40+ Everyday Products That Have Evolved To Serve A Different Function Than They Were Designed For
Human needs vary as time progresses. As a result, we no longer use certain items as they were initially intended. As it happens, some of these products are quite essential, and we cannot live without them. Therefore, we have developed application techniques that diverge significantly from the original versions.
Often, when something is only used for one purpose, its true genius isn’t fully appreciated until much later. Sometimes, a product’s side effects, especially with things like medicine, become more enticing to customers, so its use changes.
So today, we have compiled a list of items that have been used for various functions since they were launched. Some are a bit obvious, while others are pretty mind-blowing. Continue reading to find out if your favorite goods actually had a different purpose than what you use them for.
Ashtrays On Planes
Why do airlines still have ashtrays? Quite odd since you can’t really smoke aboard a plane! This must have had you wondering at least once. These seemingly out-of-place necessities were installed in most planes back when taking a drag at 3000 feet was acceptable.
Of course, that isn’t okay anymore. However, there will be people who disobey the no-smoking ban, so it is better to have them. Nobody wants cigarette ash everywhere or fire on an aircraft during a flight. Nowadays, most people use it to stuff tiny pieces of trash.
TGIF Followed By Pedialyte On Saturday
Fun fact: the name Pedialyte is actually a portmanteau. It is a combination of the Latin term for a child, “pedia,” and the minerals that carry a charge, electrolyte. Such a befitting label for this drink, seeing as its original purpose was to prevent children from being dehydrated.
The electrolytes in the drink are very beneficial, and perhaps that’s why adults often use it as a hangover elixir! After a long night of insanely good times, it’s expected that the following morning won’t be as grand, so this drink reportedly helps to restore a bit of balance in the body.
Botox: Nothing Surprises You Anymore
There is absolutely no chance that you have never really heard of this supposedly “wonder” injection that reduces facial wrinkles. However, did you know that its composition consists of one dangerous toxin? The poison is known as botulinum toxin type A.
It is produced from the same bacteria responsible for botulism. Its initial use was in patients suffering from muscle spasms since, as we all know, it has a bit of a “freezing” effect on muscles. These days, however, it’s everyone’s favorite anti-aging remedy.
Slinky! Slinky!
Since it was discovered in the 1940s, so many people have enjoyed playing with the wonderful spring-like toy known as a slinky. A hilarious scene featuring Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls comes to mind whenever we see one of these.
The slinky was first used as a tension spring for horsepower gauges aboard naval ships. Richard James, a naval engineer, accidentally toppled one over in 1943 and discovered its current use. Talk about lucky flukes. Because of that, we ended up having an iconic toy!
The Loop On The Back Of A Shirt
Ever wonder why most formal shirts have some sort of cloth ring behind the collar? Well, it does have an interesting backstory, although now, it’s become unnecessary, like an appendix. The significance of this feature on the shirt is clear but often disregarded.
In truth, this band was used to swiftly hang shirts without the assistance of wire hangers. That was when shirts were the most worn article of clothing by industrial workers. Although it is still present on most shirts today, it is hardly ever used.
So This Is What “7-Up” Could Mean?
This may come as a bit of a surprise, but the primary use for the 7-Up soft drink was as a mood stabilizer. That’s mainly due to its main component, which happens to be lithium. The chemical is essential in treating bipolar disorders.
A few people believe that the drink’s name contains a hint as to its purposes. Lithium has an atomic mass of 7, and the word “Up” refers to the way it makes you feel better. Well, what do you know! You learn something new every day!
Keep Your Hair On With Rogaine
Rogaine, also referred to by the general term Minoxidil, wasn’t created specifically to promote hair growth. The active component in Rogaine was initially employed to alleviate excessive blood pressure. Hence, hair regrowth simply happened to be a beneficial side effect.
As a result, it later became popular due to its beneficial impact on balding. Based on that, people started using it as a treatment for hair loss. Gone are the days when scientists split hairs to find a treatment for baldness.
