Dealing with Plastic Bags Thin plastic bags such as produce bags or office wastebasket liners are often difficult to separate. This is a necessary step after removing bags from a roll and before lining a wastebasket or inserting produce. To open the bag by separating the sides of the lip, first locate the open end of the bag. Then gently breathe moist air onto both outer surfaces of the plastic. It will help to open your mouth wide and exhale slowly yet deeply onto the plastic. Now use your fingers to slide the two plastic layers apart with a shearing motion. Why does this work so well? There are two factors. One is that humid conditions encourage static charge to dissipate. A second, more significant factor, is that human skin rapidly softens as humidity rises. Your fingertips will quickly, seemingly instantly absorb moisture from the surface of the plastic. They soften and conform to the plastic sheet, rais...