How to Clean Silver Aluminum Foil

Foil takes 400 years to break down in landfills.

Recycling and reusing household items believed to be disposable saves money. According to Earth 911, "Americans throw away about three pounds of aluminum foil annually. It will take roughly 400 years for aluminum to break down naturally in the landfill. Some landfills incinerate aluminum, which releases toxic metals and gas into the atmosphere." Cleaning silver aluminum foil might seem like it only saves pennies, but in times of economic crisis, pennies add up. Not having to purchase a roll of foil translates into an additional pound of meat for your family. Cleaning foil not contaminated by dairy or meat products is a money-saving project.

Things You'll Need

• Sink
• Water, hot tap
• Liquid dish detergent
• Dishcloth or sponge
• Dish towel or drain board
• Empty paper towel tube
• 2 large paper clips or rubber bands

Instructions

1. Fill the sink with hot tap water as you would if you were hand-washing dishes. Add the manufacturer's recommended amount of liquid dish detergent to create soap suds.

2. 

   Use a sponge to flatten the aluminum foil.

   Use a sponge to flatten the silver aluminum foil needing to be cleaned by wiping the foil smooth against the bottom of the other side of the sink or on the counter. Place the dirty silver aluminum foil in the soapy water and allow the foil to soak for five minutes. According to Earth 911, "What many people don't realize is that aluminum is practically 100 percent recyclable. It is extremely durable and can be reused over and over again."

3. Use the dishcloth or sponge to gently clean the flattened foil under the water, with a circular motion as you would clean a dinner plate. Make sure you have removed any oils and food particles from the foil.

4. 

   Rinse the clean foil under cool tap water.

   Rinse the foil under cool tap water and allow the aluminum foil to dry flat on a dish towel or on a drain board.

5. Roll the completely dry silver aluminum foil around an empty paper towel tube and secure the ends with two large paper clips or slip a rubber band around each tube end. According to Californians Against Waste, "Reuse aluminum foil many times (and buy recycled aluminum foil to support buying recycled)."

Tips & Warnings

• Do not reuse aluminum foil that has been used to store dairy products or meat unless the foil clearly never touched the food product. Foil used to wrap breads and other dry food items is the best foil to reuse by cleaning. Always make sure that your silver aluminum foil has completely air-dried before you roll the foil onto an empty paper towel tube or onto a reused aluminum foil tube to ensure that there will be no mold or mildew growth on your foil product.

References

• Earth 911: Facts About Aluminum Foil
• Californians Against Waste: Simple Tips for Reusing Materials Every Day