- 7 hours ago
Unlock the hidden potential of everyday objects! Discover innovative uses that transform ordinary items into high-performance solutions. From enhancing functionality to solving tricky problems, this video reveals the clever tricks and insights you need to elevate your daily life. Don't miss out on these game-changing ideas that make the impossible, possible.
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00Have a good look at the front of your sweatshirt.
00:02Okay, let's ignore the pizza stains for now.
00:05Ever notice that V-shape right at the bottom of the collar?
00:08That small V-patch isn't just a decoration, it serves more than one purpose.
00:12Made from a double layer of webbing material, just like waistbands and cuffs,
00:16these inserts allowed the wearer to put on the sweater without losing any shape over time.
00:21As the sweatshirt would be pulled down over the head,
00:24the V-insert would stretch and flex to allow a lot of wiggle room.
00:28The other benefit the V-pattern gives is to absorb all that sweat.
00:32The chest is a major area of perspiring.
00:35Just look at soaked shirts after doing something physical.
00:38Although the V-insert can only take so much.
00:42That extra pocket on the right side of a suit jacket is called the ticket pocket.
00:46They used to store coins for people on horseback to pay tollbooths without opening their jackets.
00:51When train travel became more popular, they were perfect for tickets and passes.
00:55As for the left chest pocket, it's used to store handkerchiefs,
00:59keeping them away from the other cluttered and dirty pockets.
01:03Metallic zippers have a hidden lock built in.
01:05Next time you've put on a pair of pants, shorts, or skirt,
01:09never leave the zipper handle in an upward position.
01:11Push the little zipper tab downwards, and it'll automatically lock.
01:15To mute your annoying beeping microwave, look closely at the front panel for a sound button.
01:21It may have been there all along, just begging to be pressed.
01:24If there's no button, try pressing and holding 1, 0, stop, or cancel.
01:29It will either result in turning off the beeping sounds or activating a lock feature.
01:34Of course, if your microwave doesn't have any mute function at all,
01:37you'll just have to keep running to stop the timer late at night.
01:41Nintendo Switch cartridges have a hidden safety function,
01:44and it's going to leave a bad taste in your mouth.
01:46Although non-toxic, denotonium benzoate coats the cartridge in a sour, peppery, and bitter substance
01:52to prevent kiddos from swallowing them.
01:55This chemical compound is one of the most bitter flavors known to humanity,
01:59commonly used to keep people from consuming things they're not meant to.
02:03There's not much privacy while using a public toilet,
02:06especially when the door doesn't reach the floor at all.
02:08But these gaps are there for emergency access,
02:11in case the person inside needs immediate help.
02:14The gap also works for ventilation, thank goodness,
02:17and to stop people from lingering around the toilet too long.
02:21Toothpicks have a built-in holder to prevent you from just leaving them on the table.
02:25Just break off the top, it's that simple.
02:28Place that on your table and your toothpick between the notches.
02:31Pointy end up, of course.
02:32Now, it won't touch the table and get all dirty.
02:35You can do the same with disposable chopsticks.
02:38Break off the top piece before you pull them apart.
02:41Those tiny dimples on golf balls actually give a greater lift to the ball and reduce air resistance,
02:46meaning the ball can go further with them.
02:49These dimples come in spherical and hexagonal shapes,
02:52with each slightest change affecting the ball's performance.
02:55So, choose them carefully.
02:57Plastic wrap boxes have hidden little holders that stop the roll from jumping out of the box.
03:02They're little cardboard tabs on the sides that lock into the tube inside
03:06while making it easy to glide the film out.
03:09Just push them in and never be frustrated again.
03:13Gosh, I wish that would work with other stuff.
03:15The seven spikes on top of the Statue of Liberty's crown
03:18don't represent the seven seas and the seven continents at all.
03:22They're representing the sun's rays, giving a halo to show that she is divine.
03:27In the United States, 12 different Federal Reserve Banks print all the money.
03:32So, if you want to know where your money comes from, just look for these small codes.
03:37A1, Boston.
03:38B2, New York.
03:39C3, Philadelphia.
03:41D4, Cleveland.
03:42E5, Richmond.
03:44F6, Atlanta.
03:46G7, Chicago.
03:47H8, St. Louis.
03:49I9, Minneapolis.
03:51J10, Kansas City.
03:52K11, Big D, Little A, Double L-A-A-S.
03:56It's a song.
03:57L12, San Francisco.
03:59Never call it Frisco.
04:01Meanwhile, the bristles on the side of every escalator are in place to encourage people
04:05to stay away from the edge, meaning they're less likely to face a mishap with a trapped
04:10bag or shoelace.
04:12Did you hear about the octopus caught on the escalator?
04:14It was a stretch.
04:15Old-fashioned pin cushions that are large tomato with a strawberry attached are more
04:20than a place for your needles.
04:22The strawberry contains an emery board.
04:24When you stick your pins and needles into the strawberry, the emery board keeps them rust-free
04:29and sharpens them as well.
04:31Some people still forget to engage the hose from their car after filling up with gas.
04:36Luckily, a lot of gas companies realize this.
04:38So, if you happen to drive off with a hose still attached to your car, there's a magnetic
04:43connector that disengages when pulled.
04:45Those different colored bread tags use a color-coded system to show the day that they
04:50were baked.
04:51They are usually blue tags for Mondays, green tags for Tuesdays, red tags Thursdays, white
04:56tags Fridays, and yellow tags for Saturdays.
05:00On the back of most beauty products, you'll find a small symbol on the back that indicates
05:04how long it'll stay good for.
05:06For example, 2M means two months after opening.
05:10Some jackets have those extra flaps with a button on the shoulder, and they actually
05:15have a use.
05:16These are perfectly designed for holding your purse, backpack, or bag in place and secure.
05:21Pom-poms on the top of beanies were never just a fashion statement.
05:25They were for protection, placed on top of the headwear to protect sailors from accidentally
05:30hitting their heads while moving around on a ship.
05:33Pom-poms touch the roof, so don't go any higher.
