20 Plastic Wrap Uses You Probably Didn’t Know About

Shutterstock (2)

Protect Clothes

Kitchen aprons are great and all, but they’re just another thing to clean post-cooking. Try using a piece of plastic wrap instead to cover your chest and clothes while cooking. You can peel it off and contain the mess after you’re done and save time, too.

2 / 19

Shutterstock (2)

Keep Lettuce Fresh

Here’s an easy way to keep lettuce fresh. Take your bowl of lettuce, cover it with a damp paper towel, then top it with plastic wrap. It should keep for seven days or so.

Shutterstock (2)

Protect Your Phone

Screen protectors can run from $15 to $40. But one box of cling wrap is roughly $4 or so, making a DIY plastic wrap protector a no-brainer.

First, clean your phone screen. Cut the plastic wrap so it’s about three inches bigger than your screen. Stretch and smooth it over your screen and wrap any excess in the back of your phone before cutting it off. Then put your regular phone case in place.

Shutterstock (2)

Keep Flowers Fresh

Remember how we kept lettuce fresh with plastic wrap? The same method works with flowers.

Cut a rectangle of plastic wrap and place a damp paper towel on top. Then put the ends of your flowers in the middle of the paper towel and fold them both up to keep the flowers fresh. You can use a bow or tissue paper to cover it up.

Shutterstock (2)

Trap Fruit Flies

Pesky fruit flies are no match for cling wrap.

Here’s what to do: Grab a small cup and a few pieces of fruit. Then cover the top with plastic wrap and poke a hole in the middle with a pen or pencil. The flies find their way inside the cup but can’t escaping the plastic. Try this TikTok famous fruit fly hack to get rid of them.

Shutterstock (2)

Keep Bananas Fresh

Bananas, much like avocados, are notorious for going from fresh to over-ripe quickly. To slow the process and keep your bananas fresh, try wrapping the stems with plastic wrap.

Shutterstock (2)

Fix Shattered Makeup

You don’t have to toss out every broken makeup compact. Instead, firm up the powder with plastic wrap.

First, cover the powder compact with plastic wrap. Then crush the powder with your fingers or a spoon so it’s loose. Add a drop or two of rubbing alcohol to make a paste. Use the same spoon to smooth this out. Let it dry for 24 hours before using.

Shutterstock (2)

Unclog Your Toilet

If the plunger fails, it might be time to try this technique for unclogging your toilet. Cover the toilet bowl with plastic wrap and flush. Once the plastic swells, push down on it, creating enough pressure to unblock the pipe.

Shutterstock (2)

Lower Your Heating Bill

To help cut heating costs, try plastic shrink film on your windows. First, apply double-sided tape to the perimeter of the window. Cut a slightly oversized piece of plastic, attach it to the tape, then seal it on with a hair dryer.

Shutterstock (2)

Stop Bottle Leakage

Travel-lovers often learn the hard way that some bottle caps come loose in transit. Avoiding shampoo, conditioner and body wash spills with a piece of plastic wrap. Remove the lids or caps and place a piece of plastic wrap on top, ensuring everything that’s in the bottle stays in the bottle.

Shutterstock (2)

Poach a Perfect Egg

This hack could be the key to finally perfecting egg poaching.

Start by covering a bowl in plastic wrap. (Choose quality plastic wrap with a melting point between 250 and 290 F so it doesn’t melt while you’re poaching.) Spritz the wrap with cooking spray so the egg doesn’t stick.

Crack your egg into the lined bowl. Tie and knot the corners of the plastic to keep the egg in place. Then simmer your water and cook the eggs for six minutes to poach them perfectly.

Shutterstock (2)

Line Your Shelves

Cover your shelves with plastic wrap to make them easier to clean. The plastic peels off easily and catches leaks. That’s one less thing to scrub down in your kitchen.

Shutterstock (2)

Prevent Freezer Burn

Never let good ice cream go to waste again. Cover the top of your ice cream container — or anything else you freeze — with plastic wrap and put the lid back on. This double-duty system keeps frozen food fresh.

Shutterstock (2)

De-cork Wine

Some wines are “corky,” meaning they give off a musty chemical smell that makes it unpleasant to drink. That’s due to TCA, a natural compound. Ball up some PVC-based plastic wrap and place it in a pitcher or jar of wine to lessen this stink.

Shutterstock (2)

Keep Paint From Drying Out

If you’re saving the last of some paint, keep it fresh with plastic wrap. Seal the cans with the wrap, then cover with the lid. This not only preserves the paint but keeps the harsh smell at bay, too.

Shutterstock (2)

Take Off Stickers Easily

You want to keep that glass jar, but not the ugly sticker label on the front. Start by soaking the decal with warm water and dish soap. Then completely wrap the wet container with plastic wrap and wait five minutes. The label should remove easily after taking off the wrap.

Glue-on stickers aren’t nearly as tough to get off as strong glue. Here’s how to remove strong glue and other amazing uses for WD-40.

Shutterstock (2)

Make Any Glass To-Go

Finding the top of a to-go mug is the bane of existence for many plastic-hoarders. Skip the hassle and make any cup a to-go cup with plastic wrap. Simply cover the top of your cup and poke in a reusable straw.

Shutterstock (2)

Keep Jewelry From Tangling

If you’ve ever spent too much time untangling your jewelry, try this short cut. Cut out a piece of plastic wrap and lay your jewelry on top. Then cut a second piece of plastic to smooth over your necklaces and bracelets, and voilà!

Shutterstock (2)

Make Moving Easier

Make moving easier by using plastic wrap to cover drawers that still have clothes in them. Then you simply put them on the truck without emptying them, saving a step.

You could also put plastic wrap around the entire dresser, protecting your clothes and ensuring sure the drawers don’t pop open in transit. This tip also works for sealing utensils so they stay in place during the move.

Shutterstock (2)

Keep Your Paint Brush or Roller From Drying Out

Don’t let your paint rollers or brushes dry out. Take your brush or roller and cover them entirely with plastic wrap.