Easily Sharpen Your Can Opener With A Nifty Kitchen Staple

Many of us have felt the frustration of trying to open that can of soup or tuna for lunch only to have the blades of the opener spin and spin without cutting through the top of the can. Dull blades on a can opener can leave you downright frustrated. But, you'll never have to go hangry again if you know this simple trick for sharpening your can opener with something you already have in your pantry — aluminum foil.

Your can opener can be restored by running aluminum foil over the blade. While this doesn't technically sharpen the blade, it will eliminate dullness so you can get that can of beets open. When you use your opener, small amounts of food inevitably get stuck to the blade, but according to Craft Space Ideas, the foil scrapes off food, small burrs, and the build-up of other gunk on your can opener that prevents the blade from cutting effectively. 

To sharpen your can opener using aluminum foil, you'll want to cut off a long piece of foil and then fold it in half over itself. Rub the foil against the blades of your can opener. Then run the strip of foil through the can opener by winding its handle so the foil moves through the blades. Repeat this process a few times to make sure the blades are clean and reduce dullness. After, you'll want to test out your can opener to make sure that it works. You should notice better performance — if not, it might be time to get a new one.

Be sure to work with the can opener blade carefully as even dull blades can be sharp or dangerous. This aluminum foil method can also be used to sharpen scissors and kitchen knives. You can repeat this trick every so often to keep your can opener in good working order before it starts to let you down.