I’ve been carrying a ball of aluminum foil in my bag for years; I saw it at a friend’s house – a Nobel Prize-winning idea

Dull scissors? Aluminum foil can help.
Aluminum foil isn’t just miraculous for hair. If your scissors are dull, there’s no need to sharpen them immediately. Take a sheet of aluminum foil, fold it several times, and then cut through it with the scissors. This will surprisingly “refresh” the blade.

The same applies if a pan has burned and a sponge is no longer effective. A crumpled ball of aluminum foil acts as a metal sponge and can tackle even the most stubborn burnt-on residue.