This easy waxed paper hack makes cleaning a bit easier

Let’s face it: Cleaning takes so much time, and we’d much rather be doing other things, like playing with our kids or watching Netflix. So we love hacks that help us get through our chores faster while leaving our house as clean as possible.

Here’s a very simple one you should implement if you haven’t yet: It’s called the waxed paper hack. If you’re a baker, you may already have waxed paper on hand for tasks that don’t require heat. This thinly-coated nonstick paper is used for rolling out dough, wrapping leftovers, and sifting or mixing dry ingredients. You can use it to line pans and pots, too, in recipes that don’t require baking.

Because of its nonstick properties, you can simply put a sheet of wax paper on top of your high, hard-to-see surfaces to protect them from dust and grease — like the tops of cabinets or the top of the refrigerator. Waxed paper can protect those surfaces from dust and grease particles. Cleaning these areas means simply whisking away the paper and replacing it with a new length.

Reader’s Digest suggests securing the sheets of paper with double-stick tape, especially if they’re near a ceiling fan, and replacing them every three or four months when you change out seasonal decor.

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Not everyone is on board with this method — some think it’s unnecessary. On a TikTok from @Kitchn showing the hack, one commenter wasn’t too concerned about the state of the top of their refrigerator, while a few others thought that swiping the top with an actual cleaning product wasn’t all that much work.

Commenters suggested different alternatives that won’t curl up, like pee pads or Glad’s Press’n Seal Cling wrap. Some also co-signed the recyclable and eco-friendly alternative that The Kitchen offered: newspapers.

If you don’t actually have waxed paper on hand, you’re missing out. It’s more useful than you might think. Here’s a TikToker, @onesavvydesign, showing how you can use waxed paper to fix your sticky zippers.

You can also use waxed paper to make your clothes hangers glide more easy across the rod in your closet, according to @nestlynifty.

Waxed paper is also good for crafts because of its see-through qualities, including use with stencils and in your Cricut projects. If you have some around, put it to good use!

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