I use paper towels all the time, just as
I'm sure most of us do, but I've never really given a second thought to
just how versatile they can be. It turns out that there's plenty you can
do with a few humble paper towels! Take a look at these handy tips:
1. De-Moisturize Frozen Bread
This one’s easy – just put a paper towel in
a bag with a loaf of bread before freezing it to eat later. When you
take it out again and leave it to defrost, the paper towel will absorb
all the moisture that’s produced as it thaws.
2. De-Grease Your Sewing Machine
Don’t fret if you’ve just oiled your sewing
machine – use this trick to continue with what you were working on in
no time at all. Take a paper towel and thread your sewing machine with
it. Stitch a series of lines onto it to remove any residual grease from
the oiling.
3. Check Whether You Can Use Old Seeds
Wondering if you can plant that old packet
of seeds you just came across in the shed? Here’s how - dampen two paper
towels and place a few seeds on them. Cover the seeds with two dampened
paper towels. Keep the paper towels damp for the next two weeks, and if
most of the seeds sprout, you can plant the rest of the packet.
4. Take Gunk off a Can Opener
The gunk that builds up over time on your
can opener’s cutting wheels definitely shouldn’t be touching your food.
Open your can opener’s handles, place a paper towel between its wheels,
close it again turn the crank to watch all the gunk come off onto the
paper towel.
5. As An Emergency Coffee Filter
Have you ever been in need of a caffeine
fix without a coffee filter to hand? Take a paper towel, place it in
your cone coffee-shaped filter and fold it as required. Next, cut away
the part of the paper towel that extends above the filter’s rim to
ensure the filter canister closes properly and filter your coffee.
6. De-Moisturize Brown Sugar
Brown sugar naturally has a high moisture
content, and this means it can start to stick together if it isn’t used
up quickly, turning into hard-to-use clumps. Put your brown sugar into a
bowl and cover it with a damp paper towel. Leave it to stand overnight
and you’ll be able to break it up and use it again in the morning.
7. Keep Cast Iron Pots Rust-Free
Cast iron pans are expensive, and they
require some tender loving care. After use, wipe them down with paper
towels to remove oil and food, and consider storing them interleaved
with paper towels if you're not hanging them up, ensuring the absence of
rust. If you need to wash a cast iron pan to remove caked-on food
messes, make sure to dry it on the stove and when you're done, rub it
with a paper towel dipped in fat to keep the pan in good condition.
8. Remove Wax Stains
Don’t worry if you've spilled wax on a
precious piece of furniture or had a grandchild scribbling on your
freshly-painted walls – a paper towel will fix it. Place one over the
wax stain and iron over it with a clothes iron on a low setting. The wax
will be absorbed, removing the stain.
9. Do Some Composting
The carbon contained in paper towels makes
them great for including in the “brown” layer of your compost management
system. Turn your paper towels to compost once you’ve used them to add
air to your compost. This encourages microorganisms to grow, making it
healthy and beautiful.
10. Cook Mess-Free Bacon
Place two paper towels on the bottom of
your microwave. Lay slices of bacon on them and cover with another two
paper towels. Set your microwave power to High and cook the bacon for
one minute at a time. It should be nice and crisp after the fourth
minute. Throw away the paper towels and serve!
11. Line Your Refrigerator to Keep Your Veggies Fresh
It’s really awful finding rotting
vegetables at the bottom of your refrigerator, but paper towels will
remedy that too. Keep them fresh for long enough to eat by lining your
refrigerator’s vegetable compartments to absorb their moisture and
prevent them from rotting.
12. Remove Grease from Soups
Make sure you only get the best from your
soup with this handy trick. Place a pot in your sink, and then place a
colander in it. Line the colander with a paper towel and pour your soup
through it into the pot. Any fat residue will remain in the paper towel,
leaving you with lean, healthy soup.