Disposable coffee filters are more versatile than we think.
Leah Batkin, in a piece for Networx which was published in the blog site Care2 Make a Difference, lists six other ways you can use them, other than for making coffee.
Batkin says, “Not only do coffee filters do an excellent job at catching wet coffee grinds while letting the brewed liquid coffee pass through, but their distinct texture, made of coarse long fiber crepe paper, lends itself nicely for other uses.”
She says one Networx editor saved herself the expense of calling a plumber to fix a clogged drain by covering her kitchen sink drain with a coffee filter in lieu of a kitchen sink strainer.
Other possible uses for coffee filters listed by Batkin are:
Cleaning tool—Coffee filters are excellent for cleaning glass and screens. She suggests, “Spray a cleaning agent on a coffee filter to clean computer monitors, television screens, windows and glasses. They clean perfectly without leaving residue.”
Shoe polisher—She says the filter may be used to clean shoes even without polish. But putting polish on a coffee filter will give shoes “that extra sparkly shine.”
Air freshener—“Coffee filters are built to hold debris inside them so, instead of wet coffee grinds, put baking soda or potpourri inside them. Tie it together with a tie twist and place in a dresser drawer, bathroom or anywhere else you want to smell nice,” Batkin says.
Grease absorber—A coffee filter will be better at mopping up grease in food like pizza than paper table napkins, Batkin says. It is made to absorb liquid so will be better at mopping away grease than several pieces of napkin.
Fake flowers and other party decorations—Batkin adds that coffee filters make excellent fodder for art projects. “They tend to work like tissue paper but hold together better. One way of coloring a basic white coffee filter is to submerge it in a dish with food coloring and let it dry. Once you have your desired color, stack the filters and staple together, then pouf out the layers. Create flowers that can be used in a bowl as a centerpiece or strung together to make a garland,” she suggests.
In between dishes when packing—Instead of newspaper, which can get cumbersome and bulky, Batkin recommends using coffee filters in between dishes when packing them in a box. “They are more or less the same size as a salad plate and are equally as thick as a page of newspaper,” she points out.
To read more of Batkin’s suggestions visit www.care2.com/greenliving/6-clever-uses-for-coffee-filters.html#ixzz22gwfie8q.
Help for travellers
Reader Candice Tiu complains that our airports do not have special lanes for senior citizens, persons with disabilities and pregnant women. On a recent trip, she said she asked an airport personnel if she could move ahead of the rest because she was six months pregnant and could not stand in line for too long.
The man told her nobody was getting special treatment. She would have accepted the explanation and would not have complained if she did not see immigration officers solicitously assisting young, able-bodied entertainment personalities. Obviously, contrary to what the man said, some people were more equal than others.
Tiu added that it was also embarrassing that departure cards travelers had to fill out were just photocopies of the original. When she pointed this out, the immigration people told her their supply of the document had run out.
Well, out tourism campaign only claims it is more fun in the Philippines. It does not say we are more organized and efficient.
Send letters to The Consumer, Lifestyle Section, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 1098 Chino Roces Ave. cor. Mascardo and Yague Sts., 1204 Makati City; fax 8974793/94; or e-mail [email protected].
