by Janet Trieschman

Created on: May 11, 2009   Last Updated: May 16, 2009

In this time of economic stress, it makes sense to find alternative uses for every day items. It is a good thing when you can limit the additional items you need to buy and find multiple uses for items you normally purchase. For some of us, it might be a necessity. Aluminum foil can be found in every kitchen. It seems to be a kitchen staple, even in the most simple of kitchens. Aluminum foil can be used for a variety of uses beyond layering your cookie sheet when baking.

Typical uses that you might already exercise would be to line the bottom of your oven with foil to catch drippings. Or to wrap your electric stove burner liners with foil to save them from some awful scrubbing of baked on food drippings. In both instances, it is good practice to change them from time to time. I understand long time usage in the bottom of they oven might cause damage to the elements.

Because aluminum foil reflects heat but doesn't conduct heat it adds to it's utility. Cutting strips of foil and rolling your hair with it as make shift rollers can then be dried with a blow dryer. The foil will help heat your hair and assist in drying and ultimately curling your hair. There is no need for bobby pins to hold the curls in place, the foil will stay put. Placing a layer of foil under your ironing board cover will help transfer the heat to the items you are ironing and quicken your work.

Animals don't like aluminum foil. This one application is very useful, from keeping pets off of furniture to chasing birds out of fruit trees. You can't go wrong with warding off animals in an eco-friendly manner.

Do you hate it when you need a bit of brown sugar and your stash has become a brick of sugar instead of granules? Wrap the chunk of brown sugar in aluminum foil and heat it in a 300-degree oven for about five minutes to soften the sugar. Now there is no need to throw hard brown sugar out and you can use ever last bit of it.

Do you have a television and DVD player stacked on top of each other? Do you seem to have more static than you think you should in your picture quality? Try placing a piece of aluminum foil between the two electronics. They both put off electromagnetic fields that might interfere with each other; the foil will block the transfer between them.

Sharpening scissors is an easy task and you don't have to pay anyone to do it for you. You can sharpen expensive scissors as well as the cheapest pair you have in your house. Layer foil together and cut through the layers of foil to sharpen your scissors. Six to eight layers of foil should do the trick.

Create a ball of aluminum foil, about the size of a baseball. Place it in your clothes dryer and leave it in there. It works as a fabric softener and removes static. There is no need for dryer sheets that you throw away. The wad of foil will last forever, use it over and over again. This is a great eco-friendly tip.

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