You will be surprised to learn that there are numerous features on objects that you use every day that you probably never even noticed. These features are not just for decoration but have an intended purpose.
Here we present 20 objects you didn’t know the use for:
1. There are numerous small objects that we use in our daily lives that have some crafty tricks up their sleeves, and these tricks can be beneficial and convenient and make our lives better and more manageable. Take pasta lovers, for example. Cooking pasta regularly means being all too familiar with the spaghetti spoon. Spaghetti spoons are characterized by a forked edge and a hole in the ladle-like area. You might assume that this hole serves to strain water when ladling out pasta, but here comes the surprise. The hole actually fits the size of exactly one serving of spaghetti! This means that when you prepare your favorite meal of delicious spaghetti with sauce, you can accurately measure it. Those who adore eating a large bowl of pasta might not be satisfied with the spoon’s suggested serving portion, but at least it is a helpful tool to help you count how many servings you’re making and plan accordingly.
2. So, you bought yourself a new jacket, and it comes with an extra piece of fabric attached to it, which most people assume is used as a patch. This is the majority's opinion, and the extra piece of fabric gets thrown away. However, this piece of fabric is included there to be used as a tester when washing it in the laundry machine to see the fabric’s reaction to different detergents or bleaches.
3. Ever wonder what is the purpose of that tiny little hole at the bottom of a padlock? Well, we will satisfy your curiosity and tell you that this small hole serves to put oil inside the padlock in case it becomes rusty. It also serves as a drain to release any liquids that may go into the lock. Quite handy.
4. Every wine bottle has a dimple at the bottom, called a punt, and it is there to prevent bottles from tipping over. In essence, the punt serves several purposes, such as helping the wine chill faster, making the bottle more resistant to high pressure, and making it easier to hold and pour. So many practical uses!
5. Most dress shirts are adorned with a tiny loop on the back, and you have probably seen all too many of them, but it is worth knowing that this small loop is not just there for decoration. It serves to easily hang our dress shirts in a closet and stops them from wrinkling. This is quite a practical and useful feature, especially when we don’t have enough hangers in our closet.
6. If you are one of those people who might think that the blue side of erasers is used to erase anything written with pens, then you are wrong. If you’ve ever tried it, you probably already know that erasing ink only leads to a tear in your paper. So, here is the answer to this. The blue side of an eraser serves to erase pencils on paper that is heavier or thicker than standard paper. It can also erase any smudges left over from the pink eraser.
7. So, you are sitting on an airplane on a seat next to the window, and you are waiting for the plane to take off, and suddenly you notice tiny little holes in the window. These holes are called “bleed holes.” They’re wedged between two other acrylic material panes, and they equalize air pressure from the inside and the outside of airplanes.
8. Ice cream scoops are colorful, and this is not just for the owner’s aesthetic preference. Ice cream scoops are color-coded, with each color representing the size of the spoon, which is based on how many scoops it takes to fill a container measuring 32 ounces. Quite a clever and helpful trick!
9. Have you ever looked at golf balls and wondered why they look that way? The dimpled ridges on golf balls are there to reduce the amount of drag while flying in the air. These dimpled ridges allow the golf ball to fly faster and farther. So, these dimpled ridges play a significant role when playing golf as they increase the speed and distance of the ball.
10. It might have come to your attention that most door knobs are made out of brass. This is not by chance, as brass surfaces can prevent bacteria from accumulating. Brass actually kills bacteria and essentially makes doorknobs germ-proof. This is ideal because so many different hands touch and turn these door knobs, and brass is there to eliminate any bacteria.
11. If you are a beer drinker and often have a bottle or two, you might have wondered why every bottle is shaped to have a long neck. A person’s hand is naturally warm, so when it touches the beer bottle, the heat transfers to the bottle. Now, we all know that beer tastes best when it’s cold, so this is why beer bottles elongate the neck portion, and the beer drinker can hold the rest of the bottle while keeping the beverage cool longer.
12. Have you ever wondered why there’s a small hole at the top of pen caps? It is a general belief that the hole serves to keep the pen from drying out, but it actually acts as a preventive measure. The hole in the cap is designed to reduce the risk of suffocation, especially in young children. If someone chokes on the cap, the hole prevents the airway from being entirely blocked.
13. When using a keyboard, you have probably noticed that the ‘F’ and ‘J’ keys have tiny bumps on them. These letters have been specifically chosen to bear these bumps on the keyboard because, in 10-finger typing, they are the two home keys where the index fingers rest. These two keys serve a convenient purpose as typists use them for orientation, and they can quickly locate their home position and continue typing without looking away from the screen.
14. The small discs placed under every plastic bottle cap keep everything in a bottle. During specific commercial promotions, soda brands hide codes under those little discs covering the bottle cap, but these discs are there to preserve the beverage. The disc helps seal in both the liquid and carbonation, and without the disc, sodas would lose their sparkles much faster.
15. What’s the use of the small hole next to the iPhone camera? Many iPhone users have been confused over the use of the tiny hole next to the camera, but we now discover that it is used as a microphone. Aside from the microphone on the phone, which is used when talking on the phone, this small one is intended to capture audio when using the back camera.
16. Why do some toothpaste tube caps have little spikes in them? You have probably not paid much attention to your toothpaste tube in the bathroom, but it would be beneficial to know that these small spikes are used to help you unpack the tube much easier. When you see these spikes on the cap, that usually means that the toothpaste has a protective foil sealing, so the spikes puncture the foil, and voila, you can now start using your toothpaste and brush your teeth.
17. Most soda enthusiasts are familiar with the tab that pops open to take the first sip of their favorite soda. However, few people realize that the hole in the tab serves a purpose beyond making it easier to pull. The hole can be used as a straw holder when the tab is spun around.
18. Certain toothpicks are designed with tiny indentations on the opposing side of the pick. These indentations don’t just serve an aesthetic purpose or to show you which end is which. The endings are created this way, and it’s easy to break them off. Once the ending is detached, the indented part of the toothpick can be used as a holder for hygienic purposes.
19. When holding a pair of shoes, you have probably noticed that some are designed with two holes on the sides, and they are so much more than just decorations. As one can guess, the apparent reason for these holes is ventilation, but they were also created for basketball players to allow alternate lacing techniques so that their feet won’t slip while playing on the court.
20. Chinese food takeout sounds like a beautiful idea, not just for the fact that you don’t have to sweat over the stove but also because of its ultimately practical packaging. The food box allows you to eat on the go, and on top of that, once you have chosen the best location for you to indulge in the oriental flavors, the box unfolds and becomes your plate.
