We couldn’t live without coffee filters, mainly because they provide us with the java that helps us act like functioning human beings all day long. But there’s not just one way to use this household staple, even if that’s how we usually use them. Here are 15 creative ways to utilize coffee filters around the house that you’ve probably never tried before.

1. Butter a Pan

When my mom needed to butter a pan of any kind, she had a little trick where she’d scoop up butter with a small length of parchment paper and move it around the inside of the pan. Similarly, you can use a coffee filter to borrow my mom’s trick and easily butter any cooking surface!

2. Straining Wine

You know when you accidentally butcher a wine cork and pieces of the cork end up floating around in the wine? Not such a yummy addition to your Pinot Noir. Try putting a coffee filter over the mouth of a wine glass and pouring the vino through – true to its name, it will filter out the unwanted pieces of cork.

3. DIY Dryer Sheets

Don’t waste money on endless dryer sheets – make your own!

Soak your coffee filter in vinegar (vinegar has antibacterial cleaning properties like no other) and drop on some essential oils to give it a nicer smell. Wring the filter out so it’s not soaked, then toss it in your dryer for clean, lovely smelling clothes.

4. Make Yogurt Dip

Need a quick dip for a filling snack or for entertaining? You can make a savory, tangy yogurt dip on the fly with a coffee filter and a few simple ingredients.

Place a coffee filter over a deep cup or jar and pour 8 ounces of yogurt onto your filter. Let it drain for one hour. Mix your drained yogurt with 1 small minced garlic clove and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste and eat with crackers.

5. Face Oil Blotter

Nix the shine on your face with the oil absorbing power of coffee filters. Use a whole filter or cut them into squares for a long-lasting, on-the-go beauty solution.

6. Freshen the Fridge

You’re told to put an entire box of baking soda in the fridge to keep nasty smells at bay, but this is a clever way to keep your baking soda for other uses, too. Pour 2-3 tbsp. on baking soda into a coffee filter and tie everything up with a rubber band or string. Pop this little package in the fridge and you’ll have just as much freshness!

7. Mess-Free Popsicles

We love popsicles, but we hate how they melt down our hands and make a sticky mess! To catch all that melting goo, pop a coffee filter onto the popsicle stick and push it all the way up to the bottom of the pop. Mess averted!

8. Sandwich On-the-Go

You know that paper pockets fast food places will sometimes put your sandwiches in? You can use coffee filters in the same way! Pop your sandwich into a coffee filter for a convenient and mess-free way to carry your food.

9. Prevent Splatters

Heating up food in the microwave almost guarantees a splatter – and then a mess for you to clean up. A quick fix? Put a coffee filter over your dish or bowl to catch any heat-induced splatters.

10. Homemade Tea Bags

We love this one! Put your favorite loose tea leaves into a coffee filter (you can cut a full filter down to size if it’s too big) and tie it together. Voila! Your very own, customized tea bags.

11. Protect Your China

Sometimes, stacking your good china plates can scratch them more than storing them with your normal dishes. To avoid ruining your nice plates, put a coffee filter in between each piece as a cheap, easy barrier.

12. Serve Party Treats

A quick, cute way to serve little finger cookies – say for appetizers or at a tea party – is plopping them into fresh coffee filters! The crisp white looks so fresh and even though you spent next to nothing, it’s going to look like an adorable, creative display.

13. DIY Candle Wick

News flashes, coffee filters burn – easily, too. Twist one up (maybe even twist two or three on top of each other) so it’s a tight line. Then put it in a mason jar, fill the jar with tiki fluid, and light the coffee filter “wick.” All of a sudden you have a DIY candle!

14. General Surface Cleaning

You might not have thought to try it before, but coffee filters are great for cleaning a lot of household surface. For instance, appliances, windows, mirrors, and countertops! They’ll pick up dust easily and leave no smears.

15. Homemade Sour Cream

Love sour cream? Us, too! Now you can make your own using a simple coffee filter, thanks to this recipe from Food Wishes.