Like duct tape, WD40 and vinegar, aluminum foil can be used in so many ways besides covering a casserole and lining your cookie sheets. It’s incredibly versatile inside AND outside the kitchen.
Among its many applications, aluminum foil can be used to brighten, shine, clean, scour, frighten, reflect, conduct, prevent, protect, and sharpen so keep some on hand at all times. And who doesn’t like bright shiny objects?
And now…it’s time to pick up a roll and see how magical this stuff is.
Brighten
Grab your dull or tarnished silver jewelry, some aluminum foil, salt, baking soda, hot water, and a dish. Wrap the dish in foil. Add enough hot water so the jewelry will be completely submerged. Mix equal parts of salt and baking soda into the water, starting with a tablespoon of each.
Add the jewelry and let it soak for at least five minutes, maybe overnight. Rake the jewelry out of the mixture, rinse, and wipe off. Repeat this process with more salt and baking soda until your jewelry sparkles.
Shine
A quick way to make your silverware shine is to add some aluminum foil to the wash cycle. Crumple up one or two balls of aluminum foil and place them in the dishwasher in the silverware caddy. Wash as normal. If you’re washing your silverware by hand, let your forks, spoons, and knives soak in the sink with some foil and baking soda.
Clean
Who likes looking at a grill grate a few days after it has cooked 6 hamburgers, 8 hogs, and a rack of ribs? No one we know, so it’s aluminum foil to the rescue. Cleaning your grill with aluminum foil is a quick and easy way to remove grease and grime buildup without the use of harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners.
Turn on your grill and shut the lid to loosen the cooked-on debris. Crumple a piece of aluminum foil and use it the same way you would a grill brush. To avoid burning your hands, hold the ball of foil with a pair of tongs. If the grime is particularly stubborn, you can add some baking soda to the foil to help loosen it up.
Once you have scrubbed the grates with the foil, use a grill brush to remove any remaining debris and to smooth out the grates. Wipe the grates with a damp cloth to remove any leftover residue.
Use aluminum foil also to help with grease cleanup. Wrap the inside of a bowl with foil. Make sure the bowl is completely covered, and the foil is free of any tears or empty spots. Pour the liquid fat into the bowl and let it cool to room temperature. Once the fat solidifies, fold the top of the aluminum foil over the top and throw it away. Wash the bowl and pan as you normally would. Don’t forget to take out the trash.
Scour
Anywhere you can use steel wool, try aluminum foil instead. Crumple up a ball of foil, add soap or vinegar and water, and remove stains or grime from pans. As long as whatever you’re scrubbing is stainless steel or chrome, it will do the trick without any damage.
Frighten and Reflect
Aluminum foil can be used to deter pests from eating your plants. Wrap the base of your plants with aluminum foil to create a barrier against slugs and other pests.
You can also repel garden pests by hanging strips of aluminum foil from branches. Cut two- to three-inch-wide strips, varying the length. Wrap one end of foil around a branch and let the other end hang. The metallic finish will reflect light and make noises in the wind, thus deterring garden pests. The reflection will also provide additional light for your plants.
Conduct
If you’re out of dryer sheets or looking for a more affordable option, prevent clinging fabric by balling up some aluminum foil and tossing it into the dryer. Foil is a conductor, catching all the unwanted static building up in your dryer.
When ironing, speed up the process by placing aluminum foil over your ironing board. Make sure the shiny side of the foil is facing up. When you glide your iron over the article of clothing, it’ll receive heat from both sides. Be extra careful, though, to not leave the iron sitting on the fabric too long.
Prevent
Have you ever tried to bite into a celery stalk that has lost its crispiness? To prevent this, wrap it completely in aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will help to maintain the moisture of the celery and prevent it from drying out too quickly, which can cause it to become limp and less crisp. You can also use this method to store other vegetables, such as carrots and broccoli, to help keep them fresh.
Protect
To keep pie crusts from becoming too done, add strips of aluminum foil to the outer ring of the crust for the first part of baking. Then remove the foil during the last 10 to 15 minutes.
Reuse your painting trays or skip using a tray liner by using aluminum foil to cover the metal or plastic tray instead. Cover the tray in aluminum foil, then pour the paint into the tray. When wrapping the tray in foil, make sure there’s extra on the sides. After painting, peel the additional foil and create a funnel. Pour unused paint back into the container and toss the foil.
Sharpen
Aluminum foil works to improve the cutting performance of slightly dull scissors. Fold a sheet over several times, creating a thick piece. Cut the folded layers into strips using the full length of the scissor blades for each cut. This will remove any tarnish from the scissors and improve how they cut.
For all of the latest information on our local real estate market in Southwestern Indiana, you can always trust the professionals at F.C. Tucker Emge. Our agents have superior training and resources at their disposal to better educate you about the road to homeownership. Even if you are 6-12 months (or more!) out from making a change, there is a lot to learn about the home buying and selling process, and our agents can help you learn what you need to know so that you can be confident in your decision and have a smooth experience when the time comes. Let’s Talk!
