From toothpaste tubes to Bobby pins, these household items actually have built-in hacks to make your life easier. Better late than never to learn them, so next time you're doing your hair or brushing your teeth, keep these tricks in mind...
The Fifth Pocket In Your Jeans
Ever wonder what that fifth pocket in your jeans is for? That really small one that can only fit a few coins or a lipgloss? Well, jeans were actually made especially for coal miners because of the tough material, and that pocket is for holding their expensive pocket watches.
Ridges on the Edges of Coins
Dimes and quarters have rough edges while pennies and nickels have smooth edges. Ever wonder why? Back when currency was in the form of coins only, the money was stamped with the weight and value of its particular metal. Eventually, people learned how to shave off parts of the coin and still spend them at a fraction of the value, so then paper currency was created.
The Lines on a Red Solo Cup
The lines on a solo cup are actually meant for measuring your drinks. The top line is for 12 ounces of beer, the middle line is for 5 ounces of wine, and the bottom line is for one ounce of liquor. That way you can have fun and easily keep track of your booze.
The Hole in a Pen Cap
You'd think the hole in a pen cap serves no purpose, but it's actually a safety precaution. For whatever reason, people love to chew their pen caps. If a child happened to swallow one, the hole in the top allows air to circulate to prevent choking.
Loops on a Grocery Cart
Those loops on the edges of your grocery cart are actually meant to hang bags that hold the more delicate items in your haul, like eggs or fragile produce. You'd think carts weren't intelligently designed, but you'd be wrong.
Notebook Margins
Lines on notebook paper serve a much more important purpose than making sure your writing is straight and your work fits inside a binder. When rats were an issue back in the Middle Ages, the lines were meant to serve as a protective border that rats wouldn't chew through.
Golf Balls with Dimples
When golf first became a popular sport, the balls were perfectly smooth. However, balls with dimples allow for a layer of turbulent air to form around its surface, which shrinks the size of the ball's wake when it's hit.
The Arrow Next to the Gas Gauge
Have you ever driven someone else's car and then realized you have no idea which side the gas tank is on when you pull up to the station? That arrow on the gas gauge actually points to which side the tank is on. That way, you don't have to waste time checking and moving your car.
Exit Sign Placement
While this is common knowledge to seasoned drivers, newbies on the road have a lot of trouble with this. The alignment of exit signs along the highway isn't random. They tell you which side of the road the exit is on, the left or the right.
Free Fabric in New Clothes
If you're handy, that extra scrap of fabric that sometimes comes with new clothes is actually meant to be used to sew up any holes. Or, you can wash those extra pieces to see how well your detergent reacts to your new clothes. Either way, it serves a purpose you probably never considered.
The Tiny Hole in Elevator Doors
That little hole isn't a way for you to peek in or out of the elevator to see who's about to hop on. It's actually a safety measure. It's meant for maintenance purposes to help people when they get stuck in the elevator.
How to Eat Tic Tacs
The Tic Tac box actually opens in such a way that just one at a time pops out, as intended. Instead, people get frustrated with the tiny opening and tap on the box so many times until several spill out. The box is ergonomically designed to avoid that specific problem.
Holes in Airplane Windows
If you travel enough, you'll learn all about the unique quirks on airplanes. If you look closely, all airplane windows have small holes in them. That's so the cabin pressure can always be regulated.
The Neck on Soda and Beer Bottles
Did you know that gripping a bottle around its neck is actually more secure than holding it around the body? The problem with holding the bottle around the body is that the heat from your hand quickly transfers to the drink. That's not the case if you hold it by the neck.
The Jacket's Half-Belt
If you've ever owned a trenchcoat, then you know that there's a weird half-belt on the back of your jacket, but you probably don't know what it's for. They're actually a memorial to soldiers who used their trenchcoats to hold their blankets. The belt held extra material in place while the soldiers walked around.
The Hole at the End of the Tape Measurer
While tape measures are meant to be a simple tool to make your projects easier, they're actually laid out pretty confusing. With both imperial and metric units, it can be tricky to tell which side is the right one to use. However, the hole at the end isn't pointless, it's meant to hold a nail in place so every measurement is perfect.
Squares on the End of Toothpaste Tubes
Those colored squares aren't just a design feature, they're actually indicators of where the machine was meant to cut the pastic tubes in the factories. If those marks weren't there, the toothpaste would come out all in one tube. It's a common misconception that the color of those squares represented the ingredients in the product, but that isn't true.
Holes in Lollipop Sticks
The hole on the lollipop stick is a purposeful design technique. In the factories, the candy is poured into molds, and some of it seeps into the holes on the stick so the lollipop doesn't fall off when it's hardened. Who would have thought something so small had such an important job?
