Aluminium might not be something you want to chew on, but it is a brilliant and versatile material. It shouldn’t just be used for wrapping food. You probably had no idea how useful this ordinary kitchen product could be – clean, protect, shape, grow, polish – the opportunities are endless!

Take a look at these clever ideas for foil! Which one will you try first?

• Wrap a piece of hardened brown sugar in foil and bake it in the oven at 150C for five minutes.

2. Move furniture with no damage

• Place foil on the bottom of the legs and then slide your furniture to its new home. It’s cheap, easy and it protects your floor and furniture from scratches. There’s no need to buy furniture sliding pads just to adjust your furniture

3. Create unique cake pans 

• Form a thick heavy-duty aluminium foil into your desired shape inside the pan – heart cake, Christmas tree shape or whatever you like!

4. Grow untangled cuttings

• Start cuttings growing by covering them with a sheet of foil. Just poke a few holes and insert cuttings and watch them grow uncluttered!

5. Scare birds away

• Dangle foil from a fruit tree or post in your garden to scare away pesky birds. Some birds are afraid of shiny things so will stay away from your lovely fruits.

6. Preserve steel-wool pads

• How many of you have used a steel-wool pad and the next day it’s rusty so you have to throw it out? To prevent this, just wrap the pad in foil and put it in the freezer.

7. Scrub your pots 

• Crumple up foil and use it to scrub your pots. You can even use the same foil from cooking your casserole to clean up the dish.

8. Fix lose batteries

• Fold a small piece of foil in the battery compartment to hold the batteries in place. The pad should be placed between the battery and the spring.

9. Clean your iron 

• We bet most of you have never cleaned your iron! If you do have melted plastic or other chunks stuck on the plate, simply turn the iron on high over a piece of foil with salt on top. The abrasion from the sail will get the unwanted plastic off your iron.

Did you know that aluminium foil was so versatile? Which one of these suggestions will you try first? Share with us below