Mauve
The origin story of this purple shade is a bit interesting. It was discovered when a researcher was attempting to produce the compound quinine in a lab and accidentally created it. After that, mauve started to be used as a dye.
Originally used to treat malaria, quinine is also a component of tonic water. It is responsible for the beverage’s bitter taste. Muscle cramps can also be treated with it, but it is not usually recommended due to the severe risk of side effects.
Propecia
The oral medication Propecia is usually prescribed to address male pattern baldness. Just like Rogaine, however, it was not initially known to have this effect. Thanks to this discovery, a lot of men don’t have to worry about getting a toupee!
It was previously used as a medication for an enlarged prostate. After that, it was modified and began to be used as a remedy for hair loss. It looks like side effects are not always as scary as they may sound.
Cough Drops
These days, cough medicines are frequently used incorrectly. Some people seem to enjoy munching on them just like sweets, even though they shouldn’t really be consumed this way. They contain active medicinal properties that must be only used when necessary.
When you have a phlegmy cough, most people rush to get their hands on cough suppressants. However, it’s better to use a throat soother that still permits coughing because it’s beneficial to cough up that mucus. You don’t want it accumulating in your lungs.
The Context Of Certain Emojis
Emojis, also known as emoticons, were first developed to give messaging more life. This was achieved by providing a better pictorial depiction of the various feelings and activities we engage in every day. However, since then, most have developed a slight twist.
The eggplant and peach emojis are specifically used these days to represent things with quite raunchy connotations. But we won’t get into that here, as it’s universal knowledge. Hopefully, no more fruits or veggies will be dragged into that circus.
That Mini Pocket In Your Favorite Denim Jeans
Have you ever wondered why most jeans, especially the older ones, have a little pocket at the front? Well, so have we. The tiny pocket on the right leg of your pants wasn’t always used for holding loose coins and other miscellaneous objects.
Back when people still used pocket watches, that pocket served as a place to keep them. The size of the pocket allowed for the watch to be stored conveniently, avoiding interfering with any other items. It also allowed one easier access.
Benadryl
We bet that if we peeked inside your medicine cabinet right now, we would find Benadryl or another equivalent of the drug. The tablets are prescribed to alleviate allergy symptoms. However, its focus is mainly on addressing the effects of the common cold.
These days, a lot of people use them as sleeping pills instead. This is due to the established fact that the active components produce drowsiness, similar to most other antihistamines. Nevertheless, with medicine, you always have to be careful since they all have side effects.
Tips On Using Q-Tips
There are several newfound uses for Q-Tips or earbuds. They can be used in daily routine tasks, such as removing eyeliner, cleaning cramped quarters that seem out of reach, and softly dabbing antibacterial emollients on wounds. They are pretty resourceful.
With that said, their original purpose happens to be the one thing you can’t use them for. Cleaning your ears with these trusty little objects is not recommended since they keep pushing earwax inside the ears instead of removing it!
MTV
If you grew up in the golden age of MTV, it must have been one of your favorite channels since it was music all day, every day. Music videos, music interviews, music news, and after that, even more, music videos!
However, things changed at some point. The majority of the programming switched to reality television, with shows like 16 And Pregnant and True Life ruling the airwaves for years. Though some of them were great, we would be lying if we said we didn’t miss the old version.
The Glove Box
You might be expecting us to inform you that these essential compartments were not always meant to store things. However, the truth is that they were. They just weren’t used to hold the items we typically throw inside them today.
In actuality, they were meant to store gloves back when they were an essential part of people’s everyday wear. Although gloves are no longer as trendy, the term “glove box” has survived. Plus, it sounds better than the document or wet wipes box, right?
Zout
If you’re a homeowner, we bet you have come across this wonderful product. Zout is a popular stain remover in today’s market, but it was not always as versatile as it is now. Before, it was actually used in hospitals, of all places.