05:36They don't appear on every type of measuring tape, but diamonds or black circles are there
05:41to help contractors measure the proper placement of studs in a wall.
05:46Those little holes on your baseball cap aren't some fashion trends that stuck around for years
05:51and have never been changed.
05:52These holes are actually called eyelets, and they're to keep your head well-ventilated,
05:57not for appearance.
05:58If you have YKK printed on your zipper, they're not some secret code to be cracked.
06:04Those three letters appear on so many zippers globally because they're the symbol of the
06:08world's most universal zipper manufacturer, the YKK Group.
06:13Every can of soda comes with a tab for easy opening of the tasty beverage, and every single
06:18one of them has a relatively large hole in the top.
06:21While it can make it easier to get your finger under the tab to get your soda, its intended purpose
06:26is a straw holder.
06:28Spin the tab over the opening and place your straw through it to secure it in.
06:33Disposable lids do a great job of keeping your drink inside the cup, but that's not its only purpose.
06:38When you're ready to sip on your drink, the lid has specially designed ridges to double it as a coaster
06:43and hold onto the bottom of your beverage tightly.
06:47The tiny black dot between the lens and the flash on the back of your iPhone is actually for a
06:52great purpose.
06:52It's the third microphone to provide superior sound quality by eliminating background noises
06:58and to pick up your voice much clearer in a crowded environment.
07:02Gas cans that have two holes with caps aren't there to fill different-sized equipment.
07:07The second hole is meant to be uncapped before you pour your gas to prevent that glugging effect.
07:13By allowing more airflow through, the smoother the gas will pour out.
07:17That little arrow next to the gas symbol on your car's dashboard shows you which side your gas tank is
07:23on.
07:24It'll help you when you go fill up your gas tank, especially if you're borrowing a different car than your
07:29own.
07:30Look at a check and see MP near the signature line.
07:34That means the check printer used microprint as one of the check security features.
07:38The lines look like a regular line to the untrained eye.
07:42But they're words like the bank's name, authorized signature, United States government, or even original document.
07:49That little disc that's underneath bottles isn't just a leftover part of the production process.
07:54It creates an even tighter seal with the lid.
07:57So, even if the bottle was turned upside down, the liquid doesn't leak out everywhere.
08:02The plastic disc keeps carbonated sodas carbonated for longer with this seal.
08:06The indent in the bottom of wine bottles is called a punt.
08:10But it's not just something to help you hold on to the bottle.
08:14The punt makes the wine bottle stronger.
08:16So, if dropped, the cork won't fly across the room with all that pressure.
08:21I have a collection of questions you've always wanted the answers to.
08:25Let's go!
08:27First, an observation.
08:29Cookies and baguettes are basically kinds of bread.
08:32So, my question is, why when left outside for the night, a cookie gets soft and a baguette becomes hard?
08:41It doesn't make any sense.
08:43Well, the thing is, cookies are sugary bread.
08:47The sugar and salt in them soak up the moisture from the atmosphere.
08:50So, they get soft.
08:54Baguettes don't have much salt and sugar.
08:56So, they don't attract water and just dry out.
09:01Superglue sticks everything to everything.
09:04But how come it doesn't get stuck to the tube?
09:07Turns out that the glue needs some compound with hydrogen to polymerize.
09:13In the tube, there's just oxygen and no water.
09:16But outside, there's plenty of moisture.
09:19Also, this explains why the stuff always sticks so well to your fingers.
09:24They're warm and perfectly moist.
09:28I'm sure you cried at least once when cutting an onion.
09:32Why does it happen?
09:34So, onions and garlic contain amino acids.
09:37And one of the compounds gets decomposed when being sliced.
09:41It turns into an irritator when it comes in contact with water.
09:45In particular, your eyes.
09:47Your eyes release tears to wash the irritant away.
09:51So, that's why you cry.
09:53There are a couple of tricks that can prevent it.
09:56When cutting an onion, try keeping a sugar cube between your teeth.
09:59It'll absorb the irritant.
10:01Another life hack is to hold a small piece of bread between your lips.
10:05It can help you too.
10:08Why do you see things when rubbing your eyes?
10:11These colors and shapes are called phosphenes.
10:14The reason why you see them is that when rubbing, you increase the pressure in your eyeballs and activate the
10:20neurons of the retina that process visual information.
10:23Once they're activated, your brain interprets it as seeing something.
10:29When you don't get enough sleep or are just too tired, you get those dark circles around your eyes.
10:35Want to know why?
10:36The skin under the eyes is very thin.
10:39So, blood vessels are very close to the surface there and you can see any difference easily.
10:44If you have a lack of sleep, your skin gets paler and the blood vessels are even more visible.
10:51So, you can see those dark circles showing through the skin.
10:55Also, with age, the skin naturally gets thinner.
10:58So, that's why older people tend to have dark circles.
11:01But, if you're young, just try to get more sleep.
11:06Let's pay a bit of attention to backpacks.
11:09They have a few interesting features.
11:11First, some of them have sternum straps and they are quite helpful.
11:16They allow you to redistribute the weight of the backpack a bit, lifting some of it from your shoulders.
11:22Not much, but just enough to make your backpack lighter and easier to carry.
11:27And, of course, the sternum straps prevent the shoulder straps from sliding off.
11:33Okay, the next thing is gear loops.
11:36And probably from the name of it, you already have an idea of what you need them for.
11:41You can strap in some useful gear you need with you, like trekking poles or shovels.
11:46Some gear will need to be secured to do it.
11:49Drop the handle through the loop and rotate it upward.
11:52Then, secure it with the elastic hook at the top.
11:55And you're golden!
11:58And yes, all backpacks have loops.
12:00Actually, I never thought of their purpose until today.
12:03Some people say that if you slide your thumbs through them, it makes the backpack sit tighter on your back,
12:09making it more comfortable.
12:11Other people just rest their hands there.
12:14But the reason why they're there is probably to prevent the ends from sliding back from the buckles.
12:19That would be quite a headache to slide them back all the time, right?
12:25Okay, let's look into some other ordinary stuff we've never paid attention to.
12:30Let's take, for example, jeans.
