Even if you normally clean with reusable cloths and sponges, you have to admit — having a roll of perforated kitchen roll towels around the kitchen is essential. There's just no beating them when you need to quickly wipe up a spill or clean something you don't want lingering on your reusable cloths. But paper towels are not just for wiping counters and floors. Here are some more offbeat ways you can use these handy, disposable kitchen essentials.

1. To Germinate Seeds

If you do any sort of gardening, then you know that the first step in seed growth is for the seed to germinate. You can actually speed up the process (and avoid planting dud seeds) by germinating your seeds between two paper towels. Moisten the paper towels, and place the seeds between them on a plate. Remoisten them daily until the seeds germinate, and then plant the pre-sprouted seeds.

2. As a Quick Coffee Filter

No, a paper towel won't make as good of coffee as a real coffee filter, but if you run out of real filters, it certainly works in a pinch. Just fold the square as best you can into your coffee maker, and fold the edges down over the side of the coffee maker's basket so they don't get in the way. 

3. To Absorb Ice From Frozen Bread

Bread seems to freeze well, but when you thaw it, any ice on the surface melts, making parts of the bread mushy. If you shove a paper towel or two in the bag before you put the bread in the freezer, the paper towel will absorb all moisture, keeping your bread a healthy texture.

4. Strain Bacon Fat

After you cook bacon, you can save the fat and use it to make delicious stir fried veggies and eggs. But it's best to strain the little bacon bits out of the fat so they don't burn. To do this, just place a piece of paper towel over a bowl or mug, and pour the bacon fat through it.

5. Keep Celery Moist

Have you every purchased celery, put it in the fridge drawer, and come back to find it limp a few days later? If you moisten a paper towel and wrap it around the ends of your celery, this will prevent it from drying out as it will keep water from evaporating out of the celery stalks.