I Tried This Viral Plastic Wrap Hack in My Bathroom, and I’ll Never Use It Again

There’s an Instagram Reel going around that says you can use a simple household staple as a rug pad to keep your slippiest floor coverings in place. That item? Plastic wrap. According to this 7-second video, if you take a piece of plastic wrap (or a few, depending on the size of the rug), and place it under your rug, it’ll keep the rug from sliding around.

With a kitchen rug that doesn’t love to stay in place, I decided to give this hack a try. I figured that worst case scenario, if it didn’t work, I’d have a roll of plastic wrap that I’m sure I can use somehow (in fact, my new ice cream maker does require plastic wrap to help it set, and I usually don’t have plastic wrap on hand!). 

I first tried out the plastic wrap on the aforementioned kitchen rug. I have a polished tile floor, so I wasn’t optimistic — and, unfortunately, my pessimism was fair. Even with several pieces of plastic wrap covering the entire length and width of the rug, it did absolutely nothing. The rug slipped around just as it did before. 

Next, I tried it on a bathroom mat, just to see if matte tile might react differently than polished tile. It made a slight difference, a little better than when I don’t have anything under the mat at all. But this mat is functional rather than aesthetic, so I am picking it up and moving it all the time anyway. If I get an actual rug for that bathroom, I would try this again.

Lastly, I tried it on a hardwood floor. That was another total fail.

Now, I’ve heard this hack did work for some people, though they used more plastic wrap than is shown in the video. It’s the type of hack worth trying if you have the plastic wrap at home anyway — there’s nothing to lose. But there are a few other drawbacks to keep in mind. First, you’re going to have to replace the plastic wrap anytime you move the rug, as it’s not meant to last. 

Also, some Instagram comments mention that the plastic wrap could suffocate and damage the floor below — so try it in an inconspicuous spot first. Lastly, even if it does work, it may not be reliable enough for a house with kids or older folks where you can’t risk an accidental slip.

Here’s what actually works for me: a good, old-fashioned rug pad. You can get one for under $10, and, while it’s not perfect, it does keep my kitchen rug in place most of the time. Sure, there’s the occasional scooching it back when a corner of the pad is showing, but generally, it stays where I put it. And for me, that’s worth spending a few more dollars than I did on the plastic wrap.