Whether you're an artist, an educator, a parent, or simply a marker enthusiast, this hack will enable you to extend the use of your markers significantly and keep them out of the garbage.
The scoop
The trick from Erica (@twincitiesmama) is simple yet effective.
"Did you know you can bring your dried-up markers back to life?" she asks in an Instagram video, demonstrating the faint lines from a dry green marker. "Just fill the cap with water, put the cap back on, leave it upright for a few hours … and you'll have a brand new juicy marker!"
To prove it, she draws a new line with the marker, which comes out green and vibrant.
Commenters were amazed.
"Oh wow and I've been throwing them out this whole time," one person said.
Another joked: "Where was this when I was a kid?"
How it's working
While the ink in markers eventually runs out, it's easy for them to dry out prematurely if they're accidentally left uncapped or in a dry environment for too long. Fortunately, most of them could last longer than you might think, preventing you from wasting money, time, and materials replacing perfectly salvageable markers.
This hack is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to leading a more "repurposeful" life. There are endless ways to upcycle, recycle, repurpose, and repair goods to keep them from becoming unnecessarily wasteful and expensive.
🗣️ Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to buy a refillable product?
🔘 Saving money 💰
🔘 Reducing plastic waste 🗑️
🔘 Using less shelf space at home 💁♀️
🔘 Getting easy refill deliveries 😎
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
From saving citrus rinds to use in natural cleaners, to repurposing wine bottles as self-watering planters, many items you use daily could find second and even third uses.
This not only keeps toxic garbage from overflowing our planet's landfills and endangering marine life, but it saves you money when you no longer have to purchase or replace items so frequently. (And when you do — make sure to buy secondhand to find high-quality items that already exist for much cheaper.)
Beyond the satisfaction and savings you'll earn from tips like these, there are even companies that will reward you for keeping your items out of landfills. For example, the Take Back Bag from innovative company Trashie will collect your old clothes, linens, and shoes and take care of redistributing them and recycling their textiles while giving you rewards in return.
What people are saying
Commenters were astonished that they'd never thought of the simple yet powerful trick themselves — and they were eager to try it.
"Stop right now! How is that not common knowledge?" one person exclaimed.
"My daughter and I watched this and she looked at me and ran to her room to revive all of her markers," another shared. (She then followed up with an update: "It's a success!")
One educator enthused that they had spent "hundreds" on markers and that this would be life-changing for them. Others agreed.
"You just saved me so much money," another commenter wrote.
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