Hello All, I feel like we could use a whimsical and possibly informative (If I get around to it) article.

I’m speaking of course about the uses of coffee filters!

Now I realize when your hear that for the first time it doesn’t exactly conjure up images of mystery or fun but bare with me. 

You can purchase a quality batch of 50 coffee filters at the store for roughly $2.00 that comes out to $.04 a piece.  Not a whole lot of money, and why should they be they are designed to be used one time than discarded.  What if I told you that you can use coffee filters for more than simply filtering your coffee?  Below are the top 10 uses for coffee filters besides coffee.

1. Window Cleaner – I don’t know a single person who has ever grabbed a paper towel or a tissue to clean a window and not regret it later.  The reason; all those tiny little white specks that are left behind.  Because coffee filters are lint free they are fantastic at cleaning windows, mirrors, chrome or anything else that has a shine to it, without the white specs.

2. Shoe Polish/De-stinker – Because of the previously mentioned lint free nature of coffee filters they are fantastic for polishing leather shoes.  Simply apply a dab of your favorite shoe polish and use the filter as an applicator.  You can also use a coffee filter to help ward off unwanted odors from your shoe by applying a little bit of baking soda and wrapping it up in the filter to create a little sachet, simply insert into your shoes after a long day and wake up to them smelling fresh and odor free.

3.    Dryer Sheets – This is one of my favorites, use a filter and apply just a dab of fabric softener to it and throw it in with your clothes.  Your clothes will come out smelling fresher and the coffee filter reduces the static left on your clothes.

4.    Fine Dishes Protector – If you have any fine dishes say fine china or maybe a family heirloom that is going to storage.  Help protect the dishes from rubbing against each other by putting a coffee filter between each layer of dishes. This will provide a cushion and help prevents scratches and chipping.

5.    Prevent Splatter – Use a coffee filter to prevent splatter when heating something in the microwave, simply place over the top of your food and carry on like normal.  The advantage over plastic wrap is you don’t have plastic baking into your food.

6.    Popsicle Protector – Go ahead and try to eat a Popsicle without getting a runny sticky mess everywhere.  Simply poke the Popsicle stick through the center of the filter and you now have a built in guard to absorb any stray juice.

7.    Potted Plants – This one I learned from our very own Adrenaline Radio host Nick Federoff.  If you are planting a potted plant before you add the soil put a filter on the bottom of the container over the hole.  This allows you to keep the soil from leaving the container while still allowing water to run through it.  And always remember to use a saucer with your indoor containers.

8.    Spoon Rest – Have you ever been in the middle of stirring up your delicious dinner and found yourself looking for a place to put your spoon in between stirs?  Lay it on a coffee filter and you now have a sanitary resting place and won’t have the mess to clean up off the stove later.

9.    Protect Cast-Iron Cookware – After you are done washing your cast-iron cookware place a coffee filter in the bottom of the pan and it will absorb moisture and prevent rust.

10.    Pressed Flowers – For those of us that are a little more artistic coffee filters make a great blotting paper.  Simply place the flower between two filters and put them inside of a phone book or any other object with weight.

I hope you enjoyed the information and possibly even learned something, if you know of another great use for coffee filters that weren’t mentioned here let us know!  Oh and as always make sure to check out the Archive section of the website for 1,000’s of free podcasts.  On every subject from music, sports, fashion, investing, cooking, gardening, fishing, politics, current events and more!