It is most commonly used in the oven or for wrapping grilled food: aluminum foil. And admittedly: the product may not be exactly environmentally friendly, but it can still be used in the home even after baking or grilling. Getting a burnt pot clean again, removing rust or cleaning the iron: aluminum foil proves to be an amazing all-rounder in the household. We explain everything you can do with it.
Clean burnt things with aluminum foil
It prevents fat or meat juice from dripping off the grilled food and protects meat and fish from burning in the oven. But when you crumple it up into balls, it can do even more. It is abrasive enough to remove burnt food without scratching the surface. It is therefore a good alternative to the metal sponge. The rice that sticks to the bottom of the pot or the leftover lasagna from the glass baking dish: if you clean with aluminum foil, you can remove some of it. And you are doing something good for the environment because you are recycling the product.
Clean the iron surface with aluminum foil
The soleplate of the iron is sticky again or you notice burnt residue on the surface? Two sure signs that you are thesurface of the deviceshould clean. You can find various preparations and cleaning pens in stores. If you want to clean the surface without chemicals then you canclean aluminum foilLay it out on the ironing board and run the iron on level 1 over the aluminum foil. Limescale and black spots will adhere to the film.
Tip: To save electricity when ironing and iron clothes faster, line the ironing board with aluminum foil under the ironing board cover. The aluminum foil reflects the heat and you can therefore set the iron to level 1 and get the clothes wrinkle-free quickly and efficiently.
Polish silver
This trick works surprisingly well. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and then fill it with hot water. Add two teaspoons of salt to the water and stir until the salt is dissolved. Then put the silver in the water. It can be anything – cutlery, necklaces, pendants, earrings and much more. It is important that the jewelry and objects are made entirely of silver. In a short time the silver will shine again.
If surfaces are very dirty, you can proceed as follows: Line a baking tray with aluminum foil. Mix 1 teaspoon baking soda with 1 teaspoon salt and sprinkle the aluminum foil with it. Fill with 1/2 cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar and pour hot water over it. Place the silver pieces in the water and leave for 30 seconds to 3 minutes. Then remove it from the water with grill tongs and place it on a microfiber cloth. Polish the pieces with the microfiber cloth.
By the way: Some TikTokers have placed aluminum foil balls in the cutlery basket of the dishwasher along with silver cutlery and swear by good results. It is not clear whether this could harm the device. We therefore advise against experimenting with the dishwasher.
Clean the charcoal grill
Charcoal grills require regular care. Not only does the grill grate have to be scrubbed diligently - you also have to clean the bowl regularly. Aluminum foil is ideal for this purpose. Proceed as follows: Pour 2 cups of apple cider vinegar into a spray bottle and spray the grill with it. Form a ball out of aluminum foil and scrub the rack and tray with it. Then rinse them with water.
Remove rust from various devices
The once shiny metal surfaces are now rusty? No problem. Take some aluminum foil and moisten it with water. The foil should be moist but not dripping. Form it into a ball and use it to scrub the surfacesto remove rust. Apply only light pressure. Then wipe the surface with a microfiber cloth to remove the rust residue. You will quickly look like new. Of course, the end result depends very much on the material. To be on the safe side, test in an invisible place first.
More tricks with aluminum foil
Sharpen scissors with aluminum foil
The aluminum foil finds another surprising oneUse in the household. You can use it to sharpen scissors. You will need a piece of aluminum foil at least 30cm long and scissors. First, fold the foil lengthwise several times until you get a thick strip. Then cut the foil lengthwise with scissors. Then check whether the scissors are sharp enough. If not, continue until the scissors are sharp enough. Dampen a sheet of paper towels and wipe the scissors at the end to remove any aluminum foil residue.
Soften lumpy brown sugar
Want to try a new baking recipe but first need to soften the lumpy brown sugar? No problem. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Take a piece of aluminum foil and place white sugar in the center of the foil. Then wrap the ends of the foil together and put the sugar in the oven for 5 minutes.
Aluminum foil proves to be a real all-rounder in the household. You can use it to clean metal, sharpen scissors or soften brown sugar again.
Read also for even more interesting and affordable cleaning methods“Cleaning the bottom of the pot: Make burnt kitchenware shine with simple tricks and home remedies!”
