Wax paper is one of those items that you might not think about when recycling. But Is Wax Paper Recyclable? We will discuss how to properly dispose of wax paper and recycle it. We will also provide some tips on reducing the amount of wax paper you use in your home.
If you have ever been to a potluck or picnic, chances are you have used wax paper. Or maybe you worked as a short-order cook and had to use it every day. And if you did either one of those things, there was probably a lot of wax paper leftover that just needed to be properly disposed of. Well, this article is dedicated to the proper disposal of wax paper.
1) Line your garbage can with a large plastic trash bag and put all your leftover wax paper in there. If you only have a small amount of wax paper, say an inch or two worth, you can ball it up and toss it in the trashcan along with your banana peels and anything else you don’t want cluttering your house.
2) If you are using a lot of wax paper, say, for example, enough to line the inside of your entire garbage can, then here are some other options for you:
Box it up and mail it to someone as a gift! Use it as wrapping paper. Please put it in a plastic bag and hang it from a tree for birds to use as nests. Please put it in the center of your yard and cover it with birdseed. Cut paper into long strips, curl them up, put them in an empty tissue box. Burn it!
Yes, I said burn! It is very environmentally friendly to burn wax paper due to its low toxicity.
3) My favorite way to properly dispose of wax paper is to use it as a plate for your sandwich! I do this all the time because either a) I don’t have enough money to buy disposable plates and b) I feel bad about wasting so much plastic and foil every day.
Since wax paper is nonstick, it’s a great alternative to a plate. All you have to do is take a square of wax paper big enough to fit your sandwich in and put your sandwich on it. When you’re done eating, ball up the wax paper and throw it away!
4) This is another way to properly dispose of wax paper – wrap your leftovers in it! As long as you have a fridge to store your food in, wax paper is an easy way to keep it fresh.
5) If you are running low on trash bags for your garbage can, take the wax paper you have left and line the bottom of your garbage can to deal with it. Then when you throw away your wax paper, all the trash in there will soak up the wax and be easier to get rid of!
6) If you have a dog, then another way to properly dispose of wax paper is to use it as doggy training pads! However, if you are trying not to use any more wax paper, you can also use a disposable plastic storage container or a piece of foil from your kitchen.
7) If you have been saving up all your wax paper leftovers to make homemade potpourri, then stop! Wax paper will not dissolve in hot water and does not create scents when burned. Instead, try wrapping your potpourri in fabric.
8) If you like to collect pretty rocks or pebbles, one way to properly dispose of wax paper is by stuffing it between the cracks of your rock collection! It prevents them from moving around and scratching each other.
9) Another great alternative to using wax paper as a plate is to use it as a bowl. Just ball up the wax paper, make it into a bowl shape, and fill it with soup or cereal.
10) If you wrap your sandwiches in wax paper for lunch at school or work, try putting them in little baggies before sealing them shut with wax paper! This way, you aren’t wasting wax paper and baggies, and it makes putting your leftover sandwich in your brown bag a lot easier.
11) If you have many small kids that you don’t want to get into the habit of using zip lock bags every day, try using wax paper for everyday lunches. Just cut up some pieces of wax paper, ball them up and put your sandwich in.
When you’re done eating, ball it back up, throw away the wax paper and put your sandwich back into your lunch box or bag! You can also reuse plastic containers at school like Tupperware.
12) If you are worried about germs on your table getting onto your sandwich, then another way to properly dispose of wax paper is to place a piece between your sandwich and the table.
13) If you want something other than plastic bags to make plastic bag lunches for school or work, try using wax paper! Just cut it up into squares and put them in a Ziploc bag.
14) If you are sick of using aluminum foil or plastic wrap to cover your leftovers in the fridge, then try using wax paper instead.
Wax paper is nonstick and very malleable so it will make a perfect cover for any container. Just ball up the wax paper after you’re done eating and throw it away!
15) Instead of using a normal piece of paper to blot your oil after frying, try wax paper! It absorbs the leftover grease much better than a regular sheet of paper.
16) If you have a child that leaves half-eaten desserts laying around on their plate, then try making them into “pudding pops” and wrapping them in wax paper instead of regular ice cream pops.
Just tear off a piece and wrap it around the half-eaten food, then put it in the freezer for later! They make great snacks on hot days.
17) If you need to take food home from your restaurant with you, or if you want to pack up leftovers from a home-cooked meal, try using wax paper instead of foil or plastic wrap.
It’s a lot more convenient and cleaner than using aluminum foil or plastic wrap and cheaper! If you want to keep extra food in your fridge for later, you can ball up the wax paper after putting the leftovers inside it and throw it away when you’re done.
