Apparently, All You Need To Catch A Cheating Partner Is A Water Bottle
To many people, being cheated on is one of the worst things that could happen in a committed romantic relationship. Yet, unfortunately, cheating isn't uncommon. A YouGov America survey found that one in three people who have been in monogamous relationships have cheated at least once, and 54% have been cheated on.
Unlike some other toxic relationship behaviors — like, say, name-calling or constantly shifting the blame to the other person —# cheating often goes undetected, at least for some time, before the cheater either confesses or is caught red-handed. In some cases, it can even take up to two years — the length of the average affair — or longer for the truth to come out.
So if you think your partner is hiding a secret side fling, how can you speed up the process of getting them to come clean? TikTok offers a simple trick that requires nothing more than a cheap used water bottle.
How to catch a cheater with the water bottle test
Forget snooping through your partner's phone or following them when they're out — TikTok influencer Daniel Hentschel has an easier idea for exposing a cheater. In a clip that has now gone viral, the content creator suggests buying a used water bottle from a thrift store that, he says, "could theoretically belong to anyone." Then, act as if you discovered the bottle when you're in your partner's car together. Hentschel explains that you should then offer the bottle to your S.O., using the phrase, "Here's your water bottle," to make it seem as though you genuinely believe it's theirs. If they go along with the ploy and accept the water bottle as their own, they could be a cheater, according to the video.
The idea is that a two-timing partner would assume the bottle belongs to their secret lover and will try to play it cool to cover up their dirty deeds. "If they have nothing to hide ... they'll admit they don't know whose it is because you've made them feel like you trust them," says Hentschel.
Not everyone believes the trick is foolproof
TikTok users shared their thoughts on Daniel Hentschel's water bottle method, leaving comments like, "genius," and, "this is actually good." However, some aren't convinced it would work. "Warning: might not work if your partner has ADD and has no idea what water bottles they do and don't own," wrote one commenter. Others pointed out that their S.O. may not think too deeply about the discovery and would simply accept it as a free water bottle. After the video blew up online, a user also added, "This only works if your partner doesn't use TikTok."
Besides being criticized by skeptical commenters, the water bottle test — and other "loyalty checks" — likely wouldn't get a stamp of approval from relationship experts. "There are times where a loyalty check does not work, and this creates conflict in the relationship," Lee Phillips, a psychotherapist and certified sex and couples therapist, shared with Well+Good. "I have also seen relationships end due to a loyalty check."
Think about it: A water bottle could expose a partner's dishonesty, though strategically placing a bottle in their car and pretending to discover it is, in itself, an act of deception. If you think your partner is cheating on you, an open conversation might be a more effective option — no thrift store water bottle needed.