Don't believe me? Scroll through below for some truly creative and amazing ways to make life easier with coffee filters!
Thumbnail Source: Wikimedia Commons
1.
Place an open coffee filter in your cast-iron pans after washing. The filter will soak up any lingering moisture and prevent the pan from rusting.
2.
"Dampen a coffee filter with some white vinegar and a few drops of your favorite essential oil and use as a substitute for a dryer sheet," writes Jillee on her blog. "Your clothes will come out smelling fresh, and the coffee filter reduces static."
3.
Add big flavor to soups and stews by dumping large spices — such as bay leaves, garlic cloves, and peppercorns – together in a coffee filter, and tying it with twine. The entire satchel can be dropped into the pot and easily fished out later.
4.
Once cool, but not completely dry, old coffee filters can be used as compresses to reduce under-eye puffiness.
5.
Planning a container garden? Before adding plants, place a coffee filter into the bottom of the pot. This will prevent soil from washing out through the drainage holes when you water it.
6.
Need to apply a thin layer of oil or butter to a pan or baking dish? A coffee filter makes a great applicator and keeps your fingers clean!
7.
A coffee filter makes a perfect dust cloth for screens that need gentle cleaning, from your flat-screen TV to your laptop.
8.
Want to try a little bit of two different snacks? Don't dirty two bowls — just use coffee filters to keep everything separate.
9.
Tired of scrubbing all that caked-on food that splatters in your microwave? Top bowls and small plates with a coffee filter before zapping, for a one-step splatter guard!
10.
Want some cupcakes or muffins, but don't have any liners for the tin? In a pinch, coffee filters can be used as a replacement.
11.
Prepackaged tea bags are convenient but MUCH more expensive than looseleaf tea. Buy your tea in bulk, then use a few quick folds and a stapler to turn coffee filters into your own personal tea bags.
12.
Tired of shelling out big bucks for those dainty face oil-blotting sheets? Just cut some coffee filters into rectangles, and store them in an empty Altoids tin in your purse!
13.
Use a rubber band to wrap a coffee filter around bottles of oil, vinegar, or even salad dressing to catch the dribbly bits after pouring.
14.
"Place a few tablespoons of baking soda in a coffee filter and twist the top together with a rubber band," Jillee of One Good Thing by Jillee suggests. "Put in shoes, gym bag, closet, refrigerator, or anywhere else that may have developed some less-than-pleasant odors."
15.
Anyone who's ever shucked an ear of corn knows how hard it can be to remove all the little bits of silk. Who would have guessed that rubbing a coffee filter over the cob (in the opposite direction as the silk) would eliminate them in a jiffy?
Do you know of a useful coffee filter hack that we forgot? Tell us in the comments.
Please SHARE if you like finding new uses for ordinary household items!
