- by Jill Nystul
From keeping cheese fresh in your fridge to unsticking a zipper, wax paper can be surprisingly handy around the house.
Wax paper has always been a staple in my kitchen, even though I typically haven’t used it very often. It’s useful in certain situations for keeping food from sticking, and every so often I’ll use it as a medium to preserve flowers and leaves.
From making cleaning tasks easier to rescuing a favorite photograph, it turns out that wax paper is much more useful than you might think (and certainly more than I thought!) Here are 13 new and inventive uses for wax paper that are sure to come in handy around the house.
Ice-Free Ice Cream
While it’s certainly better than eating no ice cream, eating icy, rock-solid ice cream isn’t the most pleasant experience. Luckily, a little wax paper can help keep your ice cream ice-free! Just press a piece of wax paper onto the surface of the ice cream before replacing the lid and putting it back in the freezer.
Easy Fridge Cleanup
Line the drawers in your fridge with pieces of wax paper for easy cleanup. In the event of a spill, drip, or splatter, you can just toss the wax paper out and replace it with a fresh piece.
Keep Cheese Fresh
After cutting into a block of cheese, wrap the remaining cheese in a piece of wax paper before putting it back in your fridge. The wax paper will allow the cheese to “breathe” without drying out.
Baking Helper
Wax paper can be a huge help when you need to roll out dough for a baking project. Place a piece of wax paper between the dough and the rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking without the need for extra flour.
Fast Funnel
Need a funnel but don’t have one on hand? Just roll a piece of wax paper into a cone shape. This is especially helpful when dealing with liquids, because the liquid won’t soak through the paper.
Cut Down On Dusting
Dusting hard-to-reach spaces like the tops of your cupboards and fridge can be time-consuming! Save yourself time and effort by covering those surfaces with wax paper instead. When dust accumulates on the paper, you can just toss it out and replace it with a fresh piece.
Unstick A Zipper
Stuck zippers used to be a huge pet peeve of mine, but now I know that wax paper can help both solve and prevent stuck zippers. Rub a piece of wax paper over the teeth of a zipper and it will glide more easily, which can help unstick a stuck zipper or prevent it from sticking in the first place.
Cork Helper
If you’re struggling to get a cork back into a bottle, wrap the cork in wax paper! The waxy coating will help the cork slide back in without compromising the airtight seal.
Clean Can Opener
Wax paper can help you keep your can opener clean and in good working order. Just fold a piece of wax paper a few times, then run it through your can opener. The wax paper will dislodge stuck-on bits of food, and the wax itself will help lubricate the can opener so that it turns smoothly.
No-Stick Snow Shovel
Shoveling snow is tiring enough—you don’t need a shovel refusing to part ways with the snow making it even more tiring! A bit of wax paper is all you need to ensure that snow slides right off of it. Just rub the wax paper over the surface of your snow shovel to make your next shoveling session quick and easy.
Microwave Protector
The next time you heat up food in the microwave, put a piece of wax paper over it first. The wax paper will help prevent splatters and keep your microwave much cleaner.
Shine Your Faucet
Wax paper can keep your faucet shiny and free of water spots. The next time you clean your faucet, finish by rubbing it down with wax paper. The paper will leave behind a thin layer of wax that will add shine to your faucet and help keep it clean!
