Unless you’re irrationally inquisitive, there’s a number of features on things that you use every day that you probably never even noticed.
However, these things aren’t always just for show and have an intended purpose.
Here are some things you didn’t know the use for.
1. Lots of little things in life actually have some pretty useful tricks behind them that can significantly help us live much easier lives. For instance, anyone who regularly boils up a pot of pasta will be familiar with a spaghetti spoon. Spaghetti spoons are distinguishable by their forked edge and a hole in the ladle-like area of the utensil. One might imagine that this hole’s main purpose is to strain the water when ladling out pasta, but there’s more to it than that. The hole actually fits the size of exactly one serving of spaghetti so that when you’re making your meal you can accurately measure it. Those who can really go to town on a bowl of pasta might not be satisfied by the spoon’s suggested serving portion. However, at least once you start counting how many servings you’re making, it can be a useful tool to make sure you aren’t making too much or too little.
2. The extra piece of fabric that comes along with your clothes isn’t actually to use as a patch. This is what most people might think and then throw away. it’s actually there to use as a tester in the laundry machine to see how the fabric reacts to different detergents or bleaches.
3. Ever wonder what that little hole at the bottom of padlocks beside the key part are there for? Turns out, this tiny hole is there to help oil the lock if it becomes rusty. It also works as a drain to drain out any liquids that may go into the lock.
4. Have you ever wondered what the little pom pom on the tops of hats are for? Well, today they are used mainly for decoration, but back in the 18th century, French marines used to wear them for protection against the low ceilings of ship cabins. They were also used in uniforms for soldiers to help distinguish the branch of military a soldier was in.
5. You’re probably familiar with the diamond-shaped squares on the backs of most backpacks. Most people think they are purely aesthetic. However, these things are called “lash tabs” or “pig snouts” and are intended to hold extra gear on cords to be strung through the openings, ideal for camping or hiking.
6. The dimple at the bottom of a wine bottle is called a punt, and it is there to prevent bottles from tipping over. There are actually a number of things the punt helps with, including chilling wine faster, making the bottle more resistant to high pressure, and easier to hold and pour.
7. You may be familiar with the tiny loop, which adorns the back of most dress shirts, but it isn’t just there for decoration. They are there so that you can easily hang them up in a closet without wrinkling them, a beneficial feature especially when you’ve run out of hangers.
8. You may think that the blue side on erasers is used to erase pen. If you’ve ever tried it, you already know that erasing ink only leads to a tear in your paper. The blue side of an eraser is actually meant to erase pencil on paper which is heavier or thicker than normal paper. It can also erase any smudges left over from the pink eraser.
9. Have you ever noticed the colored squares on the center of the bottom ridge on toothpaste tubes? Well, these colored squares actually have a purpose! The squares are called “color marks,” which are created when being manufactured, the various colors indicate whether the packet can either be folded or cut.
10. Those who fly often may have noticed tiny little holes in the windows of the airplane. These holes are actually called “bleed holes,” and they are wedged between two other panes of acrylic material. Bleed holes are there to equalize the air pressure from the inside and the outside of the airplane.
11. Ice cream scoops tend to come in several different colors, but the reason isn’t just for the owner’s aesthetic preference. Ice cream scoops are color-coded and each color actually represents the size of the scoop, which is based on how many scoops it takes to fill a container measuring 32 ounces.
12. Have you ever wondered why golf balls look the way they do? The dimpled ridges on golf balls are actually there to help reduce the amount of drag while it is flying in the air. These dimpled ridges not only allow the golf ball to fly faster, but also farther.
13. You may have noticed that a majority of door knobs are made out of brass. This is because brass surfaces can prevent bacteria from accumulating. Brass kills bacteria and essentially makes doorknobs germ-proof, which is ideal when they receive so many different hands coming into contact with them.
14. Jean lovers will be familiar with the little metal circles that adorn the pocket area. Most people think that these are snaps, but they are actually rivets. The purpose of these rivets is to reinforce the seam where pockets attach, an area which was prone to tearing in the past.
15. There’s a reason beer bottles are shaped to have long necks. A person’s hand naturally carries heat, so when it touches a beer bottle, the heat transfers to the bottle. This is why beer bottles elongate the neck portion so the beer drinker can have something to hold while keeping the beverage cool longer.
16. Have you ever wondered why there’s hole at the top of pen caps? Many people think the hole is to keep the pen from drying out, but it’s actually there for a more serious preventative measure. The hole is to lower the risk of suffocation, especially of small children. If someone chokes on the cap, the hole keeps the airway from closing up completely.
17. You may have never noticed the little arrow beside the gas gauge, but you’ll be happy you know about it the next time you’re driving an unfamiliar vehicle. The arrow points to which side of the car the gas cap is on, which will save you from embarrassingly pulling up on the wrong side.
18. Anyone familiar with a keyboard will be aware that the ‘F’ and ‘J’ keys have tiny bumps on them. There’s a reason these bumps are located on these keys on every keyboard and it’s because in 10-finger typing, these are the home keys where your index fingers rest. The bumps help typists find their way back to the home position without having to glance down from the screen.
19. Every Apple power cable has wings on the power block for a reason.While most of us don’t bother wrapping our cords, the wings give you an extra section to wrap the cable around and even includes a clamp to fully secure it. Time-consuming, sure, but it will most likely increase the lifespan of your charger.
20. The tiny indentation on the lid of Tic Tacs packaging works as a dispenser. Most of us don’t just eat one Tic Tac at a time, sometimes they might as well be chips. However, the indentation is the size of a Tic Tac so that when you turn it over and open the lid, one is ready to be indulged.
21. The little discs under plastic bottle caps are there to keep everything in the bottle. There have been promotions where soda brands have hid codes under the little disc, but there’s a reason they are there. The disc helps seal in both the liquid and carbonation. If the disc wasn’t there, soda would go flat much quicker.
22. What’s the little hole beside the iPhone camera for? The tiny hole next to the camera has puzzled many iPhone users, but it’s nothing more than a microphone. While there is a microphone where you’d expect one when talking on the phone, this one is for capturing audio while using the back camera.
23. Some toothpaste tube caps have little spikes in them, which most people just ignore. However, these tiny spikes are there to help unpackaging the tube easier. When these spikes are present, it usually means there’s a protective foil sealing. The spike punctures the foil and allows you to start using the paste.
24. There’s a reason bobby pins have a side that features a zigzag-like groove. Some people aren’t aware of the grooved side’s purpose and put in their bobby pin in any way. However, the grooves help the hairpin hold the hair better, which means the grooved part should face towards the scalp.
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25. Any soda lover is familiar with the tab you pop open to take the first sip. However, not many people realize that the hole in the tab has a purpose outside of make it easier to pull. The hole can be used as a straw holder when the tab is spun around.
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26. Some toothpicks are designed with tiny indentations on the opposing side of the pick. These indentations aren’t just for aesthetic or just to make sure you know which end is which. The ending is like this so it’s easy to break off. Once detached, the indented part of the toothpick serves as a holder for hygienic purposes.
27. You’re probably aware of the tiny tabs on the ends of aluminum foil boxes, you may have even punctured one by accident. These tabs actually help secure the roll so that it doesn’t come sliding out every time you try to grab a sheet. Simply press in the tabs to make sure the roll stays put.
28. There’s a reason the end of tape measurers have a hole and a serrated edge. To make things easier when measuring, the hole actually works to hook on to things like a screw or nail to keep the tape from slipping. The serrated edge is to be used as a marking tool when one isn’t on hand.
