Parents, caregivers, and teachers know the existential crisis that a dried-up marker can cause.
Well, one TikToker had a life-saving tip to revive those essential instruments of creativity.
The scoop
Chelsea Dyan (@gratefulheartcollective), who is "all about simple hacks to make moms' lives easier," shared this gem, writing, "Never throw out a dried out marker again!"
@gratefulheartcollective Never throw out a dried out marker again! Even if your toddler "forgets" to put the lid back on, you can still save their marker with just a little water! 💦 #momhacks #momhack #toddlermom #lifehack #markerhack ♬ Very cute melody by marimba tone(39813) - Mitsu Sound
The hack is as easy as they come: pour a little water in the cap, insert the dehydrated marker, and flip it over so it stands upright.
"Let it sit for just a few hours, and your markers will be good as new," she said.
One user was chagrined they hadn't learned about this sooner, writing, "Where was this hack 100 dried-out markers ago?"
Chelsea responded: "Well you can use it for the next 100 markers."
How it's helping
Saving would-be useless markers with this trick keeps them from the trash, which helps in several ways. Perhaps most importantly, you can avoid a meltdown, but you will also keep plastic out of landfills and the environment.
Depending on your mode of transportation, you may reduce your carbon pollution by not having to make a trip to the store. And that will put the most valuable resource back in your pocket as well: time.
Just like everything else these days, school supplies are expensive, increasing in price by nearly 24% in the past two years. So, you also won't have to balance your checkbook after another purchase diminishes your account.
What everyone's saying
Apparently, this is one of the best hacks ever.
"I had a marker that doesn't work for 5 years and this method works!" one commenter wrote.
Another said: "Correction I'm not a mom and you still made my life easier."
"If this works," someone else noted, "you are [worth your weight in gold]."
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