9 Clever Paper Towels Uses

Beyond wiping down your counters and drying dishes, there are several paper towel uses you may not know about.

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Washed salad in sieve
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Keep Greens Fresh

Wrap salad greens or herbs in a paper towel before storing them in the fridge. The sheet will absorb excess moisture, helping them stay fresh longer. Now you’ll have plenty of fresh veggies on hand.

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Smiling woman in kitchen taking jar from kitchen cabinet
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Soften Brown Sugar

If your brown sugar resembles a brick, you can reconstitute it by placing it in a bowl covered with a damp paper towel. Stick the bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds, and the moisture will soften the sugar again.

Plus, here’s how to clean your microwave using these three simple pantry items.

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Hands of person slicing leeks on white cutting board, healthy eating concept
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Keep Cutting Boards in Place

Some plastic cutting boards lack anti-slip grips on the bottom, meaning they’ll slide around the counter as you try to chop. Simply place a paper towel underneath the board for improved traction.

Here’s how to make a DIY cutting board.

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Prevent Microwave Messes

If you’re heating up something in the microwave and think it might pop or splatter, place a paper towel over the food to minimize the mess. Plus, here are 12 things you should never, ever microwave.

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Boy (4-5) peeling corn cob
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Remove Silk From Corn

When shucking corn, you can quickly remove any lingering pieces of silk by wiping down the produce with a damp paper towel. It will grab the stringy pieces, allowing you to start cooking faster. Did you know that you can grill corn? Here are 30 other grilling tips you’ll wish you knew sooner.

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Three iron pans in different sizes
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Protect Stacked Pans

Many people warn against stacking pots and pans for storage because can lead to dings and scratches. If you must stack your cookware, put paper towels between the pieces to serve as a protective barrier. This is especially useful for cast-iron pans, since the towel will also absorb excess moisture and protect the pan’s seasoning.

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can opener opening can of tomato sauce
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Clean Can Openers

When was the last time you cleaned your manual can opener? If it’s been too long, clamp it down on a paper towel and twist the handle. The blades will spin, wiping off any gunk onto the disposable sheet.

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Loaves of bread wrapped in plastic, to avoid going to the market every day to buy in times of corona-virus. Spain, Europe
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Keep Frozen Bread Fresh

Frozen bread often goes soggy as it thaws. But if you put a sheet of paper towel into the bag, it will absorb the moisture, helping keep your bread dry and delicious.

Plus, is your freezer set to the right temperature?

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A woman pouring coffee from a pot through a paper filter.
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Serve as a DIY Coffee Filter

If you need a caffeine fix but don’t have any filters, a paper towel will work in a pinch. Use it to line the basket of your coffee maker and it will strain out the grounds.

Up next, check out these coffee filter hacks you need to know.

Taste of Home
Originally Published on Taste of Home

Camryn Rabideau
Camryn Rabideau is freelance writer specializing in fashion, beauty, home, smart technology and general lifestyle content. She holds a degree in fashion merchandising from the University of Rhode Island and jumps at any opportunity to combine her love for fashion and writing.

Camryn is a regular contributor to popular media sites such as Martha Stewart, Food52, InStyle, Taste of Home, USA Today, Reviewed.com, The Spruce, Elite Daily and The Everygirl. She has also worked with several Fortune 500 companies to create engaging articles for their content marketing initiatives. Despite pressure from her peers, she remains on team #NoOxfordComma.