Watch: how to stop cling film getting tangled
Getting cling film off the roll is one of life's great annoyances. The static sticking to your hands, a crumpled plastic mess left on the countertop or even just finding the end of the roll in the first place.
There are several internet hacks which supposedly make this tedious job easier, from using the little know about box tabs to turn it into cling film dispenser to popping the entire cling film roll in the freezer. We tested some of these to see if they really work.
Keep reading or watch the video to find out which methods impressed in our tests.
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Using the tabs on the end of the box
Check your cling film box. Do you see little tabs either end with words on them that say something such as 'press in'? Follow those instructions and you've turned the box into a cling film dispenser.
Still unbeknown to many, these push-tabs are designed to lock your roll of cling film in place, stopping it from falling out of the box and making for easier unwrapping.
This small but mighty hack actually works, too. We discovered the tabs do indeed turn the cardboard box into the perfect cling film dispenser, and the roll unwraps smoothly.
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Keeping cling film in the freezer
The idea behind this hack is that the colder temperature reduces the amount of static on your cling film, therefore making it less likely to stick to itself or other surfaces.
We found this method effective, as the cling film was much easier to rip and move after a stint in the freezer.
The lack of static did make it slightly harder to wrap things, though this is only temporary, and it still clings enough to do its job.
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Using the 'whole arm' method
This method involves pulling out a length of cling film and using the box lid to hold it in place. Then, using the length of your forearm across the sheet, tear off as much as you need. The static should help it stick to your arm and not to itself.
This was our least favourite hack, as we found it didn't make much of a difference when unwrapping the cling film. You're probably better off using the box tabs or the freezer method.