12:33They have those metal rivets.
12:35It turns out that they've been there as long as jeans exist.
12:39Jacob Davis, the man who made the first pair of jeans, added copper rivets to places where the pants were
12:45more likely to rip to make them stronger.
12:49So, it was a crucial detail to keep jeans together.
12:52Today, they have a more decorative purpose because they're distinctive and traditional for jeans.
13:00Also, many zippers have the letters YKK engraved on them.
13:04Those are the initial letters of Yoshida Kogyo Kabushiki Gaisha.
13:09It's the name of a Japanese company that can be translated as Yoshida Manufacturing Shareholding Company.
13:16It's the largest zipper manufacturer in the world, so all zippers produced by them are marked with these letters.
13:24It's estimated that the company produces half of all zippers in the world.
13:29That's why you see their zippers more often than any others.
13:35Have you noticed that canned and bottled soda seems to taste different?
13:40You're not wrong. That's actually true, and there's even science behind it.
13:45Chemists say that aluminum cans have a polymer layer that absorbs some of the soda's taste, so cans indeed change
13:52the taste.
13:54Chemicals in a plastic bottle can add some acetyl-dehyde, a byproduct that gets formed while plastic is melted, to
14:01the drink.
14:01So, they also change the taste a bit.
14:05You never really drink the original drink.
14:07If you want to try the real thing, buy sodas in glass bottles.
14:12When soda is stored this way, its taste is the most similar to the original one.
14:19Plastic bottles with soft drinks have five bumps on the bottom, and water and juice plastic bottles have almost flat
14:26bottoms, except for a little kink.
14:28It's not random.
14:29A plastic bottle is made by putting a plastic tube into a mold and blowing some air inside to make
14:36it expand until it takes the needed shape.
14:39The problem is that at the bottom, the bottle will always have an outward kink that will make the bottle
14:45unstable.
14:47To avoid it, some air is also pushed inward from the bottom, creating that small punt at the base of
14:54it.
14:55Flat bottle bottoms are common because they need less plastic to be made, but soft drinks and sparkling water need
15:02special treatment.
15:03These liquids have internal pressure that can push the plastic outward, messing up with the punt and the stable form
15:11of a bottle.
15:12So, soda bottles have a curved shape because this way they're more pressure resistant.
15:20Compare folding a regular piece of paper to folding a paper tube.
15:24The latter will have more resistance.
15:26In the same way, curved plastic is more resistant to any pressure.
15:33Take a closer look at your bag of chips.
15:35You can probably find these little colored circles.
15:39They're made by the manufacturer to test the print that is used on the package.
15:44They're called color control patches.
15:47The circles are not the same palette as the final package.
15:50They're layered on top of each other to achieve the final color of the bag.
15:56So, why do manufacturers need them again?
15:58Imagine that something is off and the printing machine prints a bunch of wrong packages.
16:04That's a lot of wasted money.
16:06So, these control patches are there to make sure that the final print is going to be correct.
16:12If they're off, the manufacturer will know that the whole package is going to be off too.
16:18These patches allow the printers to find a surplus or a deficiency of color and solve the issue.
16:25But don't worry if you don't find these circles.
16:27They probably just got cut off.
16:31Take a good look at a milk jug.
16:33There's often an inverted circle on one of the sides.
16:37This dimple is there to make the jug more resistant and to prevent it from rupturing if the jug falls
16:44on the floor.
16:45The dimple gives some more space for the liquid to expand.
16:49Also, as the expiration date approaches, the microbes in the milk start to expel some gases.
16:56As more and more of them get trapped inside, the pressure in the jug rises.
17:01The dimple accommodates the expansion and prevents the jug from bursting.
17:10The Queen's Guard all appear to have the same uniform, with a shared role of standing stoically for a long
17:16time.
17:17But, if you look closely at their hats, there are five different types.
17:22The Grenadier has a white plume.
17:24The Coldstream has a red one.
17:26The Irish, a blue plume.
17:28The Welsh, green and white.
17:30And the Scots Guard has none.
17:33Their different divisions perform similar ceremonial duties at Buckingham Palace.
17:38But, they have other actual roles as well, suited to their specialization.
17:44When peeling your boiled eggs, you can see a hidden layer under the shell.
17:48These two membranes, an inner and outer one, are made from the same stuff as your hair.
17:53It protects the inside from bacteria and stops liquids from escaping.
17:58You use X in your texts, which represents a kiss.
18:02It's been used this way for a very long time.
18:05Its original purpose dates back to the Middle Ages, where it was a representation of a person's faith, honesty and
18:11sincerity.
18:13Those that would sign off with an X would kiss it after signing as a display of a sworn oath.
18:20The X's meaning later changed to represent the action of kissing.
18:24And the first document showing this was a letter dating back to 1763,
18:29written by a naturalist, Gilbert White, who sent it to his wife.
18:34William Shakespeare is a name familiar to everyone.
18:37However, we don't know whether this was the actual way his name was spelled, and neither did he.
18:44He signed 80 different variations of his name's spelling on all his works.
18:49Historians haven't a clue which the correct spelling is.
18:52The version that we know of was only used on two of his plays.
18:57Different forms of alarm clocks were invented as far back as 348 BCE,
19:03with many versions throughout the world, all with complicated mechanics.
19:08Unaffordable to mostly everyone, they didn't catch on.
19:11Alternate methods to wake up in the morning started to be used in the 1800s.
19:16One process involving knocker-uppers was common in some countries.
19:21A person visited your house every morning to knock on your door four times.
19:27Inventor Antoine Rédier felt that he should be woken only when he felt it necessary.
19:32So, in 1847, he invented the first adjustable alarm clock.
19:38Tennis balls in Wimbledon must be kept at a perfect temperature to ensure they bounce at a consistent level.
19:45They're stored at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, so they're cold enough that the molecules inside the ball shrink,
19:51ensuring they bounce lower.
19:53Then, they're continuously swapped throughout a match as they expand by being hit too much, becoming too bouncy.
20:05You enjoy the smell of a freshly mowed lawn, as you associate it with the weekends and summer.
