Interesting Uses for Coffee Filters

Coffee filters can be found for less than a penny a piece at Dollar General.  They are super cheap, lint free and very versatile!

* Squash an insect in the corner of a window pane with a coffee filter, then wipe the window clean.

* Wrap your Christmas decorations in them to safely store them without scratches.

* Substitute coffee filters for bowls when serving popcorn, pretzels, corn curls, nuts, sunflower seeds, etc.

* Use a coffee filter to apply shoe polish.  Keep in a Ziplock sandwich bag for further use.

* To prevent odors in shoes, put some baking soda in a filter, tie with a ribbon, and put in shoes.

* Fill coffee filters with potpourri, tie with a ribbon, and put in drawers, closets, cars, and entrances to your home.

* Help keep your China from scratching, by separating pieces with coffee filters.

* Use coffee filters, which are already lint free, to clean mirrors, computer and TV screens, as well as eye glasses.

* Keep a coffee filter handy when shaving.  It will go a long way in patching razor nicks to prevent further bleeding.

* Catch the drips from popsicles, by first poking a hole in the filter for the popsicle stick to go through.

* A coffee filter makes a great ice cream cone holder!

* A coffee filter inside a cast-iron skillet when not being used, helps absorb excess moisture that may cause rust.

* Place a coffee filter at the bottom of a flower pot to keep the dirt from leaking through the draining hole.

* Cover small dishes of food in the microwave with a coffee filter to prevent splattering.

* Before placing greasy food such a French fries on a plate, place a filter on the plate to help absorb the grease.

* Clean your cable connectors with a filter.

* Tie spices in a coffee filter to flavor a slow cooker full of wassail.

* Wrap messy food, such as tacos, or hamburgers in a coffee filter to absorb grease and prevent spills.

* Use a coffee filter as a spoon rest while cooking.

* Put a few drops of liquid fabric softener on a coffee filter, rub it in and toss it in the dryer to soften clothes.

* Place herbs in a filter, tie with string and toss in soups and stews for flavoring.

* If you are on a diet and weigh your food on kitchen scales, use a filter as a base for chopped food.

* If you have a wobbly table, fold up a coffee filter and place under the short leg to steady it.

* Coffee filters make great hats for children, so help them to decorate a few.

* Use a mixture of watercolors on coffee filters to incorporate them into card making and scrapbooking.

* Help your little ones make beautiful butterflies, flowers and angels out of coffee filters after painting them with watercolors.


COFFEE FILTER BUTTERFLIES

by Sherri Osborn - http://webmailab.juno.com/webmail/new/21?folder=NEWSLETTERS&msgNum=00002Zk0:001Ay5eV00000tCk&count=1292029040&randid=1123799853&attachId=0&isUnDisplayableMail=yes&blockImages=0&randid=1123799853# - Used by permission

Materials Needed:
        Wooden Clothes Pins
        Round Coffee Filters
        Black Acrylic Paint
        Watercolor Paints
        Black Pipe Cleaner
        Glue Gun

Instructions:
It's a good idea for mom or dad to paint the clothes pins black first. I usually just clip mine onto a paint stirrer or an old ruler. Fold the pipe cleaners into V shapes the size you want your antenna to be, cut and hot glue to the clothes pins at the flat end (please do not use a hot glue gun without an adult's help).


Take the coffee filters and spray them with water till they lay flat but aren't drenched (it should only take a few short sprays, I use warm water). Now, go nuts blobing the watercolors on the wet coffee filters.  It will run and smear but don't worry. When you are happy with your design on one, repeat this process with another coffee filter. Put the wet filters in a safe place to dry.


When they are dry gather up the coffee filter in the middle, trying to keep the outside edges flat, and clip it into the clothespin. Spread the wings out and you are done.

I usually put a strip of magnet on the backside of clothespin and stick them on the fridge, they are strong enough to hold some paper up. If you don't want them on the fridge you can just clip them around the house (on the curtains the bed pillows).

(The added plus to this is if your child feels like making more you can just swap out the old wings for the new ones, unless of course they all migrated to gramma's house like mine seem to.) 


A variation shared by Shannon from North Carolina: Instead of paint, have kids color coffee filters with washable markers. Mist the coffee filter with water causing the colors to run together, let dry. Construct the butterfly as suggested above.