18) If you see your furry friend licking your table every time you eat, there’s a better way to prevent them from doing that than by scolding them! Place a piece of wax paper on the spot where they always lick, and they will stop immediately because it is bitter tasting!
19) Another great use for wax paper is to put it on your windowsill and some small plants on top of it.
The wax paper will collect the water from the plant and let a little bit of a drip back into the plant, allowing you to water your plants less often! It’s also good for larger plants that you want to put in pots but don’t want to drown them.
20) Try rolling up your wax paper so you won’t have to use it as much when cooking! This is perfect for foods that require a lot of wax paper, like pies or bread, and it reduces the amount of wax paper you will end up using because it’s rolled into a ball instead of spreading out all over the place.
21) If you have kids that won’t eat their veggies, try steaming them and serving with a little butter and salt! They will be much more likely to eat the vegetables because it tastes better than when they are raw or boiled.
Once you serve them up in bowls, cover them with wax paper so they will stay warm!
22) If you need to cook a roast or turkey in the oven but don’t have aluminum foil, try wax paper instead! It works just as well at keeping the meat moist.
Just ball up some sheets of wax paper and put them on top of your meat, then put it in the oven the way you would if you were using aluminum foil.
23) You can use wax paper for much more than just wrapping up your leftovers! You can place wax paper under the bread slices of your sandwich, so they don’t get soggy while you are packing it to take with you for lunch.
Also, when cooking bacon, you can line your pan with wax paper and cook the bacon right on top of it! This will keep the grease from getting all over your stove and make cleanup much easier.
24) Regarding bacon, if you want to make a healthier version at home, try using wax paper instead of foil when baking it in the oven!
It will drain the fat from the bacon just as well as foil and can be used for much more than just bacon after.
Just ball up a sheet of wax paper and put it on top of your bacon to keep all the excess grease from going into your oven! Also, if you tend to burn things in the oven, try using wax paper instead of aluminum foil.
Since the paper is so thin, it doesn’t take as long to cook and will prevent you from accidentally burning your food!
25) If you have a lot of candles lying around or don’t want to throw them away but can’t bear to light them anymore, try putting a sheet of wax paper in front of each candle.
It will prevent the wax from dripping down and making a mess while still giving you that great, soothing ambiance that candles provide! You can also use this trick for votive candles that you might have lying around from weddings or other events.
Just ball up a sheet of wax paper and put it in front of each candle, so they don’t get all over your table!
26) If you want to get rid of scratches on your car without spending hours trying, try using wax paper next time! It will buff out the small scratches and make your car look new again.
Just ball up some wax paper and rub it in circles over the scratches. Light pressure will work best!
27) You can use wax paper as a cutting board for meats or other foods you might not want to cut directly on your countertop! This is great if you need something disposable, like when guests are over, and you don’t want them to see raw meat or poultry sitting out.
Just place a sheet of wax paper over your counter, and you don’t have to worry about scrubbing down the counters after!
28) You can also use wax paper as a liner under your pie crusts while cooking to make cleanup much easier. Just ball up some sheets of wax paper and line each pie dish with one before adding the pie crust and baking as usual.
It will make cleanup a breeze when you are finished, and the pie crust won’t stick to the bottom of the dish, which is great for pies with runny or liquidy fillings! You can also do this with lasagnas and casseroles if it’s something that will be served later and needs to be refrigerated.
Just ball up some sheets of wax paper and line the bottom of the dish before adding your lasagna or casserole mixture! You can also cut it into strips and use them as “handles” on each side so you can easily lift out slices without breaking them. It will make it much easier for you to cut your lasagna or casserole into neat slices that won’t go all over the plate when you serve them!
29) When it comes time to deep fry, try lining your pan with wax paper first, so it’s much easier to clean up afterward.
Just ball up some sheets of wax paper and line the bottom of the pan before you begin to heat it and fry away! You can also use this for baked goods if you’d like.
Just ball up some sheets of wax paper and line the bottom of your cake pans before adding batter and baking as usual so clean up is a breeze!
30) If you happen to have some overflow when cooking with oil or other oils, try using some wax paper next time to clean it up!
It will grab the excess oil quickly and make for easy cleanup, so you don’t have grease all over your stovetop afterward.
Just ball up some sheets of wax paper and wipe away the excess oil! It’s much better than using a paper towel that will probably end up tearing and leaving lint all over.
Conclusion
Is Wax Paper Recyclable? One of the most important things to remember is that you should NEVER throw wax paper in with your regular garbage. Wax paper does not break down, so it can stay inside a landfill for centuries without any decomposition taking place at all. It’s also dangerous because if someone tries to burn it, they’re likely to get hurt by hot embers flying out from the fire – be careful!
