Coffee Filter Uses - 28 Quirky But Innovative Ideas For

The endless ideas for coffee filter uses can make it one of the handiest items in your kitchen or workshop. Because coffee filters are so inexpensive, they can be utilized for hundreds of single-use applications. Here are some of the top ideas and uses for coffee filters. We are always looking for more ideas for how to use a coffee filter. If you have some, please comment at the bottom of this article.

Table of Contents

Polish Shoes With a Coffee Filter - Innovative Uses for Coffee Filters

#1 Applying Shoe Polish

Wad up a coffee filter into a small ball to apply shoe polish. Apply polish sparingly. The filter will keep hands and fingers clean. Have another filter handy to buff the shoes to a shine. Filters are lint-free so utilizing them for polishes and waxes is an ideal application.

#2 Use Them in the Microwave

Filters can be used to cover small bowls and dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers. Once used, they can then be re-purposed to wipe up moisture or food pops from the microwave tray, walls, and door. Or you can use the filter as a thin mat to set down a hot bowl or dish until it cools.

#3 Cleaning Mirrors and Windows

As mentioned before the filters are lint-free so they’ll leave windows streak-free. Use a wet coffee filter to attack the grime at the bottom of window sills.

#4 Strain Cooking Oil

Stain Cooking Oil - Uses for Coffee Filters

Pour cool used cooking and frying oil through a colander or metal meshed strainer lined with a coffee filter. It’s a slow process; use a mason jar to collect the stained oil. Utilize a rubber band to secure the filter around the jar mouth and make a cone. You may have to go through the process several times as the filters will become covered and clogged with the fried bits.

#5 Use as Mini Snack Bowls

Perfect for popcorn, chips, and any snack that can leave your hands greasy. When empty, the filter and be used to wipe your hands with and disposed of.

#6 Separate Fine China

Protect fine china plates and saucers by placing a coffee filter between each dish.

#7 Filter Wine when Decanting

A coffee filter is perfect to strain broken cork bits from wine. It also can take away some of the yeast and tannins of homemade wines when you decant them.

#8 Season Cast-iron Skillets and Dutch ovens

Use a coffee filter with a bit of cooking oil to wipe the entire surface of your cast-iron cookware. Place the oiled skillet in the oven, upside down, and heat at a low temperature until the oil comes to a nice shine.

#9 Holding Small Items on a Food Scale

Filters are perfect as a lightweight holder of chopped ingredients when measuring on a kitchen scale.

#10 Holding Messy or Oily Foods

A coffee filter is a perfect wrapper for holding tacos, chicken nuggets, and other messy finger foods. Especially for children. When you’re done using it as a holder, you have a handy napkin to wipe up any loose crumbs or spills. It’s also a perfect “bone plate” when eating fried fish or as a crumb catcher.

#11 Line Potted Plant Containers

Placing a coffee filter at the bottom of a plant pot will keep the soil in and prevent the potting soil from coming out of the drainage holes. It will also help keep dirty water from leaking out.

#12 Pressing Flowers

Use two coffee filters as blotting paper to make pressed flowers. Put the flower between the filters and place it between two heavy books.

#13 Ice Cream and Frozen Treat Holder

Prevent drips from ice cream cones and popsicles. Poke a hole in the center of a coffee filter and place the stick or cone in it.

#14 Capture Grease from Fried Foods

Utilize several filters on a platter or plate to drain grease from fried bacon, sausage, or chicken to catch and hold the grease and oil.

#15 Coffee Filter in First Aid

Grab a coffee filter as a quick cover for small cuts and nicks. They are clean and will keep until you can get a bandage on that cut. They also can be torn and used to cover a nick made with a razor.

#16 Embroidery Backing

The clean white filters make an excellent sewing backing for embroidering or appliqueing on soft fabrics. Once done the filter is easy to remove.

#17 Eliminate Shoe Smells

Place baking soda into a coffee filter, fold, and insert into athletic shoes to absorb moisture and or inhibit odors.

#18 Seed Starter

One innovative coffee filter uses is to use moistened filters in an egg carton or plastic bag to spout new seedlings.

#19 Herb Pouch

Place your favorite chunky herbs into a coffee filter and fold and tie with string to make a herb pouch for making soups and sauces.

#20 When Adding Motor Oil

Have a coffee filter or two handy when adding oil or windshield fluid to your vehicle. They are handy to wipe up a spill or drips.

#21 As a Spoon Rest

A filter on the countertop can be a quick spoon rest while cooking, then use to wipe up small counter spills.

#22 As a Temporary Bowl

A filter can hold dry ingredients when baking or when holding cut fruit or vegetables. It beats having to wash a bowl when you are done.

#23 Store Fragile Items

Use coffee filters to wrap small figurines and Christmas ornaments for storage.

#24 Use Instead of Cotton Balls

Perfect for removing fingernail polish. Coffee filters are slightly abrasive so they do a good job of removing stubborn polish.

#25 Clean Oily Hands

One coffee filter uses takes advantage of it’s slightly abrasive feel makes it a fine addition to soap and water when cleaning oily hands

#26 Dust Computer Monitors and Keyboards

A coffee filter is a perfect tool for dusting your computer monitor and keyboard. Fold the filter and attack the gunk in your keyboard.

#27 Finishing Furniture

A small wad of several coffee filters serves as a final wipe to capture dust and debris when doing final stain coats on furniture. Its slightly abrasive quality is an excellent final step after sanding with #200 grit sandpaper.

#28 Hot Food Holder

There is nothing like having to cut or hold steaming hot food. If you use a dish towel, you never are sure what the towel was touching before you grabbed it. Find a coffee filter and fold it over several times to make a comfortable hot food holder when cutting or peeling. You can be assured it is clean for one-time use.