Aluminium foil can help remove rust spots in your bathroom. How get rid of stains? Check other uses of it

Aluminium foil probably isn't the first thing you reach for when cleaning the washroom. But that little roll in your kitchen drawer can occasionally come in handy here too. From dealing with tarnished metal accessories to making small cleaning jobs easier, foil has a few lesser-known uses around the bathroom. The trick is knowing which surfaces can tolerate it and which ones should be left alone. Here are five unusual aluminium foil hacks worth knowing.

Give chrome fixtures a quick shine

Have water marks or dull patches appeared on your chrome tap or shower fixtures? A small piece of aluminium foil can sometimes help. Wet the foil, crumple it loosely and gently rub it over chrome-plated metal. The foil can help loosen light oxidation and residue, making the surface look cleaner.

Always test a small, inconspicuous area first and avoid using this method on painted, coated or easily scratched finishes.

Remove light rust from suitable metal surfaces

A tiny rust spot on an uncoated metal bathroom item can be surprisingly stubborn. Aluminium foil can help with light surface rust when used with water. Crumple a small piece, dampen it and gently rub the affected area. The foil's relatively soft texture can help loosen surface oxidation without being as aggressive as some abrasive tools.

This isn't suitable for every bathroom fitting, though. Skip it on delicate coatings, brushed finishes or surfaces that scratch easily.

Clean tarnished metal accessories

If you have suitable metal bathroom accessories that have become tarnished, aluminium foil can be useful as part of a cleaning method. For certain metals, foil is used alongside water and a cleaning solution to help reverse tarnishing. However, don't use a homemade foil treatment blindly. Different metals and finishes react differently, so check what your particular item is made from first.

This can be particularly relevant for removable metal accessories rather than permanently installed bathroom fixtures.

Make a temporary splash guard for messy DIY jobs

Painting a bathroom cabinet, touching up a wall or using a messy sealant? Aluminium foil can become a surprisingly useful disposable protector. Wrap foil around suitable handles, knobs or other small objects that you don't want covered in paint or residue. Once the job is finished, remove the foil and discard or reuse it if clean. It's especially handy for awkward shapes where plastic wrap keeps slipping off.

Protect small items while cleaning the washroom

Doing a deep clean and worried about splashes reaching small metal objects? Aluminium foil can be used as a temporary cover for suitable items. For example, removable accessories, small containers or tools can be wrapped or covered while you clean surrounding surfaces.

It is a simple trick, but useful when you're trying to clean quickly without having to move every small item to another room.

A quick word of caution

Aluminium foil isn't suitable for every bathroom surface. Don't scrub acrylic, glass, polished finishes, painted surfaces, non-stick coatings or delicate fixtures with foil, as it can cause scratches or damage. Also avoid combining foil with cleaning chemicals unless the product instructions specifically say it is safe.