5 Ways To Use Aluminum Foil In Your Bathroom And 1 Way To Avoid
Your bathroom should be your sanctuary. It's where you go to perform routine self-care and hygiene tasks — not to mention answer the call of nature. However, bathrooms don't typically receive much love for such an essential, multipurpose space. Most homeowners prioritize other areas of the home over the bathroom when it comes to investing in a home's aesthetics and functionality.
Fortunately, maintaining a practical, comfortable bathroom environment doesn't necessarily require expensive tools or gadgets. In fact, you might be surprised to discover that you can use simple aluminum foil to address several common bathroom conundrums. Whether you're struggling with a floor tile that won't stay put or the delicate balancing act of pouring products from a larger bottle into a smaller one, aluminum foil hacks are unsung heroes for a surprising number of unmet bathroom maintenance issues. So, if wear and tear has taken a toll in your bathroom, here are a few practical fixes to rehab this intimate space.
Use aluminum foil to scrub away rust on bathroom faucets and fixtures
One of the most stubborn and unsightly issues that plagues many bathrooms is rust build-up on metal faucets, fixtures, and shower curtain rods. This phenomenon is — of course — caused by the high level of moisture present in a room that hosts showers, baths, and other water-intensive activities. While there is a plethora of top-rated products available for banishing rust, many are not advisable for use on metal, and all are likely to cost more than the aluminum foil you already have in your pantry.
Crinkle some aluminum foil into a ball and rub it against the rusty metals in your bathroom. Thanks to the wonders of science, the aluminum will transfer its electrons to the iron oxide (aka rust), transforming it back into metal. A protective coating is also left behind, which helps to prevent rust formation in the future. For an extra boost of power (and less scrubbing), dip the foil ball in white vinegar, water, or a mixture of the two.
Make an aluminum foil funnel for refilling cleansers and beauty products
It's no secret that buying household and personal care products in bulk can save you money in the long run. It's hard to appreciate your own genius, however, when you're spilling hand sanitizer or bleach down the front of your bathroom vanity (again) during your attempt to pour from the bulk container to the spray or pump bottle. If only you had some kind of bathroom funnel, right? As long as you have this kitchen staple on hand, you'll have a funnel!
Simply grab yourself a sheet of aluminum foil and use your hands to mold it into a funnel shape. Double-check that the small end of the funnel fits inside the opening of the container you wish to pour into beforehand to avoid creating another mess. Once the small end is securely placed inside the opening, pour away. Before you know it, your products will be refilled with no spills.
Use aluminum foil to sharpen your grooming scissors
Whether you use grooming scissors to trim your own hair between salon cuts or to keep your beard or eyebrows in check, you know how important it is that they stay sharp. What you might not know is that you can get their edge back using aluminum foil. Before you give this secret to sharpening scissors a try, it's important to note that it isn't ideal for scissors that are already very dull. However, if your pair is just beginning to seem like it's losing its edge, proceed with giving foil a chance.
Start by folding a sheet of aluminum foil into six layers. Then, use your scissors to cut through the foil layers — being sure to open and close the blades fully each time — 10 times. You'll notice that your scissors go back to cutting more like they did before they became slightly worn. Technically, this isn't because they've been sharpened; it's because the foil has worked similarly to an exfoliator for skin. All the invisible debris and residue that was blocking the effectiveness of the blades has been removed. This is why the hack doesn't work for blades that are dulled.
Adhere aluminum foil to patch your mirror's imperfections
Discovering spots or scratches showing through the glass of your expensive bathroom mirror can be upsetting, to say the least. If you've discovered imperfections in your mirror and don't have the budget (or the heart) to replace it, aluminum foil can once again come to the rescue. Those who have used a black marker to camouflage scuffs on black leather shoes have a pretty good idea of how this concept works.
You'll need to take your mirror off the wall (and out of the frame if it resides in one). Then, simply cut out small pieces of aluminum foil to cover each spot and scratch that are visible from the face of the mirror. Attach each piece carefully over an imperfection — making sure that the shinier side of the foil is facing toward the glass — using clear tape. Replace the mirror to its frame or the wall. It may not look perfect, but the imperfections will stand out significantly less than they did before the foil fix.
Re-adhere a detached vinyl floor tile with aluminum foil
Vinyl tile is a very popular choice for bathroom flooring — both for its water resistance and its affordable price point. Unfortunately, these tiles can be prone to detaching from the subfloor, either fully or partially. Fortunately, returning them to their intended securely attached state is quite simple, especially if you happen to have a roll of aluminum foil, a small towel, and an iron lying around. This handy kitchen staple can have your loose vinyl floor tile back together in a snap.
All you need to do is place the tile back where it belongs (if it has fully detached), or smooth down the edges or corners that are lifting then cover the tile with a sheet of aluminum foil. Cover the foil with a small, clean towel or washcloth. These layers prevent the tile from melting. Then, heat your iron to medium heat and apply it to the towel until it feels like the adhesive has softened and the tile has reattached. Remove the iron and place a heavy object, or a stack of books, on the tile overnight to hold it while the adhesive cures. In the morning, your tile should be as good as new.
Adding aluminum foil to your toilet tank can cause irreversible damage
Of all the ways to use aluminum foil in your bathroom, adding foil balls to your toilet tank to neutralize rust and prevent it from forming stains in both the tank and the bowl seems to be a popular trend around the internet. While the science behind aluminum's ability to remove and prevent rust is sound, this hack, unfortunately, doesn't take the overall health of your toilet or the state of your toilet's warranty into consideration.
Over time, aluminum can rust and disintegrate, allowing particles to travel into the toilet bowl, where they can come into contact with toilet bowl cleaners. When common chemicals found in toilet bowl cleaners interact with aluminum foil, the result can be what is known as an exothermic reaction — producing heat or even an explosion! Aside from the risk of toilet bowl pyrotechnics, placing foreign objects into your toilet tank can void its warranty (a mistake that could void your home's warranty), leaving you unprotected if any of its parts were to fail.