Believe it or not, you have been using many common household items wrong this whole time. Items such as sneakers, backpacks, and padlocks come with hidden secrets. If repurposed correctly, they could save you a lot of time and money.
All iPhone users have probably noticed the little hole right by the camera lens. Well, it’s not a second secret camera used to spy on you. The tiny hole is actually one of the 3 microphones on the smartphone. The other two mics are located under the speaker grill and on the bottom edge of the phone.
Winter hats are necessary on cold days, but have you ever wondered why many of them have a fluffy pom-pom on top? Traced back to Scandinavia, this fashion was originally a way to gather the seams in a time before knitting was common. As time went by, many types of headgear adopted this feature, and for some reason, it’s still popular today.
This is something you may not have even noticed before. In cars produced after 2010, there is an arrow next to the gas gauge. Handily, it indicates on which side of your car the gas cap is located. While most people don’t need such a reminder, for those who drive a rental car, the arrow could be important.
We bet you own at least one nice, collared shirt that has this mysterious loop at the back. Originally, this loop was used by the Navy to hang their shirt on hooks. In the 60s, college students used this loop for hanging their shirts to keep them wrinkle-free while exercising at the gym. Today, this loop mainly serves as a sign of class and quality.
Everyone is familiar with grocery carts, but not all realize the neat function of the loop on top of the child’s fold out seat. Well, the loops are there for hanging bags carrying vulnerable items like eggs and bread, to prevent heavier goods from squishing them. Quite considerate, isn’t it?
Anyone who ties their shoelaces themselves has surely noticed the extra holes at the top of their shoes. They are there to tie up your shoes tighter in case you’re prone to blisters. Place the laces in the extra holes but in the opposite direction to create a loop on each side. This allows you to cross your laces in each loop, and then pull down the laces to create a tighter lock.
If you wear jeans a lot, you’ve probably noticed the extra buttons around the pockets, and have just accepted that’s how jeans are made. Actually, those buttons have an important purpose. Technically called rivets, they were strategically placed to avoid the jeans getting worn out or ripping. The patent to the rivets is owned by jean tycoon Levi Strauss.
Golf balls technically aren’t balls, as the outside of the ball is filled with dimples. Originally, they weren’t like this, but over time savvy golfers found that older balls with bumps and nicks would travel further than smooth ones. Actually, the dimples create turbulence, which in turn helps to reduce drag.
Have you ever wondered why adult beverages often come in bottles with long necks? It’s, of course, not by accident that they’re designed this way. First of all, the shape makes the bottle more comfortable and easier to hold and pour. Additionally, long necks help to distribute the heat from your hand throughout the entire bottle. Finally, they help keep beverages cooler for longer.
We’ve all used a padlock at one time or another in our lives. Still, you may not have noticed the little hole at the bottom of the padlock. It actually has two important functions. One is that the hole allows water inside the lock to drain out. The other one is to allow you to pour oil or WD-40 into the lock in case it gets jammed and won’t open up.
Don’t you think the square patches on the back of your backpack look cool? Well, I think so, but they actually also have a purpose. The lashing square, also called pig snout, is there for you to carry extra gear on your backpack. Just thread a cord or string through the tab, and you can hang extra supplies on the back.
Why would an eraser need two different colors? Rumor has it that the blue part was there to erase ink. Clearly, it’s not true. The blue section is, in fact, made to be used on thicker and stronger types of paper, as opposed to common notebook paper. This kind of paper, usually used by artists, is more sensitive to friction, so the special blue eraser was created.
If you use a MacBook, you’ve probably noticed the wings on the power cord that can be pulled up. Why do they exist? Well, if you flip the wings up, they make it easier to wrap the cord around the power block, so the long cord will not get in the way.
Bundled with new clothes, there is often an extra patch of fabric. You probably thought it’s used to sew up the hole in case your clothes rip, but you’re wrong. In fact, the extra fabric is supposed to be used to test out washing the material a certain way so that you can see if it’ll shrink or if the colors will bleed.
Did you freak out the first time you noticed a tiny hole in the window on a plane? Yes, it’s a little weird, but the hole – called the breather hole – is there for an important reason. It allows the two panes of the aircraft to cope with the pressure differential as the plane climbs and the air pressure outside drops, thus keeping the cabin safe and comfortable.
