Back in the day, wax paper was a staple. This was before the creation of plastic wrap. But today, if you do still have a roll, it tends to be forgotten.

But not for long! It's time to dig that neglected roll of wax paper out of your drawer, because these tips and tricks are truly useful. So says Jillee of www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com. See if, among her 12 tips, she shares anything you haven’t thought of:

1. Keep 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. No more freezer burn of freezer taste.


2. Make fridge cleanup easy. If you line the drawers and shelves in your fridge with pieces of wax paper you’ll find you’ll be working smarter, not harder. 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 it, wrap the remaining cheese in a piece of wax paper before putting it back in your fridge. Wax paper allows cheese to “breathe” without drying out.
4. Roll out dough. Place a piece of wax paper between the dough and the rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking; this eliminates the need for extra flour.
5. Make a fast funnel. Need a funnel and 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. Minimize the dusting routine. Dusting hard-to-reach spaces (tops of your cupboards and fridge, for instance) can be time-consuming! Save time and effort by covering those surfaces with wax paper. When dust accumulates on the paper, you can just toss it out and replace it with a fresh piece. (Brilliant, right?)
7. Unstick a zipper. 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. Help your corks. 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.
9. Clean can openers. Simply 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.


10. Prevent 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. Just rub the wax paper over the surface of your snow shovel and enjoy how easily the snow slides off.
11. Protect your microwave. Avoid splatters and keep the appliance clean by placing wax paper over your food before heating it up.
12. Shine your faucet. Wax paper can keep your faucet shiny and free of water spots. When cleaning your faucets, take an extra minute to rub them down with wax paper. This will leave a thin layer of wax that will add shine to your faucet and help keep it clean!

I’ll close with my own super tip, which applies not just to wax paper, but plastic wrap and tin foil as well. Actually, this tip applies to their boxes.

Take a good, close look at the ends of these boxes and you’ll find little tabs just waiting to be pushed in. These tabs hold the rolls of wax paper, plastic wrap, and foil in place. They’re on the ends of every food wrap box; if you indent them, they anchor the roll in the box.

I had no idea! How about you Cook’n readers? Did you already know this? I feel like I’ve discovered a little miracle—and talk about how much easier it is to roll out of sheet of my food wraps now!