20:11But that smell is a sign of stress made by the grass.
20:16Grass evolved to emit various elements when being eaten by bugs.
20:20This signal attracts predator insects to remove them.
20:23But unfortunately for the grass, there's nothing large enough to deter a lawnmower.
20:29There is no oxygen inside your packet of chips.
20:32If there was, it would influence the combination of molecules forming inside, spoiling the chips faster.
20:39The packets are instead filled with nitrogen, which pushes oxygen out.
20:43And this extends the shelf life and quality of your chips.
20:49You're traveling by plane overnight and just can't get to sleep.
20:53And the first night in a hotel wasn't great, regardless of how comfy the bed was.
20:58This is because of a human evolutionary trait called the first night effect.
21:04When you sleep in a different place than your home, the left side of the brain responds to more sounds
21:09while you're asleep.
21:10It continues to analyze your surroundings without you realizing, acting as though it's on a night watch and keeping you
21:17alert for any potential dangers.
21:20Most animals have this trait, although it's a lot more subtle in humans.
21:25But it's still effective enough to make sure you get your peanuts.
21:30Before playing basketball with hoops, you would have instead been playing with peach baskets.
21:34When the game was invented in 1891, a peach basket was used, with the bottom of it cut off.
21:40But it only took 15 years for players to grow tired of constantly collecting the jammed balls and to remove
21:46the basket altogether.
21:49When you click your fingers, the snapping sound isn't from the physical click of finger and thumb.
21:54The noise actually comes from the finger hitting the palm.
21:59The instant film for the first Polaroid cameras didn't have their own coating after taking a photo.
22:05To develop it, you applied it yourself.
22:08Waiting for it to dry took a long time, so shaking it sped up the process.
22:12Then, from the 1970s, the film provided everything required for the photo to develop,
22:18making the popular craze of shaking Polaroids pointless.
22:22Shaking the photo can cause the ink to wave or blur before drying properly,
22:26so you shouldn't actually shake it like a Polaroid picture.
22:29And just wait patiently instead.
22:33Bug spray doesn't repel all bugs, especially the worst of them all, mosquitoes.
22:38It does cover the scent of carbon dioxide, which is what attracts mosquitoes.
22:43But the spray only protects you for a short distance.
22:47Mosquitoes can also track carbon dioxide over long distances.
22:51They will continue to stalk you until they find a gap in your invisible bug shield.
22:56A great alternative is lavender, which contains linalool.
23:01This fragrance completely overlows the mosquito's senses, making it unable to track you.
23:06The half-belt on the back of some jackets appear like a fashion accessory.
23:11It was initially designed that way for larger jackets,
23:14as they could also be used as a blanket to wrap around oneself.
23:17The belt's position helps hold the material together,
23:21so it's easier to walk with whilst keeping you warm.
23:25Ketchup wasn't originally intended to be your favorite condiment.
23:30In 1834, a physician, John Cook, sold ketchup as a cure for indigestion.
23:36It was an immediate hit, and today, 10 billion ounces are purchased annually in the USA,
23:43although not as the intended medicine.
23:46Thomas Edison made over 1,000 inventions,
23:50and one in particular, the lightbulb, is most famously linked to him.
23:54However, he didn't actually invent it.
23:57Warren Delarue, a British chemist,
23:59had solved this scientific challenge 40 years earlier.
24:02There were also 20 other inventors who made alternate versions before Edison did.
24:08But earlier varieties relied on cotton thread and only lasted up to 14 hours.
24:14Edison, in 1880, used a carbonized bamboo thread instead,
24:18and his worked up to 1,200 hours.
24:21It became the most commercially viable lightbulb,
24:24and today's ones are similarly shaped to Edison's original.
24:29The first treadmill was used in England in 1818.
24:33It was a large wooden cylinder with a handrail,
24:36although it wasn't used to keep fit.
24:39Convicted criminals would be forced to use these for up to 10 hours per day as a punishment.
24:45The energy output potential was realized,
24:47and soon it was built to work with water pumps and grain grinders.
24:52It was so effective that it was used in all prisons throughout the country.
24:56But in 1902, it was decided that it was too harsh and stopped.
25:00And now, this cruel punishment is mainly found in gyms.
25:05During the 1940s, there was a shortage of cocoa,
25:08and it was important to find a solution to this problem.
25:11A production company found a way by mixing only a small amount of cocoa with hazelnuts and milk,
25:17and the original Nutella was created.
25:20It started out as a loaf spread, like a stick of butter.
25:24It then transformed into a creamier version inside a jar in 1951.
25:29But it wasn't until 1964 that it was given its famous name.
25:34Your passport might be a dark shade of either green, blue, or red.
25:39The darker color not only makes them appear more official,
25:42but is intended so that through its journeys,
25:45the dirt that's collected is more easily hidden.
25:49Wasabi was first used back in the 8th century.
25:52It wasn't meant as a spicy condiment as it's served with sushi today.
25:57Initially, it was used for its antimicrobial properties
26:00that help avoid the harmful reactions to fish with sushi that's a bit too old.
26:08Now here's a trick.
26:10Instead of putting the box grater vertically on top of a plate,
26:13put it horizontally, with no plate underneath, of course.
26:16This way, you won't risk scraping your knuckles,
26:19because only your fingertips will eventually touch the grater when you reach the end of the process.
26:24Also, it gives the grater more stability,
26:26when otherwise you'd have to balance the grater or even hold it in the air with the other hand.
26:31When you're done, or when there's just too much grated stuff on the bottom wall of the grater,
26:36simply turn it on its side to pour the contents into the bowl or plate.
26:41Flowers in a vase would stay fresher for longer if not for the bacteria that breed in the water.
26:46Since copper has some antibacterial properties,
26:49dropping a penny into the water will help keep the microbes at bay
26:53and let you enjoy your flowers for that little bit longer.
26:56An easy way to check if your bed linen has dried completely
27:00is to put a small mirror in between the layers for about 5 minutes.
27:04If the mirror has steamed up when you pick it up,
27:07it means the sheets are still a bit damp.
27:09Let them dry until the mirror stops getting cloudy.
