Coffee filters are versatile and can most definitely get you out of a bind when you're bugging out. Just stick a stack of coffee filters in your bug-out bag and take a look at some of these clever uses! And we are sure you can come up with more ideas if you really think hard about it!

1.  Use in place of a rag or paper towel
Use a coffee filter as a makeshift rag. Unlike paper towels, coffee filters are lint free and take up very little space. They are also dirt cheap.
2.  Pre-filter collected water
When collecting water, you will likely find some sediment, leaves, twigs, or other undesirable matter in the water. Pre-filter collected water using a coffee filter, then process as you normally would, typically by boiling or by the use of a filtration system. This will remove the larger debris and help extend the life of your expensive filters.
3.  Make a disposable plate or bowl
If you are bugging out or on the run, plates and bowls, even disposables, may be scarce. As well, they can be heavy and take up valuable real estate in your backpack. Dry foods can be eaten directly from a coffee filter bowl held in your hands. Heavier foods, even those that are moist, can be supported by a paper or plastic plate or bowl. When done, throw out the filter and your plate or bowl is still clean enough to use for the next meal. This saves cleanup time, and even more importantly, it saves water.
4.  Keep your specs spotlessly clean
You don’t need fancy liquid products to clean your glasses and, as a matter of fact, some products can also damage the coatings on specialized lenses. (I know – it happened to me.) The next time you need to clean your glasses, try using a coffee filter with a bit of plain water. Your glasses will come clean and will be lint-free. You can also use coffee filters to safely clean cell phone, E-reader, and computer screens.
5.  Use it as emergency toilet paper
No TP? No worries. A coffee filter will work just fine – just don’t flush it down a toilet.
6.  Keep potting soil where it belongs – in the pot
Before placing soil in a pot, cover the hole in the bottom with a coffee filter. This will prevent the soil from leaking out and yet will allow the excess water to drain properly.
7.  Make a bandage
If you have a small cut or even a razor nick, rip a piece off of a coffee filter and slap it on with pressure to stop the bleeding. Your coffee filter will work similarly to a styptic pencil but without the stinging. Note: this is not a replacement for a decent first aid kit.
8.  Make an instant funnel
Cut the end off of a cone-style coffee filter to make an instant funnel.
9.  Flavor your sun tea
When making a sun tea, add dried orange peels, mint leaves, or other herbs for flavor. Take a filter and center the contents in the middle. Gather the edges, twist, and tie with string. Drop your little flavor packet into the jar along with the tea bags and let it brew as usual.
10.  Spot clean clothing
Spots and spills are a fact of life. Use a coffee filter to spot clean your clothing. If you have some, use some white vinegar. hydrogen peroxide,, or club soda and the spot will be greatly reduced if not disappear completely.
11.  Sprout garden seeds
You can also sprout garden seeds in coffee filters to give them a head start before putting them into the ground or pots.
12.  Keep glass surfaces clean
Coffee filters are lint-free so your glass surfaces will sparkle after they are cleaned. If you have some – and you should – add a little vinegar to water and use this combo as a cleaning solution. (But use only water and soap on eye glasses – no vinegar please. See above.)
13.  Make a portable food wrapper
While fending for yourself, you may not have aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or other containers for storing your food. Instead, use a coffee filter as a food wrapper or storage container. You may need to split the filter and combine two or more to surround your food, but after securing your food wrapper with a bit of string, you will be all set.
14.  Make a dish for pet food
If you have a dog or cat, in a pinch, you can serve either wet or dry food in a makeshift coffee filter bowl.
15. Use it as paper
In a pinch, if you have to leave a note or write something down, but have no paper, a coffee filter will do the trick. It will work best with a ballpoint pen – a marker will bleed too much to be legible.

Whew! That is a lot of tips and ideas… and there are far more where they came from! Go to Back Door Survival and read what more you can do with coffee filters! Such a multi-purpose and wonderful “tool” that can be used by one and all!

We never like to anticipate running out of items but when we do it is always nice to see what we can fall back on … and these filters are da bomb!