Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Explain Which Items Can Actually Be Used For A Different Purpose Than Intended

People Explain Which Items Can Actually Be Used For A Different Purpose Than Intended
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

Multi-purpose and multi-task are the only the way. The new cornerstone of invention are items that can be used any which way you please. The way to design something can have a hidden meaning you never realized. Like, I'm sure the people who created the Snickers bar were just thinking about fun tasting craziness. They didn't know a Snickers bar, after a breakup.... could save lives.

Redditor u/HoldThisBeer wanted to know about all the treasures of multi-purpose by asking:

What's an item that can be used for a totally different purpose than it's originally meant for?

I use almost everything as a double resource. Pens are also era picks. Toothbrushes (Old) are razor scarpers and Adele is for sad AND happy times. Who can relate?

Smash

Season 4 Nbc GIF by Good GirlsGiphy

"A hammer can be used for a window opener."

- Evi1_Panda81

"Only once."

- GreatJanitor

Strung Out

"Silly string is used to detect bombs, since it sticks to the tripwire and makes it visible, while being light enough not to trigger it."

- Blooder91

"The juxtaposition of shaking a can of fun party string, to detect a life-altering string. I can only imagine the situation would have me enter a manic laugh."

- Awisemanoncsaid

Lead Ways

"You can use a pencil to rewind a cassette tape."

- boulomai_mathein

"Amen! Who would try to rw, or ff a cassette tape without having a cap to grab the gears?!? Pencils... PSHAW!!!"

- mike_e_mcgee

Scratched

"The corner of a wall to scratch your back, much like bears do on a tree. A blessing to those of us cursed with short/inflexible limbs."

- Silverback62

"I've been pushing my back against wall corners recently to massage my upper back and shoulder. It's the only way I can reach that spot while also applying enough pressure to relieve the muscle stiffness."

- H0lyThr0wawayBatman

So Many Things

justin long film GIFGiphy

"Ask a mechanic they all say a wrench is everything. Need a hammer? Wrench. Need a tool to pry something off? Wrench. Need a murder weapon? Wrench. Best thing to ever exist."

- ResidentDurian9845

Well, I feel educated. I need to test some of these theories. I have a ton of this laying around already. Let's learn more...

Face Stuff

Billy Crystal Crying GIF by MOODMANGiphy

"Facial tissue, Kleenex in particular, was invented to remove theatrical makeup."

- rosanymphae

Firestarter

"Potato crisps are perfect to start a fire when you have no tinder. They're so greasy that they burn really well. Same goes for tampons if you pull them apart a little. They also come packaged in waterproof plastic so even when it rains you always got some dry tinder material. If you go camping it's a good addition to your gear even if you're a guy."

- Heiminator

Clean it Up

"Vinegar is good for so many things. My grandmother always used it for cleaning and all my cousins and I have spray bottles filled with equal parts vinegar and water that we use for cleaning. It can also be helpful in getting rid of candlewax, or a natural weed killer, among other things. You can use apple cider vinegar to prevent fleas on your pets but I haven't actually done this, just have a friend who does it."

- DTownForever

Pour it In

"Pour melted wax into an egg carton packed with sawdust and let it cool and harden. Cut each 'egg' into quarters and store them. Take them camping with you or when hiking. A source of fire, and it'll burn continuously, letting you have plenty of time to build a fire with sticks in an emergency situation. I tested it with my bro. A quarter burned for like 15mins, outside in the rain."

"Might be silly, but it weighs nothing and have nothing to lose to have one on you. Addendum: if you're going to make this, make sure you do a test run. Outside, light with match or something. Nothing worse than placing false confidence into a survival item and it not actually working when it counts. I also heard you can pour cooling down wax over individual matches to make them more weather proof, but I never tried this."

- Someone_Who_Cared

Open Up

the lord of lightning vs balrog GIF by King Gizzard & The Lizard WizardGiphy

"Lighter as a bottle opener. Although you can use pretty much everything as a bottle opener."

- MainAdhesiveness2281

I can always use another bottle opener. And I do like lighters. I feel so enlightened about things and their purposes. And now I'm gonna go clean with my vinegar.

Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Screenshots from @harryl1223's TikTok video
@harryl1223/TikTok

Cynthia Erivo Praised For Calmly De-Escalating Tense Confrontation With Agitated Man Outside London Theater

Cynthia Erivo continues to show just how talented she is as she recently debuted her one-woman production of Dracula in London's West End.

Earlier this week, Erivo appeared in the backstage lot to speak to fans after one of her shows. But before she stepped out, an altercation had occurred, and a man was making a scene.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Nancy Mace and Tim Walz
@Acyn/X

Tim Walz Has Epic Clapback After Nancy Mace Asks Him To Define 'Woman' During Congressional Hearing

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz had a splendid response after South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace attempted to claim that his support for transgender women would bar him from recognizing fraud in his state.

Walz's appearance at the hearing comes amid conservative claims—offered with little supporting evidence—that Somali-run childcare centers in Minnesota improperly received public funds intended to support childcare for low-income families. Subsequently, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the FBI expanded their presence in Minnesota as federal authorities froze childcare funding statewide.

Keep ReadingShow less
Padma Lakshmi (left) reacts during an appearance on The Daily Show as Vice President JD Vance (right) stands with his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance (right).
@thedailyshow/Instagram; Antoine Gyori - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Padma Lakshmi Hilariously Roasts JD Vance And His Wife Over Atrocious 'Ranch Dressing' Meal

Padma Lakshmi served up a top-tier helping of judgment for Vice President JD Vance’s questionable meal choice for his wife, Usha Vance.

The second lady, Usha Vance (née Chilukuri), is an American lawyer who made history as the first Indian American and first Hindu to hold the role. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Andhra Pradesh, India.

Keep ReadingShow less
Chloe Kim; P!nk
NBC

Olympian Chloe Kim Just Gushed To P!nk About Loving One Of Her Songs—Except It's Not A P!nk Song

Most of us have gotten our pop queens mixed up a time or two, but few of us have done so on national television—while talking to the pop queen in question.

But Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim sure has!

Keep ReadingShow less
Elmo; Zohran Mamdani
Paul Zimmerman/WireImage/Getty Images; Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images

Elmo Just Asked His Followers 'Where Have You Been?'—And Zohran Mamdani Had The Purest Response

Elmo, the furry red childlike monster from Sesame Street designed by Caroly Wilcox, began his life as a generic "baby monster" background filler in the 1979-1980 season of the long-running children's television program.

Originally having a gruff voice supplied by various puppeteers, Elmo found his falsetto-voiced, loving persona when Kevin Clash took over in 1985. Elmo was transformed into a three-and-a-half-year-old character designed to connect with the show's audience of preschoolers.

Keep ReadingShow less