27:12A damp bed is a lovely breeding ground for fungi and bacteria.
27:17Okay, I'm in.
27:18If you have a not-very-healthy habit of eating in front of your computer,
27:23you'll be surprised at how much crumbs and grime there is inside your keyboard.
27:28Now, you can just turn it over and shake it vigorously, of course.
27:32But that's not very good for any piece of tech, you know.
27:35So instead, take a post-it note and run its sticky part over the keyboard.
27:40It will collect the little pieces of trash like magic.
27:43Even a better way to do it, though, is to take a slime and stick it to the keyboard.
27:48Then take it away, squeeze it, and stick again in another part.
27:52The slime will fill the entire space between the keys,
27:55and its sticky properties will let it gather every little bit of garbage.
28:00Separating egg yolks from whites is easier using a plastic bottle.
28:04Break the necessary number of eggs into a bowl,
28:07and then take an empty plastic bottle and squeeze it.
28:10Hold the bottle over the yolk and release.
28:13It'll pull in air and the yolk together, leaving the white in the bowl.
28:17Repeat with the rest of the yolks, and you're done!
28:19And that's no yolk!
28:22If you're tired of spitting out the stones when eating cherries,
28:25or want to make a cherry pie, push the stones out with a straw.
28:29Also, many garlic presses have a special tool on their handle that can be used exactly for that.
28:36Cleaning a blender can be a nuisance if you do it manually.
28:39Instead, fill it with hot water and add some liquid soap or detergent,
28:43then run it for about 10 seconds.
28:45Rinse it afterwards, and it's clean.
28:48Plaster walls can crumble, flake, and spread dust all over the floor when you hammer nails into it.
28:54Cut a strip of masking tape and stick it to the place you want to hammer a nail in.
28:58The tape won't let the plaster crack and crumble, leaving the hole neat and clean.
29:03Small scratches and dents on wooden furniture can be removed with some toothpaste or a walnut.
29:10For toothpaste, rub a pea-sized amount of it into the scratch until it's gone,
29:15then wipe the leftovers with a damp cloth.
29:17For a walnut, take a half of that brain-shaped nut and rub it into the dent.
29:22Then rub the area with your fingers and buff it with a soft cloth.
29:26This will help the wood absorb the oil from the nut, making the scratch sealed and gone.
29:32The sticky residue on jars left after you remove the stickers won't be easily removed by water and detergent.
29:38So, take some vegetable oil instead.
29:41Soak a cotton pad in it and wipe the sticky surface.
29:44Let it sit for a while and then wash the oil away together with the residue.
29:49If you can't comfortably reach the wick of a candle with a lighter,
29:53hey, take a stick of spaghetti.
29:55Light up its end and you'll get a burning stick that's easy to use for hard-to-reach places.
30:01Now, next time your razor blade's getting dull,
30:04try rubbing it backwards on a pair of jeans for regular upkeep.
30:08Not while you're wearing them, of course.
30:10Make sure you keep the blades dry, too, or even kept in mineral oil.
30:14That'll stop them from rusting.
30:15Keep all those jelly, ketchup, peanut butter, and mayo fresher for longer in your fridge
30:21by turning the contents upside down.
30:24This creates a partial vacuum inside the container, helping prevent mold growth.
30:29Storing ice cream upside down will prevent freezer burn, too.
30:33To bring your permanent marker back to life,
30:36simply put a few drops of rubbing alcohol into the felt material inside and shake.
30:41Once the felt absorbs the rubbing alcohol for a couple of minutes,
30:44the marker will be almost as good as new.
30:48Now, don't keep throwing away lettuce that goes black too quickly.
30:52Covering it with a dry paper towel and then placing it in an airtight container
30:56will help it keep fresher for much longer.
30:58This goes for any leafy greens you've got leftovers of.
31:02That sharpish bit sticking out of the cap of your favorite cream is there for a reason.
31:08These tubes are usually sealed with foil,
31:10so unless you love breaking your nails trying to open them,
31:13just flip the cap over and push.
31:16Your bobby pins might not stay in place if the grooves aren't facing the right way.
31:21They should always be on the bottom, close to your head.
31:24Still coming loose?
31:25Well, put a squeeze of hairspray right onto the bobby pin before you put it in your hair.
31:30Now, your cotton rounds pack has those strings on it,
31:33so you can hang it on a handy hook in the bathroom.
31:36But there's no need to loosen and tighten it back up every time.
31:40Check out the bottom of the pack.
31:42It has a perforated line.
31:44Tear it open carefully, and you're good to go.
31:47Two zips too much?
31:49Maybe.
31:50But they come in handy as a clever anti-theft device.
31:53Just lock them together.
31:54Now, no one can open your backpack.
31:57Don't have a lock on you?
31:58You can also tie them together with some string,
32:01or even just a paper clip.
32:03Anything to slow those pickpockets down.
32:06That tiny little button on the back of a shirt collar is used to hold your tie in place.
32:11Hey, you don't want your tie trying to escape back there.
32:15Shoe manufacturers care about their customers.
32:17So, most running shoes now have a special anti-blister system pre-installed.
32:23Sounds intense, but it's basically just that extra hole on top of your sneakers.
32:28Make a loop with the extra hole, inserting the lace backward.
32:31Cross your laces and put them through the loops.
32:33Now, pull the laces down to lock your foot in place.
32:37Now, run.
32:38Yeah, go ahead.
32:40Car headrests are all about comfort,
32:42and detachable headrests are all about safety.
32:45If you pull the headrest out, you'll see two sturdy metal bars.
32:49If you ever get locked or trapped in your car,
32:52you can use the bars to smash the window and get out.
32:56If you've got some pesky parsley stuck in your teeth, try this tip.
33:00It can be hard to get it out with loose floss.
33:03You need more tension, so just tie it in a knot.
33:06It's not an accident that soy sauce bottles have two spouts.
33:10The sauce is liquid, and it flows out of the bottle pretty easily once you turn it over.
33:15Most Asian food lovers have spilled it at least once in a lifetime.
