11 Helpful Uses for Wax Paper You Never Thought of Before

Believe it or not, wax paper has many purposes in life – starting from being a liner on your counter when rolling the cookie dough to wrapping food and storing it in the fridge. But it’s a very common misconception that wax paper is just used in the kitchen.

The truth is, it has so many uses that you’d be stunned, and not anything like you’ve ever imaged. We’re talking some really nifty uses that are going to change your life for the better if you start implementing them daily.

Basically what we’re saying here is that if you have a roll of wax paper, you basically have a goldmine. There are so many cleaning hacks and gardening hacks. These are some of the most unexpected ways to use this kitchen essential outside the kitchen.

1. Unstick a doorFor sure you’ve been in a situation in which one of the doors in your apartment is hard to shut because it sticks into the frame? Run a piece of wax paper over the edge and it’ll ease that issue in no time.
2. Make decorating cakes a piece of cakeIf you have no baking skills, then writing “Happy birthday” on a cake for the very first time with frosting is gonna be pretty tough. Here’s how wax paper can solve that issue. Write your text on a piece of wax paper and then put it into the freezer for half an hour. It’ll freeze so you can easily peel it off and place it on your cake.
3. Shine up stainless steelDo you happen to have fingerprints all over your dishwasher, fridge, or sink? Say bye-bye to all of those expensive stainless steel cleaners you’ve been buying all your life. Just run a piece of wax paper over the surface or faucet and it’ll sparkle like new.
4. Make old wood new againSimilarly to stainless steel, wax paper also works on most wood surfaces. Just rub a piece of wax paper on the surfaces after you wash and dry them, and they’ll shine right up.
5. Cleans (and protects) garden toolsGet some wax paper and rub it over your dirty spades or other gardening hand tools. It will immediate loosen the grime on the metal, with the positive side being that it provides a barrier that will prolong the life of the tools and keep them from rusting.
6. …And your floorsSame thing for your floors. You don’t have to panic if you ran out of Swiffer pads? You simply need to attach a piece of wax paper to the end of any wet/dry mop and wipe your floors. The wax on the sheet picks up dust, dirt, and grime on wood floors almost as well as your cleaning pad will.
7. Get rid of bacteria in wooden cutting boardsCutting boards made out of wood are great, but there is too much bacteria on it of all the raw chicken and raw steak cutting. So unless you’re a vegetarian or a vegan, place a sheet of wax paper on top of the surface before cutting up your meat. That way you’ll limit the bacteria that gets on your cutting board.
8. Deflect dustPut some wax paper on those spots in your place that you see dust collects most— usually it’s on top of your kitchen cabinets, where you don’t clean as often, or on window sills, etc. Replace the sheet every few weeks or months as it will get dirty – only no cleaning involved this time. You’ll never have to use a duster again!
9. Fix a stuck zipperIs your zipper on your backpack or purse jammed? Grab a sheet of wax paper and lightly run it over the teeth of the zipper. It’ll help the zipper glide along its track the way it was supposed to in the first place. Same thing works with a candle.
10. Prevent color bleedingIf you’re storing items that let off paint – like candles, for example, then maybe next time you can try wrapping them in some wax paper.
11. Dries a wet bookDid you happen to drop your favorite novel in the tub as you were relaxing? Suddenly, all that relaxation turns into a nightmare. But it’s not the end of an era – just put some wax paper in between the pages. The following thing will happen: the water will absorb into the wax, and the wax will help prevent the pages from sticking to each other.