Not only do coffee filters do an excellent job at holding wet coffee grounds while letting the brewed liquid coffee pass through, but their distinct texture, made of coarse long-fiber paper, lends itself nicely for other uses. For example, Networx's editor has avoided a clogged drain and a subsequent call to an NYC plumber by covering her kitchen sink drain with a coffee filter when she didn't have a kitchen sink strainer. Here is a list of 6 other uses for coffee filters:

1. Cleaning Tool

Coffee filters make an excellent cleaning tool for glass and screens. Spray a cleaning agent on a coffee filter to clean computer monitors, television screens, windows, and glasses. They do the job perfectly without leaving residue.

2. Shoe Polisher

Buff your shoes with a dry coffee filter. Add shoe polish to the filter and rub shoes for that extra sparkly shine.

3. Air Freshener

Coffee filters are built to hold debris, but instead of wet coffee grounds, put baking soda or potpourri inside them. Close securely with a twist tie and place in a dresser drawer, bathroom, or anywhere else you want to smell nice.

4. Grease Absorber

Next time you order a pizza and would like to mop up some of that grease before indulging, don’t waste your time with napkin after napkin. Instead, try a coffee filter — they are made to absorb liquid. Go ahead and mop away! Now you can eat your greasy foods with (a little) less guilt.

5. Fake Flowers and Other Party Decorations

Coffee filters make excellent material for art projects. They work like tissue paper but hold together better. Color a basic white coffee filter: submerge it in a dish of diluted food coloring and let dry. Once you have your desired color, stack the filters, staple together, and pouf out the layers. Create flowers to arrange in a bowl as a centerpiece or string together to make a garland.

6. Between Dishes When Packing

Instead of newspaper, which can get cumbersome and bulky, use coffee filters between dishes when packing them in a box. They are more or less the same size as a salad plate and as thick as a page of newspaper.

Updated December 5, 2018.