I’ve seen some interesting videos on TikTok, but have also found many incredible cooking and cleaning hacks. The most recent TikTok cleaning hack to go viral involves putting a ball of tinfoil in your dishwasher. And although I was skeptical at first, this hack appears to be legitimate.
All this hack entails is crumpling up a piece of tinfoil into a ball and putting the ball into the flatware basket of your dishwasher along with your dirty cutlery. Run the dishwasher on a normal cycle, and when you remove your clean dishes, your flatware will be gleaming as though it was brand new.
So, how does this work? Well, according to a study performed by the University of California Davis, an electrochemical reaction occurs between the tinfoil and the dishwasher detergent, removing the tarnish on your flatware and leaving it sparkling.
Whatever the scientific reasoning, this hack involves essentially no effort – so there’s no harm in trying it out, especially if it leaves your cutlery looking brand spanking new!
For another brilliant tip, our guide on putting a ball of aluminum foil in your oven explains how it can help tackle tough, baked-on grime.