Aluminum foil is good for so many things. In addition to its common uses of wrapping food and preventing space invaders from controlling our minds, foil is a multipurpose wonder.

You may already fiddle around with foil for costume-making or scissor sharpening. Now, it’s time to put it to work in a myriad of ways and become the genius in your circle of family and friends. So, stop arguing over whether the name is tin foil or aluminum foil and check out all the ways you can use it around your house.

  1. Polish Silverware and Jewelry

    To clean discolored jewelry, line a dish with aluminum foil and pour a cup of hot water into it. Add a tablespoon each of salt and baking soda, and then drop your goodies in. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and then rinse. Whatever you do, don’t skip the foil or else you’ll be unpleasantly surprised.

  2. Soften Brown Sugar

    Use aluminum foil to soften brown sugarGabiSanda via Pixabay

    Don’t you hate when brown sugar gets tough? Wrap the solid chunk in foil and pop it in the oven for 5 minutes at 300°.

  3. WiFi Booster

    Got a weak WiFi signal? Give it a little boost by putting in a little work with aluminum foil. Tear a sheet of foil and fold it into a rectangular shape that’s around 4″ x 6″. Bend the shiny side inwards into a curvy shape. Place it behind your router. To see a quick tutorial, watch this video from Philippe Allaire.

  4. Cook Your Food

    Image of eggs in frying pan.Brightside

    You don’t need a dedicated steamer to get the job done. Check out this trick to rig one up for your stovetop. You can also line your frying or baking pans to avoid making a mess. If you need some foil-wrap recipes, you can find plenty of inspiration here.

  5. Heal Minor Burns

    Ouch! Did you burn your fingertips on an iron or oven? With the shiny side facing inwards, wrap the injured part in aluminum foil and keep it covered for at least 15 – 20 minutes. The pain should disappear after you remove it. I’ve tried it and it works!

  6. Nix the Dryer Sheets

    Toss a few aluminum foil balls into the dryer and let them take the electric charge. No need to add dryer sheets anymore!

  7. Curl Your Hair

    Tin Foil CurlsBrittney H

    Learn how to curl your hair without the heat touching it directly. A flat iron and some foil is all it takes. Click here to see how it’s done.

  8. Scrub Pots, Pans, and Grills

    Ball up a piece of foil to scour off caked on grease and food remnants from your cookware. It’s safe to use on cast iron, but do not use it for non-stick pans. For grills, simply scrub the crust off.

  9. Remove Rust

    Dip a piece of crumpled foil into some distilled vinegar and rub it onto rusty metal bits. Watch it disappear!

  10. DIY Funnel

    BreakfastBreadConesHeaderTipHero

    Make a custom-sized funnel when you can’t get your hands on one. Use it for pouring liquids into containers or for making fun foods like these bread cones.

  11. Garden Protection

    Mix a few strips of aluminum foil in with your mulch to repel insects. In the winter, wrap some foil around the base of your plants or trees to keep pests like mice, bugs, and squirrels away. Hold it down with rocks if you need to.

Handy for more than just sealing food up, aluminum foil is something you should keep stocked in your home. If not for any other reason, at least keep the aliens guessing.

What other ways do you use aluminum foil? How many of these foil tricks would you like to try?

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