In order to clean their hospital garments, nurses and doctors would use this. It’s not that surprising since it’s an incredibly effective stain remover. So yes, Zout was mostly used to remove bloodstains from scrubs. Then it somehow went full-on TLC and said, No Scrubs.
Baking Soda
It’s incredible that baking soda has been in use for so long. Ancient Egyptians, one of the world’s most incredible civilizations, began using it as a component of their embalming techniques as early as 3500 B.C.E. before its use evolved into what it does now.
Though we use it mostly in baking now, its original purpose is still partially in use today. That is often evident whenever it’s used as an odor absorber. With that said, you’re more inclined to consume it than use it for cleaning. Or embalming, for that fact.
Masks
This item would probably not be on this list had it been created a few years ago. Though most people know how to wear these protective gear, others are still struggling to date. Either that, or they just don’t care much about their safety and that of others.
Sometimes, you will come across people who wear it under their noses or even below their chins. You would think that something as small and essential would be easy to wear, but apparently, that’s too much to ask of some people.
Yummy Digestive Biscuits
Now, to be quite honest, this is something we also just learned. As their name suggests, these cookies were created to help with digestive problems like flatulence. Fortunately for all of us, they evolved into the delectable snacks they are today.
If you have never had digestive biscuits with a glass of hot milk, we assure you that you’re missing out on one of the world’s greatest pleasures. Plus, it turns out that they have a beneficial attribute to them so remember that the next time you’re out hunting for healthy snacks!
Frisbees!
In 1871, the Frisbie Pie Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, produced a batch of platters to be used as pie trays. Little did they know that they would become a legendary pass time after local college kids discovered they could fly!
Based on this capacity for flying, they began throwing them at one another while shouting, “Frisbie!” Ultimately, nearly a full hundred years later, production of the real toy began, and as a nod to the company that started it all, they named it the Frisbee.
Mentos
A creation of two Polish brothers, Michael and Pierre van Melle, these tasty drops haven’t always been the fruity, sweet candies they are now. Their initial taste was simply minty, which is not that hard to believe based on the name.
They were promoted as breath mints and had a consistency that was quite similar to caramel. They have since undergone quite a significant change to include more flavors and different textures. Unsurprisingly, the fruity-flavored ones seem to be more popular than the minty ones.
Microwaves
Heating up food was not the original purpose of microwaves. The practical purpose of microwave ovens as meal processors resulted from an accidental discovery. You may have also learned that creatures that have been cryogenically frozen can be defrosted using microwaves.
Microwaves were first used in diathermy, a form of physical therapy that required heating up specific body areas. After discovering that these appliances could heat up whatever was put in them, their use evolved to heating food in people’s households.
Play-Doh
Similarly to slinky and frisbees, Play-Doh wasn’t created as a toy. Guess most popular toys were born out of accidents! Although we use it as reusable clay to create all kinds of entertaining crafts, its historical use was quite different from what it is now.
Before it overtook kindergarten classrooms, play-doh was utilized to clean wallpaper of grime and dirt! Who knew? So, next time you’re doing spring cleaning and find yourself wondering what to do with the excess play-doh in your child’s room, you know what to do.
History Channel And Aliens!
The History Channel was designed to be a source of historical knowledge. You could always count on it to always have your back, whether in prehistoric Egypt or the contemporary United States. But just like MTV, it changed with the times.
These days, the channel features a wide variety of conspiracy theory programming. Aliens are their main target since many people find the concept quite intriguing. However, it’s one thing to do a program on aliens but attributing every single human innovation to them? Ridiculous!
Silly Putty
First of all, props to the entire scientific and research community for always coming up with the quirkiest things in the process of experimentation. When Silly Putty was accidentally discovered, researchers were trying to find an alternative to synthetic rubber.
Instead of synthetic rubber, they got Silly Putty. When their efforts ended in failure, no one was able to come up with a useful application for it. They only later found out that it was a terrific toy, which is what we currently have.
