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.
But most of the time, my roll of wax paper simply sits in a drawer—at least, until now. Because today I’ll be sharing 13 practical uses for wax paper that I hadn’t considered before!
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.
For more ways to use common items, check out uses for rubber bands, uses for sponges, and uses for mayonnaise!
13 Brilliant Uses For Wax Paper
1. Keep Ice Cream Ice-Free
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.
2. Make Fridge Cleanup Easy
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.
3. 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.
4. Roll Out Dough
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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Rescue Photos
Spilled water on a special photo? Lay it out to dry on a piece of wax paper. The wax paper will help the photo dry out without sticking to it.
9. 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.
More Ideas You'll Love
10. Clean Can Openers
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.
11. Stop Snow From Sticking To Shovels
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.
12. 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.
13. 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!
Do you know of any other brilliant uses for wax paper?
Although this may sound gross…I use wax paper in a kitty litter box. The excrements from the cat do not stick to the litter box and I just throw the wax paper (or parchment paper) out when it comes time to change out the litter. Make sure you have enough paper that hangs over the box :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.An old trick I learned in retail, rub wax paper on closet rods and curtain rods to help clothing and curtains glide across the rod more easily. Great for shower curtains!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What great ideas for a barely used item in my kitchen. Now if only wax paper can help me remember to do them! Thanks Jillee. I love your posts!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Don’t use waxed paper to shine faucets or anything that has a spot-resistant or fingerprint-resistant finish, you might ruin the coating. Waxed paper does work great for shining uncoated metals like chrome.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for sharing this informations, Sue!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I actually tried the wax paper on our faucets. It actually worked great.l had tried the white vinegar it worked okay – but the results didn’t last very long. I’ actually had more success with the wax paper. It was a lot less work trying to get the soap scum off the faucets. For me it was a real time saver.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m so glad to hear that this worked for you, Christy… and that it’s less work! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Are you sure you aren’t using parchment? Wax paper will melt at high temps and even catch fire. The two look almost identical when out of their packages.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Give it a good rub with a magic eraser to see if it can buff it out.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My two friends the Cleaning Ladies use newspaper on the tops of cupboards and fridge. Less expensive than wax paper.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Use wax paper or cereal paper when pressing tortillas between a tortilla press. Its piece of paper, ball of masa, piece of paper then press and peel.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ghosh. I honestly learn so much each day from this wonderful woman. I also apply much of what I’ve acquired from this wonderful website. I now use coconut oil for my teeth, I’ve learned a new way to put trash bags on my receptors and on and on and now the wax paper. Jillee is a dear.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks Tamara… You made my day with your wonderful comment! I am so happy that you are getting so many tips and ideas from my newsletter and website. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I got a half slice of butter and my daughter ruins its cover, so I decided to get some wax paper to cover it. Also, relate much to the funnel thing since I did it too with my used oil. Kinda lovin’ your article!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It definitely should!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It also helps paper punches.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Many big box warehouse clubs sell pop up squares of wax paper. The size is perfect for many things so if you belong to one of them look in the paper section usually near the restaurant supplies area as well.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I know a lot of older people will remember how our mothers used to shine up the surface of the kitchen wood stove with wax paper. Does a great job. Still usable on current wood stoves. Crunched up wax paper rubbed over a hot surface leaves a beautiful clean shine.
My best suggestion…a similar use already mentioned : small pieces of wax paper in between wraps going into the freezer simplifies retrieving them singly, unbroken and ready for use.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can also use a tea light candle for the suggestions that involve rubbing wax on something.
I bet you’re not old enough to remember sitting on a piece of wax paper before you went down the slide on the swingset in the back yard. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.…We were fortunate
Please log in or create a free account to comment.to retrieve an old school slide years ago…still have it in my backyard for the great grandkids. And yes I still use wax paper on it. lol
Me too and how fast that wax paper worked. About 60 years ago. Never forget good memories.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oh yes I do! What about the tall slide at the neighborhood park?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great ideas in the post and comments! I recycle the waxed paper bags found in the various dry food boxes, like cereal. It is pretty easy to pull out the glued seams and get a fairly good sized square. I collect the opened squares and use them in some of the ways described. I rarely buy the rolls of waxed paper. The recycled waxed paper is heavier and works well in the microwave and rolling out dough and can be re-used several times (clean after each use).
