Aluminum foil is prepared in thin metal leaves with a thickness less than 0.2 millimeters. Aluminum foil replaced tin foil in 1910. Approximately 75% of aluminum foil is used for packaging of foods, cosmetics, and chemical products. 25% is used for industrial applications (e.g. thermal insulation, cables and electronics). The first use of aluminum foil in the United States was in 1913 for wrapping candy bars, gum, and identification leg bands for racing pigeons. Life Savers Pep O Mints followed in 1925.
It
was made popular by Reynolds Metals, the leading
manufacturer in North America. Aluminum
foil was introduced in France in 1903, but it didn’t enter the world of food
until 1908, when Swiss chocolate maker Tobler (known for its iconic triangular
Toblerone bar) started placing its chocolate bars into foil.
Aluminum foil has a shiny side and a dull side. This is a
result of the manufacturing process in which layers of foil pass through a
rolling mill. One side is not different from the other unless you’re using
nonstick foil. (In that case, put food on the treated, or dull, side.) No
matter how you wrap leftovers, bake a potato, or grill vegetables in foil, the
heat will conduct just the same. Here are some unusual used for aluminum foil
that you may have never thought of:
1.
Anti-bug mulch-Reflective mulch
can help keep invading insects away from your vegetable garden. Cover pieces of
cardboard with aluminum foil. Cut 4-inch diameter holes and plant seeds inside,
or simply lay the aluminum foil between planter beds and bury their edges in
soil. One study associated aluminum foil mulch with a 96 percent reduction in
aphids over a growing season.
2.
Conceal a credit card-If you have a
"swipeless" credit card, it's possible that con artists can scan it
and collect certain account information through your wallet. The risk is very
minimal — these scans won't give thieves enough information to make a
fraudulent purchase in your name. If the thought still makes you uneasy, wrap your card in a piece of aluminum foil to deflect
the scanner.
3.
Cupcake holder-Make an easy-to-carry disposable
cupcake or muffin holder by lining a regular cupcake pan with a layer of foil.
Make sure to push the foil all the way into the recesses of the pan, creating
cupcake-shaped indents. Pop it out, and wrap the whole thing (cupcakes inside)
again in foil.
4.
Dish scrubber-When the rough side of your sponge
isn’t enough for set-in grease and food remains, use a balled-up piece of foil
to wipe your baking dishes clean. Foil works just as well on a dirty
grill.
5.
Dryer sheet-Throw a crumpled up foil ball or
two into the dryer with your laundry instead of dryer sheets.
While this trick doesn’t make your clothes quite as soft as a commercial
softener, the foil will keep garments static-free.
6.
Grilling tray-Keep
melty or loose food from dripping and falling into your grill by turning your
metal spatulas into miniature grilling trays.
Fold around two feet of heavy-duty foil in half, put a griddle spatula in the
middle, and fold the foil up around it to create a tray. See an example
(pictured) in this grilled cheese tutorial by Alton
Brown.
7.
Hair curler- Wrap
a piece of hair around two fingers and cover the resulting loop in foil. Clamp
the packet of foil in a straight iron for a few seconds to heat up the hair,
and then let it cool. Instant waves.
8.
Iron clothes faster-Aluminum foil
reflects heat so try placing a sheet under your ironing boards cover, to smooth
wrinkles a bit quicker.
9.
Light reflector-Perk up the shadowy areas of your
photos with a reflector made
out of foil. Just tape foil to a large display board (like the kind you'd use
for the science fair) and angle it to get the lighting conditions you
want. Note that the two sides of aluminum foil aren’t the same—one is shinier.
Make sure to keep the same side facing up throughout the board.
10.
Line cabinets and drawers-Not only is the
foil easy to clean with a damp sponge, but it will help reflect light in a cabinet's dark corners.
11.
Makeshift funnel -Twist a piece of foil
into a cone shape, and stick it in whatever bottle (or flask) you’re
transferring to. Just make sure to hold the foil in place, and don’t pour too
much too fast, or your funnel will come apart.
12.
Move heavy furniture-Wrap the feet
of your couch in a few layers of heavy duty foil to help move it across carpeting (but avoid using this
trick on delicate surfaces or furniture that the foil could scratch).
13.
Photography background-Crinkle up a large sheet of
aluminum foil and tape it to the wall as a mod set piece for your
photography.
14.
Protect pie crust-Worried about
burning your pie? Cover the edges with a ring cut out of aluminum foil
to keep the crust from getting too brown.
15.
Scare away birds-Chances are you
love seeing brightly colored feathered friends around your garden, but if you
have a fruit tree, you might not want birds feasting on your bounty. Like the
reflective tape sold at garden stores, strips of aluminum foil hung in your tree can help keep them
away.
16.
Scissor sharpener- Fold a piece of
aluminum foil several times. Cut a few straight lines through the foil with
your dull scissors. This cleans and sharpens the blade, sort of like a razor strop.
17.
Scrub dishes-Like steel
wool, a ball of aluminum foil can help clean cookware you can give a good scrub
like glass casserole dishes or cast-iron skillets.
18.
Silver polish-Silver becomes darker with age
because of a chemical reaction with the sulfur in the air. Aluminum foil can
help reverse the process by converting silver sulfide back into silver with the help of some
baking soda and hot water. Coat the bottom of a pan with aluminum foil, and put
whatever silver you’re looking to polish on top. Pour a mixture of boiling
water and baking soda (one cup of baking soda for every gallon of water) into
the pan, covering the silver, and wait until the tarnish disappears. If your
silver is too big for a pan, use a bucket like in the video above.
19.
Soften hard sugar-When a recipe
calls for a tablespoon of brown sugar but it’s hardened, a little heat can
help. Wrap the brown sugar in a piece of aluminum foil and toss it in a
350-degree oven for five minutes.
20.
Vegetable crisper -To keep celery crisp,
wrap it in aluminum foil before you put it in the fridge, so when it produces
ethylene gas, it doesn’t get trapped in a plastic bag.
“Wrap fish fillets, sliced veggies, and other
quick-cooking items inside foil packets with bundles of fresh herbs and throw
them directly on the grill; the steam will release the herb's perfume and
flavor anything contained inside the pouch.” (Emeril Lagasse)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“11 Who-Knew Uses for Aluminum Foil” by Lauren Piro
·
“15
Amazing Things Aluminum Foil Can Do” BY Shaunacy Ferro
·
“5
Things You Didn't Know About Aluminum Foil” By Cheryl Brown
·
“Aluminum foil”
From Wikipedia
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