WD 40
WD 40 is truly a jack of all trades when it comes to anything mechanical. It helps to prevent creaking that may be caused by corroded components or ordinary friction, for instance, in door hinges, in addition to lubricating metal contacts.
It was not always meant for that use, though. It had initially been designed to stop metal components from rusting. It essentially served as a waterproofing chemical and accomplished this by displacing water. That’s what the acronym WD stands for. Water Displacement!
Oven Drawers
This seemingly useless compartment must have had you wondering once or twice. You most probably use the bottom drawer for storage, but it actually serves a much more specific function. It’s supposed to work as a heating drawer for food.
You are supposed to use it to keep your already prepared meals hot as you put another item in the oven. However, it evolved into the ideal location to keep pans for the oven since it is not intended for cooking.
Kleenex
Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you that the finest wipes are those made by Kleenex. This product is so well-liked that many individuals just say “Kleenex” when referring to tissues. You know you’ve conquered the market as a brand when that happens! They weren’t traditionally widely used as wipes, though.
They were initially intended to be used to apply beauty products and were advertised as a substitute for cold cream towels. Kleenex wipes subsequently came into the forefront in terms of preference due to their capacity for absorption and usefulness as throwaway napkins.
Pop Goes The Bubble Wrap
Who doesn’t love bubble wrap? It has to be the most enjoyable packaging film we have ever encountered. That’s because bursting the bubbles can be so much fun! That’s probably why it’s become a universal addiction even while it does a great job of protecting our items.
Bubble wrap’s intended use was, however, completely unrelated. It turns out that it was originally designed as a unique textured experience for wallpaper. Can you picture it? Something tells us it is better off as our absolute favorite packaging film.
Pipe Cleaners
Unsurprisingly, pipe cleaners these days aren’t used for their original purpose. Nevertheless, despite the fact that few people actually smoke pipes, like the incomparable “Sherlock Holmes,” many people may still use these useful items to wash their reusable drinking straws.
Another popular use for them is in handicraft projects. Children love to handle these in any and all kinds of creative and colorful ways because of their fuzzy feel and flexible shape. They look like silly strings but with a purpose, don’t they?
Kotex
You probably used these items to help with your menstruation cycle. However, did you know that wasn’t always the case? You’re just about to learn what they were used for, though. These products have theoretically always been beneficial because of their ability to absorb.
The first Kotex products were made from discarded cellucotton, a wood-pulp fiber that was once used for dressings during World War I. The name is a fun play on the statement “cotton-like texture.” Wow! You learn something new every day!
Listerine
According to Freakonomics, the bluish, searing fluid we have been gargling daily was formerly advertised as a floor cleaner! It was also marketed as a treatment for gonorrhea! Evidently, some of these products have been through the mill, if you know what we’re talking about.
The medicine, which also functions as a surgical antiseptic, wasn’t economically popular until it was rebranded as a remedy for bad breath. The company’s revenues increased from $115,000 to more than $8 million in the seven years following the shift in approach, according to the book.
Toilet Seats
After reading that headline, we are sure you’ve started wondering if the toilet seat serves any other purpose. Anything except covering the toilet to prevent unpleasant smells or serving as a chair. Depending on the context, it can be used for other purposes.
Some people even use it as a stand to place clothes and even phones while taking a bath. Its purpose isn’t really all that mysterious. Most toilets do not have a significant splashback issue. However, if yours does, think about closing the lid to stop dirty water from sprinkling everywhere.
A Brolly’s Purpose
Early on, the umbrella was used in the Far East to shield people from the scorching sun rather than the rain. It was only after it made its way to Europe that the umbrella began to fulfill the function that we use it for now.
The first person who opened up an umbrella for the first time in London was seen as quite odd. That’s because cloaks and hoods were the way to go when it came to shielding yourself from rain. Sadly, it was viewed as a show of weakness, particularly for men!
Grab It By The Neck!
