Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Aluminum foil is that shiny stuff on a roll we use for wrapping and storing leftovers. Yes, it is, say the bloggers at Brainjet.com. But used in more resourceful ways, it can clean the silver, boost your WiFi and more. Try it for making these common home chores a little easier than you thought:

• Soften brown sugar – Got a solid brick of hard brown sugar? Wrap it in foil, bake at 300 degrees for five minutes, and get usable, soft brown sugar once more.
• Polish the silver – Line a glass bowl with aluminum foil. Add 2 teaspoons each of baking soda and salt, and fill the bowl with hot water. Dip the silver in it for five minutes or so, then dry it and see it sparkle. You can use the same tip for gemstone jewelry and watch the sparkle come back.
• Clean pots and pans – No steel wool pads available. Crumple up a few sheets of foil and use them to scrape pots and pans clean.
• Clean the grill – Crumple up some foil, spray it with white vinegar, and use it to clean off the grill.
• Sharpen scissors – Fold a large square of foil six or seven times into a small square. Run dull scissors blades across the foil to create sharper edges.
• Move furniture – Rearranging the furniture? Slip a couple strips of foil under each leg of the chest or sofa to make gliding the piece around the room much easier.
• Make ironing easier – Put sheets of foil under the ironing board cover and iron as usual. The foil reflects the heat back into the clothing, so wrinkles are more easily smoothed out.
• Brighten the landscape – If your landscape lighting isn’t bright enough, tape aluminum foil to the inside of each bulb cover. The bulb will reflect off the foil and shine with a brighter light.
• Makeshift camping utensils – Don’t bring half the kitchen on your trip. Fold sheets of foil inventively to act as plates, bowls, and serving dishes.
• Wifi booster – a bad connection can be torture. Get a stronger connection by bending a piece of foil into a curve and placing it behind your router.

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