Moms just seem to know the secrets to make life easier.
Here are all the ways one Midwestern mom uses a kitchen staple: aluminum foil.
Growing up in Minnesota, aluminum foil (not tin foil!)
Credit:Blaine Moats | Design: Better Homes & Gardens
was a constant fixture in my childhood home that my mother built.
Aluminum foil has a wide range of uses, from brightening silver to replacing dryer sheets.
Brighten Your Silver Jewelry
This scientifically proven hack is known tobrighten your dull or tarnished silver jewelry.
Start by wrapping a bowl or plate in the foil.
(see to it the entire surface is covered.)
Add enough hot water that the jewelry will be completely submerged when you add it.
Mix equal parts of salt and baking soda into the water, starting with a tablespoon of each.
After enough time has passed, take the jewelry out of the mixture, rinse, and wipe off.
If the results arent to your liking, repeat the process with more salt and baking soda.
Shine Your Silverware
A quick way tomake your silverware shineis to add some aluminum foil to your wash cycle.
Crumple up one or two balls of aluminum foil and place them in the dishwasher in the silverware caddy.
This method works before and after whipping up a yummy meal.
This will loosen the cooked-on debris.
Crumple up a wad of aluminum foil and use it the same way you would a grill brush.
If youre worried about burning your hands, hold the ball of foil with a pair of tongs.
After a little elbow grease, your grill will be ready for whatever youll cook up next.
Allow your grill to cool down a little, so youre not blasted with 500-degree heat.
While the meat rests, ball up the foil and get to scraping.
This will give you a clean cooking space the next time you lift the lid.
Start by crumpling up a ball of foil.
Use your preferred soap or vinegar and water (no rinsing!)
with a little elbow grease to remove stains or grime.
Double-check that whatever youre scrubbing is stainless steel or chrome.
Other materials will become damaged if scrubbed too harshly.
To avoid this, cut a piece of aluminum foil and place it inside the garment.
confirm that the inside of the hole is completely covered in aluminum foil.
Now, when you iron on the patch, it will attach only to the intended spot.
When wrapping the tray in foil, check that theres extra on the sides.
When youre finished painting, peel up the additional foil and create a makeshift funnel.
This will allow you to save unused paint by pouring it back into the container.
Dispose of the paint-covered foil, leaving a mess-free tray or liner.
Keep Deer and Birds out of Your Fruit Trees
Growing fruit can be a labor of love.
Cut two- to three-inch-wide strips.
Vary the length of the strips depending on your tree and how much foliage it has.
Wrap one end of foil around the branch and let the other end hang.
The metallic finish will reflect light and make noises in the wind, thus deterring garden pests.
Easily Clean Up Grease
After cooking ground beef or searing bacon, there is a ton of grease.
Wrap the inside of a bowl with the oil.
ensure the bowl is completely covered, and the foil is free of any tears or empty spots.
Pour the liquid oil fats into a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
Once the fat solidifies, fold the top of the aluminum foil over the solidified fat andthrow it away.
Wash the bowl and pan as you normally would.
Grease can become rancid: Take out your garbage before anything gets too smelly.
Replace Your Dryer Sheets
Freshly cleaned laundry is a small luxury, but static can ruin it.
Prevent clinging fabric by balling up some aluminum foil and tossing it into the dryer.
Keep Celery Firm in the Fridge
Celery can be a fickle guest in the refrigerator.
It can be so frustrating to have celery thats perfectly fine but turned to rubberno one enjoys limp celery.
To prevent this, toss the plastic sleeve your celery comes in and swap it for aluminum foil.
The plastic actually traps in ethylene gas, the ripening agent most fruits and veggies produce.
The key is to wrapnot sealyourceleryin aluminum foil.
This helps keep moisture locked in (i.e.
no soggy stalks), but lets the ethylene escape, making your celery last longer.
Protect Your Pie
The edges of a pie always darken faster than the middle.
Cut out the center of the circle to make a foil ring.
Place the ring around the edges of the pie.
For best results, remove the foil during the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking.
Add to Your Ironing Board
Ironing clothes is a tedious task.
Speed up the process by placing aluminum foil over yourironing board.
This serves as a conductor of heat.
ensure the shiny side of the foil is facing you (compared to the duller metallic side).
When you glide your iron over the article of clothing, itll receive heat from both sides.
This will speed up the wrinkle-removal process.
While this technique provides much-needed moisture to avoid cracking, it can be risky.
If water enters the baking pan, youll end up with a soggy mess.
To prevent this, double-layer aluminum foil around springform pans and baking dishes to add protectionduring a water bath.
Youll end up with a perfectly cooked (and dry) dessert when the oven timer goes off.
