Boost cheese longevity with special, "breathable" cheese wrap paper (available at any cheese shop) or wax paper, says Gina Freize, owner of Venissimo Cheese, a specialty shop with four Southern California locations. "Plastic, believe it or not, will suffocate the cheese, making it get moldy or slimy much quicker," Freize says. "If your hard cheese has a little mold growing on the outside, just slice it off. The cheese underneath is absolutely fine."
On its website, the U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests cutting off at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot, then recovering the cheese with fresh wrap.