15 Products That Almost No One Uses For Their Intended Purpose

It’s not uncommon for things to have multiple purposes. However, sometimes the alternative use of an item outweighs the original so much, people end up forgetting what it even was in the first place. And I’m not just talking about using AOL’s “Free hour” discs as frisbees.

A little while ago, Reddit user EpicEllis2004 asked people to shared some products whose main purpose is ignored, and ended up receiving thousands of answers. People listed numerous items that are hardly ever used for their original purpose, and I’m pretty sure you’ll be surprised to find out what their initial intention even was – check out some of the best answers below!

#1

Image source: ShroomyKat

The toilet lid of a toilet. Seen too many not even know you’re supposed to put the lid down before flushing. Microscopic fecal matter flies everywhere otherwise. Apparently this isn’t common knowledge.

#2

Image source: bloblehead

Q-tips. The only thing they are used for is the one thing you are explicitly told not to use them for.

#3

Image source: Ezequiel-052

History Channel… as far as I am concerned the secret relationships between aliens and the illuminati do not qualify as “history”

#4

Image source: Single_Performance25

Slinky, the toy. It was originally designed during WW2 to help sensitive instruments remain steady on ships… to counter the effects of pitch, roll, and yaw. The engineer working on them knocked one off his desk accidentally, saw the way it moved from the table to the chair, to the floor, and a new purpose was born.

On a side note… during the Vietnam War, when the Slinkys were metal, radio operators would carry them through the deep jungles. If they couldn’t get a good signal in the jungle mountains, they’d sling a Slinky high into the tree limbs while holding onto one end. It created an instant antenna extension that they would attach to the radio.

#5

Image source: Newtracks1

The warming drawer on the bottom of all our ovens, which is used as pan storage for exactly %100 of oven owners.

#6

Image source: galactic-frog

Apparently paintball guns were invented for foresters/loggers/park rangers to mark trees (for cutting etc.) without having to approach each tree.

#7

Image source: galactic-frog

Remember when MTV was a music television?

#8

Image source: BigBobby2016

Super glue was meant to be a temporary method of stitching a wound. It was used that way during the Vietnam War. Tell people today to super clue their cuts shut, however, and most will think you’re crazy

#9

Image source: bluebirdgm

WD-40 was developed as a rust preventative (it’s even in the initials: “WD” means “Water Displacement”). Nowadays people use it to lubricate mechanical parts.

#10

Image source: TooMuchHotSauce5

Snuggy was originally designed for wheelchair users. Outerwear designed for walkers is cumbersome to take on and off for wheelchair users so snuggies were designed to help with this.