Fresh from a relaxing holiday, one of the worst things to come back home to is a plethora of dried-out, wilting and dying plants. But there’s a clever trick involving a readily available "secret ingredient" that really works - and rather speedily. But, thankfully, there’s a scientific reason why a few drops of washing up liquid can “save the day”. The ingredients in the washing up liquid [are] basically a cellular structure that binds water to things. Offering further advice, Matthew explained that a wide range of washing up liquids can be used for this hack, including greener or more eco-friendly brands.