11 Everyday Things With Secret Uses

Did You Know

11 Everyday Things With Secret Uses

They say everything happens for a reason, and that's most likely true.

If you don't know what something is for, you've probably heard a rumor about it or made something up yourself.

Here are some everyday items that have more, or maybe less meaning, than you had imagined.

Colored squares on toothpaste

Many still believe that the colored boxes on toothpaste indicate its level of toxicity. In fact, the different colored squares are markers intended for toothpaste manufacturing machines. Light beam sensors locate the "˜color marks' to identify whether the packet can be folded or cut.

Numbers on fruit

Your first instinct may be to peel this sticker off before you take a bite into it by accident. Before you do, take a look at the number. Stickers on produce at the grocery store help customers identify how the produce was grown.

Conventionally grown produce with the use of pesticides always have a four digit code. (e.g.: 4011)

Genetically modified produce always have a five digit code beginning with the number "˜8'. (e.g.: 84011)

Organic produce always have a five digit code beginning with "˜9'. (e.g.: 94011)

Ridges on keyboard

The ridge or dot under the keyboard letter "˜F' and "˜J' are meant to help typists to easily find the correct keys to put their index fingers on without having to look at the keyboard. These two keys are also known as the home row.

Color Tags on Bread Bags

The color tag gives you information on what day the loaf of bread was baked on.

Monday "“  blue

Tuesday "“  green

Thursday "“ red

Friday "“ white

Saturday "“ yellow

That being said, not all companies adhere to the same color tag system; so it's best to check the expiration date before you judge the freshness of the bread.

Colored circles or squares on food packages

You'll find these colors on bags of chips, under the flaps of juice boxes, cereals, and other food packaging. There was a time that kids thought if the colors underneath the flaps of juice boxes matched, they'd win a prize. Unfortunately, there's no special significance for these colors.

It's a little similar to the colored squares found on toothpaste in that the colors are meant to communicate something to the appropriate machine or person who helps with the packaging. In this case, the colors indicate the hues of ink used to produce the design on the package. If there's any problems with the design, the colors will indicate whether there was a surplus or deficiency of color that caused the issue.

The arrow next to the gas symbol

The dashboard of your car is a filled with tons of information that you don't think too much about. If you've ever pulled into a gas station and suddenly forgot which side your gas cap is on, the arrow next to the gas symbol will help you out. If the arrow points the left, fill up your gas tank on the left side of your car, and vice versa.

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Hole in Pen Caps

It's not because the nib of the pen needs to breathe, it's because you do"”if you happen to swallow a pen cap. Although this doesn't happen often, studies have shown that more than 10 thousand people have swallowed parts of pens and pencils. This small hole also helps to equalize the pressure inside the pen to prevent leakage.

The small hole in an airplane window

First, the hole balances air pressure. Second, it prevents the window from fogging up.

The little hole at the bottom of a padlock

It serves a few functions. It prevents moisture in the lock and allows for lubrication.

The punt of a wine bottle

You may find the indentation at the bottom of a wine bottle gives the person pouring it a better grasp. In fact, the indentation helps regulate the pressure inside the bottom while corking. For that reason, champagne bottles have deeper indentations because it's more carbonated.

The plastic under the lid of a soda bottle

You may have won some free stuff by prying the plastic from under the lid of your soda bottle. But little did you know that that hard piece of plastic has an important function: it prevents the soda from going flat.

Did you know the 'hidden' meaning to any of these before you read this list? Let us know and share with your friends!

Moojan has been a writer at Shared for a year. When she's not on the lookout for viral content, she's looking at cute animal photos. Reach her at moojan@shared.com.