12 Ways You Didn't Know You Could Use Paper Towels

 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.

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

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.

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Sources: Readers' Digest, Networx, Weekndr