Clingy is never a cute look, especially when it comes to stubborn, rebellious, unpredictable plastic wrap. I’m embarrassed to admit how many pieces of plastic wrap I have frustratingly crumpled up into a ball and tossed. Whether it was because one end of the plastic wrap clung to the other while unrolling, the plastic didn’t detach evenly from the blade, or one section somehow wrapped itself securely around my hand or forearm, taking the rest of the piece down with it, plastic wrap can be just plain rude.
This stuff takes on a life of its own. But in truth, it’s just doing its job. It’s supposed to cling to dishes and containers, so why wouldn’t it cling to everything else? Recently, I overheard someone explaining that they haven’t stored their plastic wrap in a kitchen drawer for ages because they have a way of avoiding all of that clingy drama. After that, unable to stop listening and in full eavesdrop mode, I was shocked to discover the best place to store this timeless kitchen necessity. The best part about this tip? I tried it myself, and it actually works like a charm!
The Best Place to Store Plastic Wrap
Most people have that designated kitchen drawer for storing things that unroll or unzip, with the sole purpose of being used for prep and storage. Things like aluminum foil, parchment paper, plastic or silicone baggies, and of course, plastic wrap. However, the key to having a handle on your plastic wrap isn’t keeping it in that good old kitchen drawer. To prevent clinging and static, you should be storing plastic wrap in the freezer!
The Science Behind the Hack
From sticky to static woes, storing plastic wrap in the freezer for at least 15 minutes, or permanently, is just another quick and easy way to enjoy those little moments in the kitchen. If you’re out of space in the freezer, the refrigerator will work as well. It may be less cold, and therefore less effective, than the freezer, but the cool temperature will still make the material a bit more manageable for use.
- Stickiness: Plastic wrap is made of extremely thin sheets of polyethylene and some additional adhesives. When polyethylene is cold, it loses some of its stickiness because cold temperatures alter the molecular structure and weaken the chemical bonds in the plastic. This decreases that trademark stickiness and static, making the plastic wrap temporarily easier to handle.
- Static: While we need static electricity in order for the plastic wrap to work, the cold air of the freezer eliminates some of the static, making the plastic wrap much easier to handle. The plastic wrap will return to room temperature within seconds of being removed from the freezer, just in time to cling to the dish, container, or bowl, rather than itself, its box, or your hands.
