Photo: tiktok
Barbara “Babs” Costello has done it again.
“For tall wine glasses, don’t forget to drop your top shelf down before closing,” she said in the video. To lower the shelf, simply push down on the side bar and press it down, Costello instructs.
Costello simply presses in a lever on either side of the upper rack that allows it to lower. To raise it back up, just lift the rack vertically. Different dishwasher models may differ slightly, but all should have this functionality. Check the manual for instructions.
She also demonstrates the correct way to place mugs (nestled between the prongs, not teetering on top of them), large utensils (tucked between drinkware on the top rack) and plates (all facing in for maximum spray coverage), among other tips.
The dishwasher lesson is far from Costello’s first hit Tiktok hit, however. From meal prepping to explaining how to clean a washing machine filter, Costello has offered up countless highly useful how-tos and even adopted the nickname of “everyone’s grandmother,” which now appears on her TikTok profile.
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In an interview with ABC News, the mother of four and grandmother of eight admitted that thereason she joinedTikTok in the first place was at the request of her daughter,Elizabeth, who is also a content creator.
“One afternoon when [Elizabeth’s sons] were napping, she said, ‘Mom, I think you should try TikTok,'” Costello said.
While the former teacher was hesitant at first, with her daughter’s encouragement, she tried it out, and quickly found success in the days of quarantine. “People had time, they were at home, they could, maybe, venture into cooking they had never tried before,” she said. “Not only that, people were separated from families, and here’s this comforting, older lady who is like, being normal.”
In the two years that she’s been creating content, she’s seen her audience soar, and her opportunities flourish.
She’s appeared on theDrew Barrymore Show, gets recognized walking the streets of New York City, and has even released her own cookbook,Celebrate with Babs: Holiday Recipes & Family Traditions. She’s also started to diversify her content, sharing messages like her “Slice of Peace” series, where she shares snippets of advice with her followers.
The newfound career is a “surprise second act,” Costello said.
“My daughter has said this, which so touches my heart, that she saw in me something that maybe I didn’t see in myself. So she encouraged me to take a chance on this act two, and it’s been very much an unexpected journey.”
source: people.com
