If you're like most people, you've never given a second thought to your plain, old coffee filters. But one resourceful blogger says that this common kitchen item has amazing uses well beyond prepping your morning java. Jill Nystul of One Good Thing by Jillee recently stopped by the web series #OWNSHOW to share four ingenious coffee-filter hacks you absolutely have to try.
1. Get rid of strange smells.
Rather than putting an entire box of baking soda in your refrigerator to absorb strange smells, Nystul says it's more economical -- and just as effective -- to create coffee-filter pouches. "You just put two to three tablespoons of baking soda in a coffee filter," Nystul instructs in the above video. "Make it into a little ball, a little pouch, and just put a rubber band on it... You can also put them in your boys' stinky shoes. I have two teenage boys, and we use that a lot!"
2. Make your own (much cheaper) dryer sheets.
One of Nystul's favorite uses for coffee filters begins and ends in the laundry room. "Instead of buying dryer sheets, just take a coffee filter and dunk it in some vinegar," she says. "I know it sounds strange, but vinegar really does get rid of odors and it controls static cling... Then I like to add a couple of drops of essential oil just for the nice smell. Actually, essential oils are antibacterial too, so it helps get rid of the germs. Just toss it in your laundry."
3. Wipe down your screens.
Stop wasting large paper towels on small spills and grab a coffee filter instead. Not only are they smaller and therefore better-sized for mini-messes, but coffee filters also have a special quality that makes them perfect for wiping down the screens of our devices are well. "They're lint-free, so you can use them to clean your iPad, your laptop, your phone," Nystul points out.
4. Grease your baking dishes.
When cooking calls for greasing a pan, the default reaction is to rub a stick of butter directly on the dish itself. Coffee filters, Nystul asserts, are a cleaner alternative. Simply rub the coffee filter across the stick of butter -- and since it's lint-free, it won't leave anything behind like a paper towel -- and rub the greased coffee filter on the pan.
Related
Before You Go
