Did you know the origin of aluminum foil can be traced back to the early 1900s? Life Savers, an iconic candy, were first packaged in foil in 1913. To this day, these popular treats are still encased in the world-famous aluminum foil tube. Aluminum foil’s popularity has grown over the past 100 years, quickly becoming a household staple, and alternate uses have quickly been adopted to cover all kinds of household tasks, indoor and out! Here are some examples.
Sharpen dull scissors
Fold a strip of foil several times until it’s several layers thick, then carefully cut through it a few times. Voila! Your dull scissors just became sharper. In theory, the aluminum foil acts similarly to using steel to sharpen a knife.
Iron clothes faster
In a hurry? Iron clothes quicker with a sheet of aluminum foil. Simply put a single sheet of foil on top of your ironing board, under the garment you need to iron. The foil will reflect the heat back into the garment, ironing both sides at once!
Keep your garden slug and pest free
Keep small insects like slugs and bugs at bay by mixing small aluminum foil strips in with your mulch. More eco-friendly than chemicals, the reflection from the foil confuses the insects and drives them away. It can also reflect light back up on your plants, helping them to grow.
Scrub pans and glassware
Of course, in a pinch, a balled-up piece of aluminum foil is also a great way to clean glass bake wear, especially when they contain baked on food. You can also use this method on pots and pans except for the non-stick variety as it will scratch them.
Protect fixtures from paint
Keep your doorknobs, drawer handles and other fixtures free of paint by wrapping them with aluminum foil. The easily malleable material makes it simple to wrap around fixtures of all shapes and sizes.
