Aluminum foil can be used to cover, stabilize, line and protect. Here are 15 convenient uses for foil that can revolutionize your kitchen routines, plus a few clever household uses. 

1. Create a pastry bag

To decorate a cake or cupcakes, form a cone using aluminum foil. Fill it, frost it and toss it out.

2. Scrub away stuck-on foods

Much like steel wool, aluminum foil formed into a crumpled ball can remove all kinds of stuck-on gunk from pots and pans. Do not use on nonstick pans since the hard edges of the foil could likely ruin the finish. 

3. Stabilize stuffed bell peppers and squash

If your bell peppers or acorn squash halves are falling over as they bake in a casserole dish, roll up a thick strip of foil and place it on the side that needs stabilized. The foil strip keeps the vegetable level, preventing the filling from spilling out. 

4. Create a funnel

When you need to quickly improvise a funnel for pouring ingredients into narrow openings, aluminum foil is your friend. The more heavy duty the foil is, the better it works.

5. Line your air fryer tray 

If you’re using a rack-style air fryer, clean up is a breeze by lining the air fryer tray with aluminum foil. If the foil doesn’t get dirty, reuse it. Otherwise, just toss the foil and replace it with a new sheet. 

6. Create a grate scrubber 

Crumple some heavy-duty aluminum foil into a ball, add a bit of soap and water (plus elbow grease) and you’ve got the best tool for scrubbing off burnt-on grill gunk. This technique also works well for cleaning oven racks. 

7. Catching food drips 

It can happen to the best of us; as food cooks in the oven, it sometimes bubbles over.

There are two helpful options: Keep a sheet of foil across the bottom of the oven (read the oven manufacturer’s guidelines first). Another option is to always lay a sheet of foil onto a rimmed baking sheet placed beneath the casserole dish or pie plate. 

8. Protect pie crust

If you’re baking pies and notice the top crust is getting too browned, gently lay a single sheet of foil across the top of the entire pie. The foil will prevent the crust from browning any further and allow the pie to continue to bake until set at the center. 

9. Keep dinner party foods warm

Wrapping food tightly in heavy-duty foil keeps the heat contained. As a bonus, after dinner it’s handy to use the same foil for wrapping up any leftovers. 

10. Freeze foods safely 

Just as foil can work to keep hot air in, it’s also great for keeping cold air out. Wrap leftovers in plastic wrap, then add a good layer of heavy-duty foil to protect the food from freezer burn. Adding the exterior layer of foil allows most foods to last in the freezer for up to six months. 

11. Shine your silverware 

If your silverware has seen better days, let aluminum foil come to the rescue. Line a pan with aluminum foil (both across the bottom and up the sides), fill it with cold water then add a few teaspoons of table salt. Place your tarnished silverware into the prepared solution, setting a timer for five minutes. When the timer sounds, remove the silverware from the saltwater solution, rinse well and dry. You will be amazed at how your “new” silverware sparkles and shines. 

12. Sharpen kitchen shears 

If your kitchen shears aren’t snipping fresh herbs and scallions as quickly and easily as they once were, run them across a doubled sheet of aluminum foil. After about eight to 10 cuts, your kitchen shears should be good as new. 

13. Move heavy furniture 

When you need to move heavy chairs or couches to a new spot, wrap the feet in a couple layers of foil. This technique might sound crazy, but you’ll soon become a believer when you see how the foil makes the furniture glide over carpet.

14. Keep a paintbrush moist 

Is the job not finished, but you’ll be painting again tomorrow? Instead of cleaning out your paintbrush, squeeze out any excess paint, then tightly wrap the paintbrush in aluminum foil. If you’re worried that paint might drip from the foil, place the wrapped brush into a gallon bag.

15. Line roller pans 

If you are looking for an alternative to disposable plastic liners or don’t have any available, aluminum foil can make a fantastic liner. Not only is foil usually cheaper, but you also don’t need to know what size your roller pan is, just wrap and pour.