The Many Amazing Uses for Aluminum Foil: It’s Not Just for Cooking!
Aluminum foil is a fabulous invention, especially for granola types like myself who don’t like anything that’s disposable. And unlike disposable cling wrap, zippered storage bags, and all those “use and throw away” products, this amazing product is both reusable, 100% recyclable, and practical in so many ways.
Interested in knowing some of the ways aluminum foil can be used?
Storing food
Long before there was cling wrap, folks were wrapping leftovers in aluminum foil. A foil wrapped leftover can be safely reheated in the oven in a surprisingly short amount of time.
To reuse the aluminum foil, wash it in the sink and line dry for several hours. The natural bleaching action of the sun will disinfect any germs still lurking on the surface, making it safe to use again. After it’s completely dried, fold it as you would a dish towel for easy storage. Taken care in this way, aluminum foil can be used at least half a dozen times again.
Other household uses
Once your stash of aluminum foil becomes too weak to wrap around the turkey, it’s time to put it to work in the rest of the house. Cut those smaller pieces of foil into 3 x 3 squares, which are the perfect size to place under the furniture legs after shampooing the carpets.
For larger pieces, flatten out the crinkles as best you can and spray with a colorful spray paint. Use the foil to wrap a gift or flower pot, and finish up with a color scrap of contrast.
Do you have summer heat coming in a west facing bathroom, garage, or barn window? Press aluminum foil into the window, reflective side out, and lower the room temperature by up to 20 degrees.
Boredom buster for kids
For crafting material, it’s really hard to beat aluminum foil for versatility. My boys would use several boxes worth to create light sabers, swords, helmets, and full body armor.
Ever sculpt a foil statue? One of the characteristics of aluminum foil is it’s “memory.” Once shaped, it will keep it’s shape making it ideal for mess free sculpting. To make a larger sculpture, the foil will have to be wrapped around a support, such as a milk jug, to give it added structure. It can also be painted with acrylic paint for a really cool crinkle effect. On a smaller scale, aluminum foil can also be used to create an easy bas relief. To make a bas relief, pin the foil to a sheet of thick cardboard. Use the tip of a dull pencil to create the impression. Once the drawings are finished, unpin the foil from the cardboard and flip to the reverse side. Spray this side to create a fabulous, dimensional work of art.
For jewelry makers, 6″ by 1/2″ inch wedges of aluminum foil can be rolled around a toothpick to create sparkling beads that can be threaded on glitterly silver twine.
Of course the best boredom buster of all for kids, is to start an aluminum foil ball and break the Guiness Book of World’s Records.
Uses for disposable pans and trays
How many times have you received a casserole or pie that had been baked in a aluminum foil pan? These pans can be washed in the dishwasher along with your regular dishes, and saved for another time. These used pans are perfect for “bake sale” brownie & cakes, or for bringing a hot dish to a sick relative.
Got pesky birds in the fruit trees? Pie plates and strips of cut foil can be hung in the branches to scare off those critters the natural way. Foil pans also make great containers for art projects. They can keep small beads, crayons, and other other trinkets organized. They can also serve as a paint palette for art projects of all types.
When the aluminum foil has been used every which way, it can even be cut into tiny snippets to use as glitter or confetti.
The best part of aluminum foil is when you’ve used it every which way imaginable, it can be brought to the recycling center with your other recyclables and remade into something totally different.
