A dreaded experience for many children is sitting down for a coloring session only to discover that their favorite marker has dried up. Another mom has also given her stamp of approval to a one-step hack to revive those seemingly kaput art supplies, though.
The scoop
TikToker Kate Bast (@thebastfamily), who has more than 500,000 followers, demonstrated her marker-revival method in a nine-second clip on the social media platform.
"Do your mini humans always leave the caps off the markers?" she asks. "Add water to the cap and let the marker soak for a few hours. Now you can save your markers!"
@thebastfamily PARENT HACK! This is how to save your dried up markers! Hope this helps! ❤️ #parenthack #markerhack #toddlermomlife #momhack #toddlerhacks #markers ♬ Holding out for a Hero (from "Footloose") - Bonnie Tyler
How it's helping
In addition to saving parents time and money on potentially last-minute runs to the store to ensure their children have school supplies, this hack can help make sure our planet is healthy for future generations.
Some companies have indeed made adjustments to their manufacturing practices to limit the amount of plastic used in their markers.
For example, the popular brand Crayola stated that their marker redesign has eliminated the need for 2 million pounds of plastic over the past 10 years.
Loka, meanwhile, has said it produces its markers from mostly biodegradable materials, while AusPen has designed refillable supplies.
Nonetheless, plastic pollution is a significant problem worldwide, with the U.N. Environment Programme noting that 440 million tons of plastic waste is generated annually.
The process of manufacturing plastic creates planet-warming pollution, and when the material ends up in landfills, it releases toxins into the environment.
Sadly, it is also not uncommon for the material to end up in the stomachs of wildlife. Whales, deer, and bears are among the creatures that have died after eating items discarded by humans.
As detailed by Recycle Nation, dried-up markers typically aren't accepted in curbside recycling programs, so extending their life can help make a dent in the issue. In the U.S. alone, roughly 400 million whiteboard markers are thrown out every year, according to Eco Pen Club.
What everyone's saying
Other TikTokers were thrilled with the advice, liking the video more than 3,500 times. Some also further confirmed this hack is worth trying.
"I used to do this as a little kid!" one person shared.
"What??? You are a magician," another person wrote. "Why have I never thought of this!!"
"Wow! Trying this, thanks!" a third TikToker said.
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