33:19That's why nowadays, restaurants prefer serving soy sauce in special bottles that have two spouts.
33:25This design allows you to control when and how much sauce will come out.
33:29Just put your finger on one spout when you pour the sauce through another.
33:33If you press your finger tightly to the spout,
33:36the sauce will stop flowing, and if you remove your finger, it'll flow again.
33:40And don't forget to ask your server,
33:43Hey, wasabi!
33:45A hair straightener is an excellent tool not only for treating your natural curls,
33:50but also for fixing crumpled money or documents.
33:53You can also use a regular iron for this purpose.
33:56Just make sure you don't turn on steaming mode.
33:59Otherwise, there's a risk of damaging the paper.
34:02Hairbands are good not only for getting your hair done,
34:05but also to open a glass jar with canned food.
34:08Your hands might slip on the tightly closed lid,
34:11and if you don't open the can from the first attempt,
34:14your palms tend to get sweaty, making the task virtually impossible.
34:18So, put a hairband on the lid to fix your hand and make your grasp stronger.
34:24A simple rubber band will do as well.
34:26Now, it's time to take my sweaty palms and go.
34:30Okay, I know it's kind of cold to the touch, especially on a freezing winter's day,
34:34but did you know that brass doorknobs actually serve a purpose apart from looking classy and shiny?
34:39Since it's a copper alloy, brass has antimicrobial properties.
34:42That means it can help get rid of harmful germs and bacteria, sometimes in up to two hours.
34:48In high-traffic areas, that's all the more useful,
34:51but since brass is much costlier than other metals like nickel and steel,
34:55you barely see these types of doorknobs anymore nowadays.
34:59Speaking of lovely multi-purpose items,
35:01most screwdrivers have a tiny little secret of their own.
35:04They can sometimes be slid through a wrench so that they can be used to create more torque when twisting,
35:09not to mention the uses when it comes to bolts in hard-to-reach places.
35:14There's a reason why buttons on women's shirts are for the left-handed,
35:18and it has nothing to do with fashion.
35:20This practice dates back to the times when chambermaids were helping ladies dress themselves,
35:25and it was easier for them to perform their job with this orientation.
35:29Having the buttons placed as such indicated a sign of wealth,
35:33so it's easy to imagine why the practice carried on,
35:36even though most people dress themselves nowadays.
35:39Next time you receive a package in your mail, take a look at your box cutter.
35:44If it features some diagonal lines on the blade, you're in for a little design perk.
35:48Turns out that these are blades that snap off.
35:52Continuously cutting cardboard can dull the sharp edge of the blade,
35:55to help prevent the need to buy a brand new box cutter,
35:58the top segment along the next line can be broken off to reach a new sharp edge.
36:03To do this, check out the small hole at the base of the tool,
36:06sometimes called the blade snapper.
36:09The people that first came up with this brilliant invention were engineers,
36:12inspired by the way chocolate bars are segmented.
36:15Hold on a minute, don't throw away the cardboard package just yet.
36:19Most likely, you'll have some silica gel packets somewhere at the bottom of the box.
36:23Since this gel is basically a drying tool, it gathers up the moisture out of its environment,
36:28so you can store these packets for further occasions.
36:31Whether you'll need to dry out your phone or some other electrical object,
36:34you can place them in a container next to the silica gel to reduce the damage.
36:39You don't have to be a mechanic to know when a standard car tire needs replacing,
36:44since they come equipped with a neat indicator.
36:46Take a closer look, and you'll see that treads within the tire are a bunch of rubber notches.
36:52When the treads are evened out with the perpendicular bars,
36:55it's a sign you need to book an appointment with your local car service,
36:59since most likely the tires have lost most of their traction
37:02and may not be safe for driving any longer.
37:05The upper corners of a car windshield feature textured black dots melted into the glass edges.
37:10This neat add-on isn't there for design purposes.
37:14It's called Frit Glazing,
37:16which means that a special type of ceramic paint is added to the window for protecting its sealant from UV
37:23rays.
37:23It also conceals and creates a coarser surface for the adhesive used to set the window in place.
37:30Whenever you're up for a drive,
37:32check out if there's a small tab under your car's rearview mirror.
37:36Bet you didn't know it's there to help switch the mirror from daytime to nighttime views.
37:42It uses a prismatic glass technology to blur the reflection
37:46and reduce the glare of headlights behind you in traffic.
37:50People came up with these manually tilted mirrors in the 1930s,
37:53but they became standard somewhere in the 1970s.
37:57While you're in the car,
37:58check out the headrests,
38:00as you most likely don't know that they carry a little disguised purpose.
38:04Of course, they're adjustable to accommodate passengers of any height
38:07so that they get the proper support for their heads and necks.
38:10The hidden feature is that they are detachable and come with two very solid metal bars.
38:16Should you ever find yourself stuck in a car and need to make a fast getaway?
38:21These bars come in handy to crack out the car windows.
38:24So you're out for a drive and you're suddenly out of gas.
38:28What I'm about to describe sounds more like a meme than an actual situation bound to happen.
38:32But what if you're in such a hurry that you accidentally drive off
38:36with the gas nozzle still in the tank?
38:39Well, the nozzles have been designed to prevent any hazards from happening, rest assured.
38:44They feature a breakaway device that will allow the hose to separate when taken out with enough force.
38:50Initially designed in the early 20th century to be worn exclusively by basketball players,
38:56sneakers soon became one of those fashion fundamentals,
38:59similar to jeans and leather jackets.
39:01If you take a closer look at them, you'll see they have two extra holes on the side,
39:05similar to the shoelace holes.
39:07They're manufactured as such, not only to provide extra ventilation,
39:11but to allow people to get extra creative with their laces when wearing the shoes.
39:16Admit it, you've always thought that chopsticks are merged at the end
39:19for the sole purpose of keeping them together until you're ready to dig into your meal.
39:23That may or may not be the whole truth.
39:25Under a more detailed inspection, the wooden tools feature a square-shaped end.
39:31Chopsticks manufactured like this date back to an old Japanese traditional design,
39:36which can help with breaking the ends easily.
