Usually, we toss our coffee or tea filters into the trash can after drinking our coffee or tea. Have we ever thought that there is more to those filters than meets the eye? For example, are coffee filters compostable?
First of all, spent coffee grounds turn out to work wonders as part of the compost. If that is the case, then what about the filters?
If the Answer Is Yes, Then How?
Are coffee filters compostable? If the filters are made of paper, then the answer is yes. However, sometimes the filters for your coffee or tea may be made of other materials.
Some coffee filters are often treated with bleach and also other chemicals. Hmm, if that is the case, you might want to back out of the idea. Since organic materials are much safer, you could choose strictly organic coffee filters and nothing else. Unbleached filters are your option.
However, what if the chemicals are in a minimum amount? That may not be a serious issue to most people, so they will still use the coffee filters for compost anyway. If that is not you, then go for the strictly organic stuff.
Make coffee filters as additional for your compost. For starters, they are brown, which means very rich in carbon. Speaking of which, you need that to balance things out with the nitrogen in the compost.
Another brownie point (yes, literally and figuratively) is to add some coffee grounds in as well. It means adding more green into the nitrogen-carbon-rich compost.
Last but not least, the coffee filters can help to control the smell and oxygen levels. The compost pile will be healthier and easier to maintain.
Composting the Coffee Filters
Now, here is how to compost the coffee filters:
1. Compost the filters and the grounds as well.
When you compost the coffee filters, do not leave the grounds out. Compost them all together to make a balanced mixture of carbon and green.
2. Break these materials down.
Coffee filters may take a while to break, so you can speed up the process by breaking them down as much as possible. Shredding and mixing them will be even quicker asa result.
3. Do not add too much at one time.
To keep the balance, do not add too much at one time. To be on the safe side, measure the ratio first. Then, once you get a fair deal of each material, you can start adding it into the compost pile.
4. Keep the compost pile moist.
All coffee drinkers know that coffee grounds tend to dry very quickly. Since you need to keep the compost pile moist, mix them with other items you have for your compost. Do that thoroughly.
Now you know how to use coffee filters for compost. Can we also use them for something else?
Alternative Ways To Put Your Coffee Filters To Good Use:
If you are thorough, you know there are other ways to put your coffee filters to good use. Here are what you can do with your coffee filters after you finish drinking your coffee:
1. Reusing them.
Do you realize that your coffee or tea filters can be used more than once? That is why it is not advisable to throw them off once you are done with your drink. Just remove the coffee grounds (for the compost pile), dry the filters, and then use it again for the next pot of coffee.
2. Using them as lines for plant pots.
These coffee filters also work wonders when you use them as liners for your plant pots. That way, the soil will not spill out easily. Plus, they can make a nice decoration in your plant pots.
3. Straining cooking oil.
By putting your coffee filters over the oil jar opening, you can help to strain your cooking oil. After that, the second step will be to tip the filters over before you strain them into another container. This new container will be much cleaner, but with the cleaner version of the previous container’s oil.
4. Controlling weed growth.
By placing the coffee filters around your plant base, you get to control weed growth. It will also help to retain moisture, as more moisture gets to seep into your soil.
5. Protecting your accessories from abrasion.
If you have valuable items and do not want them to be tainted with abrasion, coffee filters help solve that problem, such as your jewelry and other accessories. Just place the coffee filters around them.
6. Cleaning the surface of the glass.
No lint, no residue, and no scratch too. That is how coffee filters also clean the glass surface.
7. Retaining the microwave’s inner moisture.
Instead of using a paper towel, why not use coffee filters to cover your foods when you put them in the microwave instead? That will help to retain the moisture within.
Are coffee filters compostable? Now you know the answer.
Read also: 9 Things You Can Use as Coffee Filter
