Use Wax Paper To Give Your Wooden Cutting Boards A Face Lift

Every kitchen requires a set of essential tools. A cutting board certainly makes that list. There are any number of sizes, shapes, and features for cutting boards available these days. However, most cooks still prefer a wooden cutting board. A wooden board is a sturdy base for cutting, and wood provides a pleasant knife strike that won't quickly dull a knife. If properly cared for, a good wooden cutting board can last a lifetime.

The care to keep a cutting board in shape is summed up by Adam Ried on ATK's YouTube channel. Wooden boards require a waterproof layer of seasoning to keep them from becoming scratched or cracked. Mineral oil is a common way to season wooden cutting boards and other wooden kitchen tools. It's a food-safe oil that won't oxidize into a sticky, smelly coating, as vegetable oil could. Another option is something called "spoon butter." This is a combination of mineral oil and beeswax.

This coating will wear off with regular use and cleaning. As a result, this process will need to be repeated periodically. On the plus side, seasoning cutting boards isn't especially labor-intensive. Unfortunately, it can take several hours, if not a day or two for it to sink in. For this reason, it's a good idea to do some seasoning touch-ups on a regular basis.

As opposed to pulling out a bottle of mineral oil, or spoon butter for cutting board retouches, wax paper can do the trick. Some folks might be confused if parchment paper is the same as wax paper. Both of those are papers that have a coating applied that makes them suitable for all kinds of kitchen tasks. Wax paper's coating is food-grade wax, according to the makers of Cut-Rite Wax Paper, Reynolds Brands.

If you notice dry, scratched areas on your wooden cutting board, wiping wax paper on those worn surfaces can replenish the seasoning quickly, according to Angi. These patch-ups are the perfect task to accomplish after a general cleaning and drying of your cutting board. Or, for good measure, do this once a month. Notably, this trick isn't just for cutting boards. Wooden bowls, spoons, knife handles, or any other wooded tool or surface in the kitchen could benefit from an occasional wax paper massage.

Wax paper isn't as common as it used to be in American kitchens, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Since its 1927 invention, wax paper has been mostly replaced by plastic wrap, but  Angi makes a case for using it all over the house.

Aside from extending the time before you should be throwing away your wooden cooking tools, wax paper can be used to more easily slide a cork back into the bottle, and line shelves or refrigerator drawers. It can be used to polish appliances, fixtures, and handles. A sheet of wax paper, and a sprinkling of salt can clear debris off an iron. Wax paper's coating is also great for lubricating curtain rods that are sticking, or freeing up sticky doors.

The coating on wax paper is ideal for lubricating tools, like scissors, and pliers, or as a trick for cleaning your dirty can opener. On top of that cleaning, the waxy coating prevents rust, and it can also create a non-stick coating to keep snow from clinging to your snow shovel.