A TikToker's petroleum jelly hack will keep your sponge holder sticking to your sink, according to a professional cleaner
- TikToker @alroessler shared a hack for restoring sponge holder suction cups with petroleum jelly.
- The TikToker puts petroleum jelly on a paper towel and wipes it on the back of the suction cups.
- Professional cleaner Kristiana Laugen said the hack works and gave us an alternative DIY solution.
A TikToker is racking up millions of views with a video that shows how she deals with sponge holder suction cups losing their staying power.
The video - posted by user @alroessler in February - shows the TikToker putting petroleum jelly on a paper towel and wiping it on the suction cups before sticking them back inside the sink.
The video had nearly 3 million views and more than 110,000 likes at the time of writing, and it seems some TikTok users have also tried the hack for themselves.
"I think you just changed my entire life," one TikToker commented.
"Thanks, I was just doing dishes and that thing kept falling," wrote another. "Perfect timing!"
A professional cleaner says the hack is easy and effective
Petroleum jelly is an easy and inexpensive tool to solve the frustrating problem of your sponge holder's suction cups losing their stick, Kristiana Laugen, head of cleaning and home improvement at household services app Handy, told Insider.
Laugen added that the hack is not just for your kitchen.
"This hack is versatile as it also applies to any other household appliance that has suction cups on other surfaces, such as your kitchen sink, shower wall, and mirrors," she said.
If you don't have petroleum jelly handy, Laugen says a dab of cooking oil and a sprinkle of water is a DIY alternative solution that will restore the suction and create an even tighter seal.
No matter which method you use, eventually you'll have to get new suction cups.
"Like all things, you'll eventually need to replace worn-down suction cups," she said. "But this hack is a great solution in a pinch."