Plastic Cup Lids
Aside from their obvious purpose at keeping the liquid inside of cups, those plastic lids do a couple of other things. If you take the lid off and flip it over, the cup snaps perfectly into place and has a built-in coaster. Protect your furniture from that to-go condensation.
Toothpaste Stripes
Toothpastes like Aquafresh have that classic tri-colored look that all serve different purposes in dental hygiene. The blue stripe is responsible for refreshing, and red is in charge of plaque control. Though whether or not it cleans better overall than other toothpastes isn't necessarily proven.
Winter Hats with Pom-Poms
While pom-pom beanies are all the rage fashion-wise, did you know that the pom-pom has an actual purpose? Navy soldiers used to wear these hats, and the pom-pom served as protection for their heads because they would often be too tall for the boat ceilings.
Silica Gel Packets
Silica gel packets are meant to absorb the moisture around them, which is why they typically come in shoe boxes and other packages. They can also rescue your phone if you drop it in the toilet. Instead of letting your phone sit in a jar of rice, try putting it in a bag full of little silica packets.
Bumps on the F and J Keys
Those bumps on the F and J keys aren't just there for vanity. They're meant to help a user easily reorient themselves on the keyboard if they're typing without looking at their hands.
Cedar Clothing Hangers
Cedar clothing hangers are the way to go instead of plastic or wire. But why? Cedar smells great and repels bugs and moths. Protect your clothes at all costs with this cheap and easy hack.
Plastic Liner in a Bottle Cap
The plastic liner in the top of a plastic and metal bottle cap actually serves a very distinct purpose. They keep carbon dioxide from escaping. That's important in keeping your drink from going flat.
The Tab on a Soda Can
The hole in the tab on your soda can is actually a great way to keep your straw in place. There are endless hacks to drinking soda, but Coke definitely thought of everything. Maybe next time you can try swappning a straw for a Twizzler.
The Extra Holes in Converse Sneakers
Those extra holes in Converse sneakers aren't actually meant for lacing. Yes, they're to create a snugger fit, but not by means of laces. Most people think they're to create ventilation, but that's not the case.
Holes in Lego Heads
Pen caps and Lego heads pose the same choking hazards, and Lego has ensured that each part of their pieces has holes in them for ventilation. Even if a piece was stuck deep in a child's voice, they would still be able to breathe until professional help arrived.
Brass Door Knobs
Brass doorknobs aren't only spiffy and expensive looking, but they're also full of aniti-microbial properties. That way, something that is touched by hundreds of hands a day has self-cleaning properties. Unfortunately, they're pretty costly and not used very often anymore.
Brown Beer Bottles
Most artisenal beers are sold in brown bottles, and that's not for aesthetic purposes. Darker bottles keep the sun away from the beer, which means UV rays won't alter the flavor. During WWII, breweries switched to green bottles because of a shortage of brown glass.
Chinese Takeout Boxes
We've all being doing takeout wrong apparently. Did you know those white paper boxes actually fold out to transform into plates? Undo the adhesive and there you have it. No more trying to messily toss your chow mein in that tight box.
Light Bulbs
Though lightbulbs are currently made in eco-friendly spiral shapes, they were originally blown in their bubble form for a number of important reasons. When glass blowing first came about, the easiest shape to master was the sphere. That also holds the least amount of tension, so ti was safest for the lighting purpose.
Women's Bicycle Frames
Why are men's bikes and women's bikes shaped differently? In history, women used to wear long dresses, and they would get caught in the high frames of men's bicycles. Women's bikes were then designed with a lower frame, helping to keep dresses from tangling in the pedals.
Post-Its
Post-Its were invented in 1974 as a way for holding bookmarks. The sticky substance on the back was an accidental invention, and while they were a much-needed office supply for years, they're mostly used as pranks now.
Thermoses
Thermoses were originally created to keep chemicals at a stable temperature. A scientist placed one glass bottle inside of a larger one and then evacuated the air between them. Today, they're used to keep drinks hot or cold for hours.
Paper Clips
When people submitted designs for paper clips, they came up with all different kinds of crazy shapes. The paper clip as we know it today doesn't damage the papers and is easily able to bind papers without seeming cumbersome. The current straightforward design won out over all the rest.
Manhole Covers
There's a reason manhole covers are round. It makes it nearly impossible for a person to fall inside of one. Pedestrians almost rarely fall into manholes and it's thanks to this safety-conscious design.
Horizontal Button Holes
The top button on a dress shirt is annoying yet purposeful. While it's the most difficult to get buttoned, it serves as a grip for a tie. Even though it might be a slight choking hazard, it's for the greater good of the appearance.
Extra Eyelets on Running Shoes
Most shoelaces aren't long enough to even reach the extra eyelets up by the ankles, so what are they for? They're meant to create a breathable fit and help avoid chafing during sports.
