Top 5 Uses for Coffee Filters Other Than Making Coffee

Every person who makes pour over coffee at home uses coffee filters. Coffee filters were made to strain out coffee grounds during the brewing process so that your cup of joe is grit free. Many people keep hundreds of coffee filters stocked in their pantry, because they’re affordable to purchase in bulk, and you never want to be stuck without a filter. With so many filters in your home, you might ask yourself “What else can I do with these filters?”. In this article, we share 10 atypical uses for paper coffee filters in your home other than brewing coffee.

Who invented the coffee filter?

When were coffee filters invented? In 1908, Melitta Bentz, a German housewife and mother of two, set out to find a better way to make her family’s morning coffee. After several failed attempts, she had an ingenious idea—using a piece of paper from her son’s notebook as a filter for her beloved beverage! This novel idea not only made for a deliciously smooth cup of coffee but also revolutionized the way we drink it. Thanks to Bentz’s revolutionary invention, coffee filters are now widely used throughout the world.

With the invention of the coffee filter, Bentz’s vision was finally realized. For the first time, people could enjoy a cup of coffee that was free from unfiltered particles—no more grounds in their cups! Not only that, but filtering also allowed for an increase in extraction efficiency and consistency in taste. Today, almost every household in America owns a coffee filter because of Melitta Bentz’s groundbreaking invention; it’s become so commonplace that it’s easy to forget its revolutionary backstory!

What else can you use coffee filters for?

1. Clean up messes in your house

A damp coffee filter can be used to clean up most spills and small messes around your home. Spilled coffee on your countertop? A coffee filter can be used as a substitute for a paper towel. You can even put some in a Ziplock bag and bring them with you if you’re camping or going to work.

2. Polish and clean stainless steel

Coffee filters are great because they won’t leave any lint or residue behind. This makes it a fantastic tool to use alongside a stainless steel cleaner to clean or polish stainless steel without worrying about streaks.

3. Make a homemade air freshener

Did you know that you could make an air freshener with a coffee filter? Now you do. Just pour some baking soda into the center of a coffee filter, pull the edges together, and tie it into a pouch with a small string or tape. You just made an air freshener that you can put in your fridge, the bathroom, in your car, and anywhere you think it might smell a little.

4. Sprout seeds

You may have heard that you can sprout seeds with a damp paper towel, but you can also use a damp coffee filter. All you need to do is place your seeds on the damp coffee filter and fold it so they are covered. Then place in a Ziplock and leave it by the window in the sunlight. Get ready for planting!

5. Stop spilling soil when gardening

If you’re using a pot for planting your next flower, seed, or succulent, add a coffee filter to the bottom of the pot before adding soil. This will trap the soil inside but still allow water to drain. Now when you move your pot you won’t have any dirt spilling out the bottom. 

Other unconventional uses for coffee filters

1. Keep your food fresh for longer

To prevent your food from getting soggy, use coffee filters as a moisture-absorbing barrier. Place one underneath fresh foods and pastries when storing in containers or wrapping them up in foil—it helps to keep the moisture away, making food last longer and remain fresher.

2. Clean glass surfaces

Coffee filters are great for cleaning delicate surfaces like mirrors, windows, and other glass items. Since they are lint-free, you don’t have to worry about leaving tiny dust particles or fibers stuck on the surface after you’re done! Just spray your favorite cleaning solution onto a filter, then wipe the surface using gentle circular motions. No streaks or residue will remain once you’re finished!

Coffee filters have many uses

These are just five of the many uses for coffee filters other than brewing coffee. Are you looking for the best extra large coffee filters on the market? Big Joe has you covered with our paper filters. They work on our own coffee maker as well as most other 10-12 cup home and commercial size coffee makers and flat bottom drippers. Purchase 500 on our website for only $26.99.