39:38The separated end can then be used as a resting block for the chopsticks,
39:42to keep it more sanitized in hopes it can be used again,
39:45since they won't be touching the table or any other surface.
39:50Women's bikes have a special design, which, surprisingly, has a historical and fashionable purpose.
39:56The lower frame is for the most part meant to make up for the generally shorter height of ladies,
40:01compared to that of the average gentleman.
40:03While that is the case for handlebars and saddles,
40:06the overall frame is lower for an additional purpose.
40:09Way back when women wore long skirts and dresses all day,
40:13every day they needed to make sure their outfits wouldn't get caught in the frame.
40:17That's how we came up with a lower-framed bicycle,
40:20perfectly made for women and their needs at the time.
40:24The fact that toothpastes are multicolored is not just a nice perk to make dental hygiene more fun.
40:30There's a secret meaning related to each of the colors,
40:32which dates back to the 1970s.
40:35In those days, people grew more and more interested in their oral health care,
40:40and as such, they were looking for products which could do more than merely clean their teeth.
40:45One company was the pioneer in that regard,
40:48adding mouthwash to its toothpaste, meaning the blue strip.
40:52They later added on the red strip,
40:54meant to feature ingredients which helped with gum care.
40:57Speaking of toothpaste, check the cap next time you open a new tube.
41:01You may be in for a little surprise.
41:03There's a pointed cone shape inside the cap,
41:06so you can puncture the seal of the toothpaste without cutting yourself or ruining your manicure.
41:11Not to mention, it's more hygienic since you won't be able to transfer germs
41:15or other bacteria into the product itself.
41:18On the subject of bathroom countertop items,
41:22toothbrushes come with a neat add-on hidden in the bristle patterns.
41:25Apart from making the toothbrush look cooler,
41:28they also do come with a practical purpose.
41:31Most toothbrushes come with a pattern of blue bristles intertwined with white ones.
41:35The blue dye is meant to fade out,
41:37signaling the time when you need to replace your toothbrush.
41:41Dentists say that toothbrushes should be replaced every three to four months,
41:45but it does serve as a great reminder in case you forget.
41:48Still love playing with Lego?
41:50Don't judge.
41:51Hey, it's a great hobby for all ages.
41:53Notice there's a hole on top of the Lego heads?
41:56Behold, you're looking at a safety feature that the people at Lego
41:59designed to prevent choking hazards.
42:02The most dangerous issue should a person swallow any of these pieces
42:06is the blocking of the airways.
42:08Designing a hole inside the Lego head
42:11helps the air to flow freely through the piece
42:13until it can be removed safely.
42:16We're now used to all sorts of modern light bulbs,
42:19some tubular, some shaped like diamonds,
42:21and some even twisted altogether.
42:24Historically, light bulbs were round
42:26and the initial shape served a purpose in itself.
42:29It was mainly connected to the fact that glass bulbs were hand-blown,
42:33which gave them the round shape to begin with.
42:35The hidden practical reason was that the light bulb filament
42:38needed to be at the same distance from every surface of the glass sphere.
42:42The easiest way to achieve this
42:44was to make the glass in the shape of a globe.
42:49You just spent the entire morning running errands up and down the street,
42:53and you finally stopped to treat yourself to a cup of coffee.
42:56You enter the nearest coffee shop,
42:58place your order,
42:59and notice that actually you really need to use the bathroom.
43:03It's a regular-looking public one with multiple stalls.
43:06As you pick yours, the one in the middle,
43:09you get inside and your mind starts to wander.
43:12Why on earth do bathroom doors have a half-inch gap
43:15between the door and the lock?
43:17And why on earth do they have a huge gap
43:19between the door and the floor?
43:21Can we have a drumroll for this moment, please?
43:24Well, my friend,
43:25there is not only one specific reason
43:27why public bathroom doors have so many gaps in them,
43:31but rather several.
43:32Public toilets are designed to make people spend
43:35as little time there as possible.
43:37You aren't supposed to feel comfortable or at home.
43:39So the design would have to reflect this notion.
43:42Here come the gaps.
43:44In some bathrooms,
43:46gaps are so big that users may even feel self-conscious
43:49about doing their business out of preoccupation
43:52that the rest of the people standing in line will see them.
43:55Then there's the matter of pricing.
43:58Making custom doors can be a heavy burden
44:00for the people building public toilets.
44:02This would mean understanding exact measurements
44:05so that doors would always fit the mold
44:07of the stalls it's supposed to be installed into.
44:10Now, not all the gaps in public bathrooms
44:13are necessarily the same size.
44:15They may vary,
44:16even if this variation is small and often unnoticeable.
44:20So these gaps actually help to reduce the margins of errors
44:23and to turn production more cost-effective
44:26for the people financing them.
44:28In case a door comes wider or more narrow than it should,
44:31the gap regulates the differences
44:33and allows for their installation anyway.
44:36There is also the case of air circulation.
44:39The last thing you want to do in a public bathroom
44:41is to trap odors.
44:43So you need a little space under and between the doors
44:46to allow the air to flow.
44:48Finally, the gaps are a big safety measure.
44:51It can always allow for people on the outside
44:53to see if someone inside a stall isn't feeling too okay
44:57and maybe need some help.
44:59And what about that extra hole in the upper part of the sink?
45:03It has a name in everything.
45:04The overflow hole.
45:06And it's designed to keep the sink from flooding.
45:08So in case someone forgets
45:10and keeps the faucet going for too long,
45:12or the sink gets clogged
45:14and water can't drain down from the main drain hole,
45:17the overflow hole comes in to save the day.
45:20Let's say it buys you a little time
45:22before you have the entire bathroom floor flooded.
45:25Have you ever noticed how satisfying
45:27closing the door of a car can be?
45:29Car manufacturers devote a great deal of time
45:32to designing these sounds.
45:34Studies have shown that they create
45:35a perceived sense of quality in the buyer.
45:38It all begins with the primary material.
45:41While older cars used to be made with heavier materials,
45:44car doors nowadays are produced with lighter tin,
45:47which can make a rather unpleasant metallic sound
45:50once you shut them closed.
