How fast does wax paper burn

Loose crumpled ball: Burns quickly, all gone in about 15 seconds. Folded into a tight square: Burns very slowly but steadily. Took approximately five minutes to burn out. This seemed pretty optimal for starting a fire.

Folded into a tight square, soaked in water for a while: After squeezing out most of the moisture, it seemed somewhat dry so I tried to light it. It lit but wouldn't stay lit.

I unfolded it and let it sit to dry for a couple minutes, then refolded it. After that, it lit and burned pretty much the same as the dry folded test. Crumpled in a ball for a while: Pretty much the same as the tight square, though it might've lasted slightly shorter and burned with a larger flame.

Folded and kept on top of a warm oven for a while: Doesn't seem to have run or melted; it didn't stick to or run into the paper towel it was tucked inside. Discolored from the heat but lit and burned without any problem. Folded in my wallet: Going to just leave it in there for a while and see if it affects how it lights.

By this point I'm assuming it won't have much of a problem, but I'll update this if it has any effect. EDIT: It's been a while, but as I recall, the paper that had been left in my wallet for a few weeks basically worked the same as fresh paper. Overall effects might vary based on brand and pocket temperature, but it seems a viable way of storing some emergency fire starter. Improve this answer. This is great stuff! Glad it's been useful for more than just me!

DougKavendek I know its been years at this point but would you mind updating your answer with the result of keeping the paper stored in your wallet? Added an update. It was a while ago but I remember not really having any problems with it. Cooper Cooper 51 1 1 silver badge 1 1 bronze badge.

Welcome to the site! This is a good start, but your answer could be even better. Would you consider giving it an edit to include some more details, like how long it burned, what conditions you did the test in, or the approximate dimensions of the ball you created?

Teresa Rope Teresa Rope 21 1 1 bronze badge. Karch Karch 1. Sign up or log in Sign up using Google. It is often used in the kitchen for food storage purposes, since something wrapped in wax paper will stay much fresher than something wrapped in a non-waterproof material. While it is not nonstick in the same way that silicone-treated parchment paper is nonstick, the wax makes it nonstick, so it is a good choice for rolling out pie or cookie dough.

But as useful as it is, it is not a good choice for baking. At high temperatures, the wax on the paper can melt and will transfer to whatever you are baking. The wax will transfer to your baking sheet and may require additional cleaning. The wax also has a fairly low smoke point, which means that any exposed wax paper will smoke while it is in the oven and there is a possibility that, if you are cooking something that requires a very long baking time or very high temperature, the paper could actually catch fire.

If you use wax paper to line the bottom of a cake pan, it will not smoke but you will still have wax transfer. Stick to parchment paper — which is reusable , completely nonstick and is generally heat resistant to around F — for your baking needs, or simply fall back onto an even older technique to prevent sticking: lightly greasing a pan with oil.

I also like to line the pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease that to minimize the amount of cleanup you need to do after baking. I never thought about that before, but waxed paper does kind of skeeve me out. Interesting post. I never realized it before but then again, I never used waxed paper. I always thought wax paper was ok to use. Though I have had smoke coming out of my oven due to the residue.

I thought I was doing something wrong. Thank you for the information. While lining your pan with aluminum foil and then lightly spraying it with oil does create an easy-clean-up, it is not environmentally friendly! Just spraying your pan directly, or using a non-stick silcone baking mat, and then washing the pan or mat for re-use is a more environmentally friend method — and both options, the sprayed pan or the oil-free silicone baking mat, work very well! Grandmother lined her cake pans with wax paper for easy removal.

Her fruit cake pans were lined with oiled, brown paper sacks. She was an amazing baker and never had trouble with waxpaper or brown paper…long before the introduction of parchment paper or silicon sprays. I know unquestionably that nothing sticks to it and it guarantees that my cakes, cookies, quick breads, and candies release cleanly and all in one piece—every single time. Allow me to explain. Parchment paper is the same as wax paper in some ways, but not all. Rolling out pie dough?

Either one will work. Parchment paper is a cellulose-based paper that is chemically treated to create a non-stick surface that is extremely durable, heat-resistant, and water-resistant.

You can find it in the baking aisle of the grocery store in rolls or sometimes in pre-cut sheets. It eliminates the need in many situations to grease the cooking vessel or surface with oil, butter, or another fat.

Sounds tasty, non? And then there's wax paper. Some people call it "waxed paper" not "wax paper," but we are not those people. Wax paper also comes in a roll and has a similar look and feel to parchment paper, but does not perform the same way.