14 Cool Re-Uses for Aluminum Foil

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Did you know that the average American throws away 3 pounds of aluminum foil every year? Aluminum foil will take about 400 years to naturally decompose, and when incinerated it can release toxic gases into the atmosphere. Fortunately, aluminum foil is 100% recyclable. Here are some fun ways to re-use it yourself as well.

Instead of tossing that aluminum foil in the landfill, eco-conscious consumers can cut down on waste by washing foil with soap and water, and tossing into the recycling bin, where it can be indefinitely reused.

However, before you do that, you may also want to re-use it yourself a time or two! There are many different ways that aluminum foil can be used around the home.

Here are a few good ones:

1. Reduce static cling. Roll aluminum foil into a tight, two-inch ball and toss it into your dryer with your wet clothes. It will help get rid of annoying static cling.

2. Soften brown sugar. Wrap hardened brown sugar in foil and place in a 300-degree oven for five to 10 minutes to soften the clumps.

3. Deter pests. Try hanging strips of aluminum foil around your garden. The sight and sound of the shiny sheets will help keep birds and some animals from eating your plants. Another idea is to place strips or balls of aluminum foil in cracks where insects or rodents could enter your home or outbuildings. Mice do not like crawling near its sharp edges.

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5.  Glue down loose vinyl. Place a sheet of aluminum foil over a loose or bulging self-stick vinyl tile and run a hot iron over it several times to melt the glue. Then place heavy books or other weights on the tile so the adhesive can reset.

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7. Clean jewelry and silverware. Place gold and silver jewelry or silverware in a bowl lined with aluminum foil. Add hot water and about a tablespoon of bleach-free, powdered laundry detergent or baking soda and mix well. After about a minute, take your now shiny valuables out and let them air dry.

8. Improve efficiency of room radiators. Do you have cast iron room radiators in your home? You can increase their efficiency by making a heat reflector to place behind them. Simply tape heavy-duty aluminum foil (shiny side out) to a large piece of nonflammable material and then place it behind the radiator. The radiant heat will reflect off the foil into the room.

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10. Scrub pots and pans. Use a ball of aluminum foil to scrub grimy kitchen pots and pans or stove-top messes. Note: Avoid using on non-stick surfaces.

11. Remove wrinkles in clothing. To iron clothes more efficiently, place aluminum foil under your ironing board cover. The foil will act as a reflector, helping to heat the clothing and to remove wrinkles more quickly. Another idea is to place the foil under the hole you are patching in jeans or workpants. It keeps the iron-on patch from sticking to the ironing board.

12. Protect fixtures from paint. Use aluminum foil as you would use tape to protect door knobs and fixtures from drips when you are painting a room. You can also use crumpled aluminum foil to add texture to walls when you paint or plaster.

13. Help TV/radio reception. Do you have an old TV or radio that has an antenna? Resurrect a time-honored tradition of wrapping a little ball of foil and wrap it around the antenna ends for clearer reception.

14. Protect young trees. Rodents and other animals often eat the bark of trees during the winter months. An effective way to protect your young trees is to wrap their trunks with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil in October or November. Remove the foil in spring.

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Check out the full article at OffTheGridNews.com for more tips…

 

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