45:52So car companies employ sound engineers
45:54to ensure that there is the exact amount of foam,
45:57mats, and tin in a car's composition
45:59to make the most comforting sound possible.
46:02And what about those tiny dots
46:05on the top of your car's front window?
46:06The pattern of these little black dots
46:09minimizes distractions for your eyes.
46:11This black part, also known as frit,
46:14normally gets warmer than the clear parts,
46:16which prevents the windshield from deforming.
46:19And no, the tab under your rearview mirror
46:22is not made only for the purpose of hanging
46:24fluffy dice or aromatic-pleasing air fresheners.
46:27It's actually a switch that allows you
46:29to adjust the position of the mirror
46:31depending on the time of day.
46:33Flip it one way, and it's the daytime driving mode.
46:36Flip the other, and you're ready to drive safely
46:38during nighttime as it tones down the glare
46:41coming from headlights of the cars behind you.
46:44Next time you head out to the supermarket,
46:46make sure to keep this in mind.
46:48In case you don't have a coin
46:49to unlock these shopping carts,
46:51there is a well-kept secret that can help you out.
46:54If you have your house keys on you,
46:56check for a rounded key head.
46:58If you happen to find one,
47:00try using it to unlock the cart.
47:01It should fit perfectly in there,
47:04replacing the need to carry coins around.
47:06Because, if we're being honest,
47:07who still has them?
47:09Elevators.
47:10If you want to ride them on your terms
47:12and your terms only,
47:13make sure to try something out.
47:15Most elevators have a secret button combination
47:18you can use to skip all the other selected floors
47:20and go directly to the one of your choosing.
47:23This might work out,
47:25especially on those days when you've pressed 13.
47:27But you wanted to press 33.
47:30On most elevators,
47:31this works once you simultaneously
47:33press the closed door button
47:34together with your floor number.
47:36This should help you get to your floor without stopping.
47:39Some elevators require you to double-press
47:42the selected floor numbers,
47:43as double-pressing will often cancel
47:45the previously made request.
47:47While other elevators require you
47:49to hold the open door button
47:51and then double-press the buttons of the floors
47:53you'd like to cancel.
47:54Now, to stay out of trouble,
47:56it's best not to cancel the floors
47:58of the other people in the elevator.
48:00They won't take it kindly.
48:02Also, keep in mind that there are elevators
48:04that might not have this function.
48:06Now, for honey lovers out there,
48:08go ahead and raise your hand.
48:09If your pot of golden honey is crystallized,
48:12know that it is actually a good sign.
48:16Crystallized honey means that it hasn't been pasteurized,
48:19which means better product quality.
48:21With a decrease in temperature,
48:22the natural ingredient of honey,
48:24also known as glucose,
48:26will make it crystallize.
48:28Now, try making the best of it.
48:30To add some texture to your oatmeal or toast,
48:32add a layer of crystallized honey
48:34and enjoy nature's sugar.
48:36And if you don't like crystallized honey,
48:38plop it in the microwave for a minute or two.
48:41Ah, winter and fall.
48:43You know what this means, right?
48:44Sweater weather.
48:46But there's nothing more annoying
48:47than wearing your beautiful wool sweater
48:49and itching yourself all the way through it.
48:52Actually, I can be more annoying than that,
48:55but let's talk about itchy sweaters.
48:57To keep this from happening again,
48:58here's the secret.
49:00Turn your sweater inside out
49:01and soak it in cold water.
49:03Add two or three tablespoons of vinegar
49:05and let it sit for a while.
49:07Then, drain the water.
49:09Now, while the sweater is still wet,
49:11massage a generous amount of hair conditioner
49:14into the fibers of the wool.
49:16After letting it soak in the hair conditioner
49:18for about 30 minutes,
49:19gently press the excess water out of the wool
49:22and leave it to dry flat on a towel.
49:25There you go!
49:26No more itchy sweater.
49:28Any fast food restaurant you go to
49:30will hand out small paper cups
49:32for customers to fill
49:33with their ketchup, mustard, or barbecue sauce.
49:36But if you're eating some chicken nuggets
49:38or trying to dip your burger into the cup,
49:40there's always that bit of sauce
49:42that seems impossible to reach.
49:44Next time, try unfolding the cup.
49:47It'll turn into a small paper plate,
49:49and this way, you'll get all the ketchup
49:51you poured in the first place.
49:54Padlocks used in outdoor environments
49:56should be clean and lubricated
49:58every three months.
49:59Regular lubrication will help prevent padlocks
50:02from freezing in cold weather conditions.
50:04Look for the tiny hole on the bottom of the lock.
50:07Then, pour oil into it,
50:09and there you go!
50:10It opens again!
50:12One thing we often neglect
50:13is a point in an ointment cap.
50:16These pointy surfaces were designed
50:18to help us break the tinfoil protection
50:20of the ointment tube.
50:21You just turn the cap over
50:23and break the ointment seal
50:24with its own cap,
50:26and there you go!
50:28After a long day of work,
50:29all you really need to do
50:31is a bubble bath.
50:32You turn on the hot water
50:33and let it run for a few minutes.
50:35You might even light a candle
50:37and pour some essential oils into the water.
50:39Then, in comes the liquid soap.
50:42You stir the water
50:43until the entire surface of the tub water
50:45is crammed with bubbles
50:47and make your way in.
50:48The bubbles in a bubble bath
50:50have a fundamental primary function.
50:52Their job is to preserve
50:54the water's temperature,
50:55just so you can have warm water for longer.
50:58Do you have sweaty feet?
51:00Weird question, I know.
51:01But if you're one of these people,
51:03here's some good news.
51:04All is not lost.
51:06Try putting a dry teabag
51:08inside your shoes
51:09and storing it in a dry place for a while.
51:12The teabags will absorb the humidity
51:14and the smell
51:15off the soles of your shoes.
51:17So, here I am thinking,
51:18shouldn't we have learned
51:20these things in school?
51:21Well, either way,
51:22if you learned something new today,
51:24make sure to tell us about it
51:25in the comments below.
51:34you
Comments