TikTok ketchup challenge: What is new viral trend that people are taking part in to test their relationship?

People use TikTok for many reasons; to pass the time, to take part in trends, to seek advice - and sometimes all three. That's why there are a number of social media relationship trends, as people like talking about their romantic connections.

There's the orange peel theory, the invisible string trend theory, the moon phase soulmate trend and the mascara trend, to name just a few - and now there's the ketchup challenge.

The trend is said to be used by women to test men in heterosexual relationships, and it's been used by ladies worldwide and filmed for the app. The videos with the hashtag #KetchupChallenge have racked up millions of views online. But, what exactly is it? Read on to find out all you need to know.

What is the TikTok ketchup challenge?

The challenge involves women squirting a dollop of sauce on their kitchen counter top or table - and then purposefully leaving it and waiting to see how their partner cleans the mess up.

The challenge is often carried out using ketchup, hence the name of the trend, but the challenge can actually be carried out using any kind of sauce. It also seems to have actually began with people using hot sauce. TikToker Katherine Castaneda, @katherinee_310, is credited with starting the viral trend as she posted a video of her fiancé cleaning hot sauce off of the counter.

What have TikTok users said about the TikTok ketchup challenge?

The original video from Castaneda showed him using multiple dry paper towels to rub the condiment into the counter instead of cleaning it up. The once-white counter was left with an orange stain after he was finished.

As a result, Castaneda captioned the video: “He stresses me out, this is why I do the cleaning”. The video has now been viewed 33 million views. Fellow TikTok users took to the comments of the video to label her fiancé's attempt at cleaning up as an example of “weaponised incompetence”.

Weaponised incompetence is a deliberate or strategic act of feigning incompetence or inadequacy to avoid responsibilities or manipulate a situation to one's advantage, explains psychotherapist and hypnotherapist Dipti Tait. In the context of the ketchup challenge, the accusation of weaponised incompetence suggests that the individual deliberately exacerbated the mess to shift the burden of cleaning onto others or to undermine the expectations of the challenge, she says.

This behaviour reflects a deeper issue of power dynamics and communication breakdown within relationships. It's crucial for partners to engage in open and honest dialogue, address underlying concerns or grievances, and work together to cultivate a supportive and equitable partnership.

In videos posted by other women of their other halves unwittingly carrying out the challenge, the men are seen completing it to varying degrees of apparent success - as judged by the cleaning standards set by their partners.

One man uses his hands to clean up the ketchup dollop left behind by his other half because, he says, paper towels are too expensive to use for tasks like this. Another man has no issue with the use of kitchen towels, but appears perplexed when it doesn't immediately soak up the sauce when placed over the top. Another man, who also happily uses many sheets of kitchen roll, seems frustrated by the sauce being moved around the counter top as he tries to clean it up by using broad sweeping motions.

The women who have claimed their partners “won” the challenge - and therefore are 'good' partners - are the ones who used a cleaning spray to help aid with the clean up or disinfect the surface afterwards.

One video, made by @jadeswildparty, showed her boyfriend completing the challenge by wiping off the ketchup using paper towels, and then spraying the surface with cleaneing spray immediately after. “I think he did okay,” she captioned the clip. Her video was viewed almost six million times, and many fellow TikTokers agreed that her beau had done an excellent job.

"He used cleaner! Yes, he did great!" one enthusiastic commenter wrote. Another said: "I think this is the first guy I’ve seen actually use spray and wipe after wiping the sauce up.” “High five to the grown man cleaning up some ketchup, I don’t get it,” a third person said. Another person, however, was skeptical of the man's response. They said: "Plot twist, he’s already seen the tik toks on it."

The trend hasn't been taken seriously by all TikTok users. One creator under the username @jamiesoneileen created a skit poking fun at the trend where she took on the persona of two women discussing the challenge. “You’re telling me there are hundreds of grown men who find cleaning up a glob of ketchup so challenging, it’s a challenge?” the first woman asks the second. “It’s goofy, silly, fun that men don’t know how to clean a counter?", the second said.

What does an expert think about the TikTok ketchup challenge?

The ketchup challenge is an intriguing yet concerning reflection of contemporary relationship dynamics and gender roles, Tait told NationalWorld. "At its core, this challenge seems to stem from a desire to test and evaluate one's partner based on their response to a seemingly mundane situation," she says.

"From a psychological perspective, this trend underscores the importance of communication, mutual respect, and shared responsibilities within romantic relationships. While playful challenges and tests may seem harmless on the surface, they can inadvertently contribute to mistrust, resentment, and misunderstandings between partners."

Therefore, she adds that using such challenges as a litmus test for relationship worthiness oversimplifies the complexity of human connections and may even perpetuate harmful stereotypes about gender roles and expectations.

She adds: "The notion of 'good' or 'bad' partners based on their response to cleaning up a ketchup mess overlooks the multitude of qualities and behaviours that truly define a healthy and fulfilling relationship. It's essential to recognise and appreciate each other's efforts and contributions beyond superficial tasks."