Just a note: I also keep a few on hand that I don’t pull apart, so I have waxed paper bags to store food in. I roll the opening and clip it. I’ve even sealed the opening with a curling iron, believe it or not, and it does work. Too much of a bother, though. The heavier waxed paper holds up better in the freezer, too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wax paper is cheaper than parchment paper, but it burns in an oven in every space that is exposed directly to oven heat or is not covered with food, i.e. I use wax paper in the oven ONLY when the entire surface is covered with food. . 1). When baking a cake, make 2 liners for the cake pans before pouring the batter into the pan. Pull out about 20 inches of wax paper and fold it in half. Lay one cake pan on top of the paper and trace the bottom of the pan. Cut and you have two 2 liners. Wad up the wax paper. Place a few drops of cooking oil on the bottom of the pans. Use the wadded paper to spread the oil on the bottom and sides of the pan. Drop the liners into the greased pans. Pour in your batter and bake as usual. Your cake will never stick to the pans again. Remove the paper before icing the cake. 2). The top bin in my fridge does not roll out smoothly. Rub wax paper along the rim and along the casing that it slides onto. No more problem. 3). Cut squares of wax paper to freeze raw hamburger patties. Put TWO squares between each raw patty as you stack them and freeze. Make sure that the paper squares are larger to ensure that the patties never touch each other. 4). Before painting or gluing images on a shirt, place wax paper between the layers of the shirt. If the paint or glue bleeds thru the top layer, it’ll bleed onto the wax paper instead of onto the bottom layer of the shirt. After the paint or glue dries, just peel it off. If you skip this step the paint or glue will bleed thru and glue the top shirt layer to the back shirt layer. I love wax paper because it’s such an inexpensive roll of paper.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve also been saving the waxed paper liners from cereal boxes for a few years. Great for storing produce, freezing baked goods.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use waxed paper for freezing hamburger patties, pinch off my meat, roll into a ball flatten and cover it with a piece of waxed paper, put into a freezer bag, freeze. Then when you want a hamburger you can get out ever how many you need to cook for that meal. Have been doing this for 50+ years, as my late mom did.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I did that with my mom, too! And, I’m 62…so many years ago.. Good memory!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The emergency funnel works well for dry items as well as liquids. I use it all the time for getting rice or beads, etc. back into the jar. I’ll have to try Melanie’s trick to keep shower rods from rusting; our is a mess!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I make my own gluten-free bread and it’s prone to hold a little too much moisture. I started putting a piece of wax paper cut to fit between each piece, and it not only keeps the pieces from sticking together, it seems to balance the moisture in each piece and delays mold (gluten-free homemade tends to spoil faster than commercial loaves). The special flour is expensive so this saves money as well. My mom also used it to clean the bottom of the iron, worked great. You can also use it to wrap sandwiches and no plastic bag to throw away.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Again, another memory! I still use wax paper (with table salt sprinkled on it) to clean the gunk off of the iron bottom. Works wonderfully!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Your ideas are always so good and helpful. Many I would like to keep in a file for reference. It wold be wonderful at the end of you blog to put a summary printable sheet ~ I know I would love it ~ many other readers as well. Thanks for all your great ideas!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great ideas.My mom has used it to remove sticky stuff on our iron. Just heat the iron.Then run across the waxed paper. Then run the iron across a towel. Repeat the process as needed. This works. Another thing we’ve used waxed paper for is a fall craft . When the fall leaves are pretty you can put them between the pieces of waxed paper. Then seal it with the iron. This is more a kiddie craft, but still fun to do.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use wax paper on my shower curtain rod, it helps the curtain open/close more smoothly plus it repels water and keeps it from rusting
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Instead of rolling my biscuit dough, i pat it out between 2 pieces of waxed paper. When finished, I was the paper into a ball and clean the bowl in which I mixed the dough.works like a charm!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for posting all these great uses for waxed paper. Mine sits in the drawer and doesn’t get the usage it needs! I’ll try the pie crust tip this fall for making Apple pies. The tip about unsticking zippers and drying out photos is nice to know too!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have been rolling my pie pastry between waxed paper sheets for 40 years. The pastry doesn’t stick to the rolling pin, or the counter and there’s very little mess to clean up. Once I get my pastry rolled out, I peel off the top sheet,pick up the entire bottom sheet and carefully position it over my pie plate, press it down, flute and fill.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you have a problem with the pastry sliding around on the counter while rolling, simply dampen (NOT WET) the counter top and your waxed paper will stay in one place.