Hole on the Back of iPhone
If you don't use a case on your iPhone, you might want to reconsider after this. There's a small hole on the back of the phone by the camera that serves a useful purpose. It's a small microphone that allows your voice to be picked up from all sides of the phone.
Gas Pumps
Pumping gas can be an absent-minded activity. That being said, there have been accidents where drivers leave the nozzle in their car and speed off by mistake. If that happens, there's a part of the pump that is supposed to break off to avoid any major accidents.
Padlock Holes
The holes on the bottom or sides of padlocks is used as an orifice to insert lubricant in case the lock gets too rusty to use. They also allow for dirt and water to seep through the lock, again helping to avoid rust.
Tire Indicator
If you've never done the penny trick to check the wear on your tires, you can also just look for the indicator. There's a little button that pops out when it's time to have your tires changed. Much easier than digging around for change.
Game Cartridge Flavor
It's no secret that kids put literally everything in their mouths. Those tiny game cartridgers that come with consoles are choking hazards, so they're covered in a bitter film that tastes gross when put in a kid's mouth. That should deter them from biting down on anything they shouldn't.
Detachable Headrest
While this isn't the case for all cars, most have completely removable headrests. It's an accomodation for tall people but also a safety feature. If someone is stuck inside the car, they can remove the headrest and use the metal prongs to break the window.
Cream Tube Cap
There's a small cone-like shape on most medicated cream caps and toothpastes for a convenience reason. Instead of struggling to pull off that tight foil seal, use the cone to poke a hole in the foil for easy access.
Blue Bristles on Toothbrushes
Blue bristles on toothbrushes aren't just for the aesthetic. The blue dye actually wears off on the bristles when it's time for you to get a new toothbrush. Since nobody really knows when the right time to change the brush is, it tells you itself!
The Hole in a Pasta Spoon
The hole in your pasta spoon isn't just there to be annoying. It actually measures out one perfect serving of spaghetti. It's always so hard to judge what the right amount of pasta is for one person, so the spoon does it for you.
The Hole in a Pot Handle
That hole in the pot handle isn't just for hanging them up for storage. You can also use that hole to place the spoon while you're in the middle of cooking. It saves you from making a mess on the counter and keeps the spoon easily accessible.
The McFlurry's Square Spoon
The McFlurry's weirdly shaped spoon has been a topic of public speculation for years because nobody could figure out what it was for. However, the true reason the spoon is shaped like a square is because it can also double as a straw.
Dots on Car Windows
Did you ever wonder what those tiny dots on your car window were for? They're called "frits" and they protect the glass from extreme temperature change that could shatter it. Next time you're a passenger on a very boring journey, pay more attention to the little oddities on your vehicle.
Grating on Microwave Window
The black grate is called a Faraday shield, and it keeps microwaves from escaping through the glass. Without it, your food wouldn't cook properly, which would mean the microwaves had escaped.
Screwdrivers That Work With Wrenches
You can slide the end of your wrench over your screwdriver to get more torque. If you have a particularly difficult screw, this trick is handy. Next time you're stuck building an Ikea piece, try this.
Extra Threading On a Medicine Bottle
If your hands aren't as strong as they used to be, opening those medicine bottles can be quite a pain to open. That's why many bottles have extra threading, and then the cap can be flipped upside down. That turns the extra-tough bottle into a regular one.
Tiny Buttons on Jeans
What's the deal with tiny buttons all over jeans? They've been on every pair of pants you've probably ever owned. Just like that fifth pocket, it dates back to the Gold Rush era. The rivets were telling of when it was time to mend pants before they tore.
The Diamond Decal on Backpacks
This decal isn't a logo, it's actually meant for tying rope or other gear on the outside of the bag instead of takig up space inside. The slashes are called Lash Tabs and always come in handy for backpackers or hikers.
Loop on the Back of Dress Shirts
Those loops aren't actually meant for running along a clothesline, but rather for hanging on hooks in your closet. It keeps the shirt from being wrinkled, which saves you time on ironing.
Colored Ice Cream Scoops
Most ice cream scoopers are color coded for a reason besides looking nice. They're color coded by size because they represent different quantities and how many scoops it takes to reach one gallon. Now you can snack in moderation and know exactly how much to scoop.
Legs on Apple Power Cable
Most Macbook charges come with these little legs that flip out, but if you didn't know what they were for, you're about to kick yourself for not learning this hack sooner. They're for wrapping the cable around the charging brick, avoiding any entanglement. That makes it easier for traveling and protecting the cord.
Zig Zag on Bobby Pin
No one ever seems to know which side of the bobby pin is meant to secure your hair. Technically both work fine, but the grooved side is meant to press against your scalp because it makes it harder for the pin to slide out of place.