Turns out that there is a wrong and proper way to hold a bottle; by the neck. This is something you likely do not consider very often. More often than not, people disregard that piece of information in favor of comfort.
Apparently, by holding the bottle by the neck, you can keep your drink cool. Holding it the way most people do, by the body, causes it to warm up due to the heat generated by your hands before you’re able to consume it.
“Duct” Or “Duck” Tape?
In all honesty, duct tape, or perhaps even “duck tape,” is among the finest items available today. We firmly believe that whatever it might be that needs fixing in your home, this tape is all you need to restore it.
Consider why it is occasionally referred to as “duck tape” to get an idea of what it was intended for. It seems that the original use of this tape was to make a watertight seal akin to the plumage of a duck.
Super Glue
It may sound completely out of this world now, but super glue was once used to attach human tissue! The chemical was applied to soldiers’ combat wounds during the Vietnam War. Here is where we say a big thanks to innovation.
At the time, it was done to help soldiers heal. Superglue would not even be used as an incredibly sticky binder until much later. Now, it is the go-to solution for any kid who doesn’t want to be in hot water for breaking something.
Snuggies
The Snuggie is the ideal blanket for those cold winter evenings when you don’t feel like moving much. They contain handy pockets for whatever you need, as well as sleeves, so you don’t have to remove your arms from the comfort and warmth. But this wasn’t always the case.
Snuggies weren’t always marketed as a comforter for a lazy day. They were initially designed for wheelchair users to ensure that the blankets would not restrict their movement. But due to how perfectly it worked, it was advertised to everyone.
Preparation H
Hemorrhoids can be treated and avoided by using Preparation H. To stop subsequent occurrences and hernias, they accomplish this by constricting the skin and the capillaries surrounding the anus. Some risk takers, however, prefer to use it as a lotion to help address wrinkles!
That is because it works so well at tightening the skin. Even though it was not intended for that purpose and might not be safe to use, some people seem determined to use it to keep aging and wrinkles at bay.
Gum For Rubber? Hmm!
Just like Silly Putty, Chicle was also supposed to be used as rubber. The popular chewing gum is actually made from a naturally occurring gum found in some Mesoamerican trees. Guess that explains the elastic properties of your favorite gum.
Though most candy brands use synthetic rubber these days, you can still find chewing gum made from chicle in the market. Additionally, there are videos on YouTube on how to make gum from the natural substance if you’re really curious.
Cellphones
It’s possible that we included this item here as a joke. Even though the phone was designed to make calls, these days, its uses have evolved to include so much more. Not many people use them to only make and receive calls.
The majority of today’s youth no longer even use the phone for calling! It is all about texting. The average cell phone is mainly used for messaging, playing games, and listening to music. What are you using yours to do right now?
Chainsaws
You’re going to be surprised, if not horrified, by this one for sure (though we’re pretty sure “Leatherface” would approve of this). The chainsaw was initially used as an osteotome or an instrument for cutting bone and was largely used during surgical procedures and child delivery.
Whenever an infant was having trouble emerging, a symphysiotomy was performed to expand the birth canal. As you can expect, this technique resulted in a number of tragic outcomes and was subsequently stopped. Thank heavens for that because childbirth is already complicated enough.
Facebook was not really intended to become the social media behemoth that it is now. The name is derived from face books, which were directories distributed to college students to help them connect with people who they had things in common with.
Initially, Mark Zuckerberg wanted it to essentially be the same concept. It has gradually evolved into one of the world’s biggest social media platforms with millions of users. It is also an essential part of human interaction as we know it today.
Paintball Guns
All of us enjoy playing paintball. If you haven’t tried it, it’s a fun and safe way to pass the time, provided that you strictly adhere to the safety rules. Admittedly, one of the game’s biggest selling points is the competitive spirit you get on the range.
Initially, these guns were reportedly created so that loggers, as well as foresters, could label the trees they were working on easily and from a distance. Thanks to that, we now have one of the most fun adult games out there.
