6 genius ways to use cling wrap
Plastic wrap is a kitchen essential we use everyday, but you might be surprised to know it has a tone of uses beyond the bench top.
Try these five genius hacks today:
1. Stop freezer crystals
You want to treat yourself with a big scoop of ice cream, but when you open the freezer you discover the inside of the tub is covered in crystals- yuck. Freezer burn, as it’s commonly known, occurs when food is stored for a long period in super cold conditions, and not only tastes odd but makes it hard to scoop ice cream out of the tub.
Grab a square of plastic wrap and fold it to the size of the tub. Place a layer over the top of the ice cream and close the lid. Don’t worry that the wrap isn’t airtight, it’ll still keep your ice-cream fresher for longer.
2. Perfect poached eggs
Poaching an egg is somewhat of an art but this genius kitchen hack is a great short cut. Simply take a sheet of plastic wrap roughly the size of your hand and place it in an empty egg carton hole. Crack the egg so that it lands back into the egg carton, contained in the plastic wrap. Next, grab the corners of the wrap and join them in the centre, twisting the wrap to create a tight package.
To finish off, lower the egg package into boiling water. Don’t worry about the plastic- it will keep the egg in a neat case and once the egg is poached, just peel it off.
3. Ripen fruit
Plastic wrap is a great aid for controlling the speed of ripening fruit. If you bought an over-ripe bunch of bananas, simply wrap the stem of bananas with plastic wrap to slow the ripening process down.
To ripen fruit faster, add browning bananas to a bowl with under-ripe fruit and cover the entire bowl with plastic wrap.
4. Travel-proof shampoo
It’s every traveller’s nightmare to open their toiletries bag, only to discover his or her liquids have burst mid-flight. Travel-proof your shampoo and conditioner by ripping off a small square of plastic wrap, just bigger than the size of a lid. Unscrew the top of the bottles and secure the plastic wrap, before screwing the lid back on. Keep the wrap loose- tying it too tight will cause rips.
5. Keep paint brushes fresh
Doing a DIY painting project? Prolong the life of used paintbrushes with plastic wrap. If you’re painting for more than a few hours, prevent paintbrushes drying out by wrapping them firmly in a few layers of wrap. It’ll keep the air out and mean you don’t have to wash them as often.