- The first plastic wrap product introduced for home use was Saran Wrap, in 1953. Different materials are used to make different brands, but in general, they all work by clinging to any surface to seal in moisture and prevent flavor loss.
- Because they are made from different materials, different brands of plastic wrap have slightly different characteristics. Cook's Country magazine found that wraps made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), are the clingiest, but are not impermeable to moisture. Meanwhile, wraps made with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) are impermeable to moisture, but offer less cling. Because less clingy wraps are less likely to "melt" when you cut them, choose a brand made from LDPE for easier cutting.
- The easiest way to cut plastic wrap in half without melting it is to choose a wrap whose box is designed for the task. Look for a box with a built-in sliding cutter, which keeps the sheet relatively flat, and keeps the cut portion separated from the rest of the roll. Cook's Country also found that the boxes that made the wrap easier to cut featured metal cutting teeth on the top edge, rather than the bottom edge, of the box. Boxes with a sticky pad on the front also helped keep the plastic sheet in place without folding back onto itself on the roll.
- Cutting plastic wrap with a tool other than the box, such as scissors or a knife, is difficult, but can be done. Wrap the plastic wrap entirely around the item you are storing. Unroll a little more wrap and hold the roll, then cut carefully with a scissors. Otherwise, you can lay the box flat on a steady surface. Then carefully pull out the desired amount of wrap before cutting down the edge of the box with a scissors or knife, and pull away the portion you have just cut off.
How Plastic Wrap Works
Choosing the Right Plastic Wrap
Cutting Plastic Wrap With Its Own Box
Cutting Plastic Wrap With Other Tools
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