18 Facts About Everyday Things You Never Knew About

Bright Side

Who knew that a simple bottle cap could be hiding some fun secrets? Some of those caps have these nifty little tabs on the inside that can double as a seal opener.  And speaking of everyday surprises, ever notice those little arrow symbols on your car's fuel gauge? They tell you which side of the car your gas tank is on – super handy at the pump, right? Plus, the bottom of your stapler – it's got this hidden staple remover; it's like a two-for-one deal! Ketchup cups actually pop open to give you more dipping space. So, the next time you're reaching for something ordinary, keep an eye out for those secret features – life's full of little surprises! #brightside   Animation is created by Bright Side.  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/   Listen to Bright Side on:  Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD... Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Social Media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brightside/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brightside.... Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@brightside.of... Snapchat - https://www.snapchat.com/p/c6a1e38a-b...  Stock materials (photos, footages and other):  https://www.depositphotos.com  https://www.shutterstock.com  https://www.eastnews.ru  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me

Transcript

00:00 If you look at it on the street, you'll think a fire hydrant is about 3 feet in height.

00:04 But the actual size of the device used to provide water supply to firefighters all over the world is twice as large.

00:11 That is, if you count the rest of the hydrant, which is hiding underground.

00:15 They're mostly red, and it's not just a matter of urban design.

00:18 First of all, they need to be of bright, easily noticeable colors, so firefighters can spot them fast when they need to.

00:24 The choice of color depends on how much water the hydrant can hold.

00:28 It can sometimes vary depending on the location, but here's the breakdown.

00:32 A red fire hydrant can splash 500 gallons of water per minute, while an orange one at least 1,000 gallons.

00:41 Green ones mostly process 1,500 gallons of water per minute, and the most plentiful ones, colored blue, can generally contain over 1,500 gallons.

00:51 Hey, bowling fans, isn't it super annoying when your bowling ball gets cracked?

00:55 Turns out that most of them get damaged because of incorrect storage or spikes in temperature.

01:01 Now, come on and face it, since it's already cracked a bit, aren't you curious what's actually inside the bowling ball?

01:07 'Cause I sure am. Let's have a look.

01:09 They mostly make the inner core of the ball of powdered metal oxides, like calcium or iron oxide.

01:15 They mix them with some resin and catalyst to harden the whole mixture.

01:19 So, that light bulb shape you now see inside of the ball is actually its heaviest part.

01:24 It also influences how your bowling ball rotates when going down the lane.

01:29 The same goes with spray paint cans.

01:31 When you shake it, it makes a weird noise, but what is that thing in there?

01:35 It's called a "Pee", and it's meant to hold the paint mixture in place and maintain its shape.

01:40 They generally make it out of plastic, metal, or ceramic.

01:44 It basically acts as a whisk to make sure your paint is well mixed together before you apply it to your surface of choice.

01:50 Ever wondered how soda bottles keep that refreshing fizz for that long?

01:55 Well, they have a little plastic ring fastened to the lid.

01:58 They place it there to keep the gas from escaping and making the soda go flat, even if you shake it around in your bag the whole day.

02:06 Speaking of things we use on a hot summer's day, wait, wait, don't put your baseball cap on just yet.

02:12 Take a look at it for a minute, and you'll notice there's a small button on the very top.

02:16 Is it functional, or is it just there for the sake of design?

02:19 Way back when people started using fabrics to cover their heads, some say the button was actually functional.

02:25 Since it's on top of the cap where the fabric panels come together, the top button helps keep the cap crown in one single piece.

02:32 Now, with recent advances in fabric and pattern design, the button is more of an aesthetic feature.

02:38 It's used to cover up the joint point of the fabric panels.

02:41 Your cap might not have a button at all, but don't you think a cap actually looks better with one?

02:46 Cotton pads have two sides, and if you take the time to look at them carefully, they're actually different in texture.

02:53 Just in case you've ever wondered why, the textured side is for applying makeup, and the even side is for removing it.

03:00 Bookworms, this one is for you.

03:03 Dust jackets that come with a lot of hardcover books are not just meant to make your book look pretty.

03:08 They also double as a bookmark.

03:10 Just fold the pages you've already read underneath the inside of the jacket, and voila!

03:15 Next time you reach out for your favorite shirt, take a look at the top buttonhole.

03:20 It should be stitched horizontally, and all the other ones are vertical.

03:24 Turns out that the dress shirt was designed this way since the first and the last buttons were the first ones to unbutton throughout the day.

03:31 They then changed the direction of the buttonhole to ensure the shirt would stay nice and fitted before you're ready to take it off.

03:38 These days we have so many variations of this awesome dessert that it's hard to imagine we've ever lived without it.

03:45 You can find different types of cookie dough ice cream or even chocolate chip cookie cake basically everywhere, but the famous cookie wasn't actually invented until 1930.

03:55 The story goes that a woman named Ruth Graves Wakefield was preparing some chocolate cookies as she was waiting for some guests to arrive.

04:02 She soon figured out she was out of Baker's chocolate, a crucial ingredient for the classic cookies.

04:07 To fix things up, she chopped up a block of semi-sweet chocolate, thinking it would eventually spread out evenly throughout the batter given the heat of the oven.

04:15 Things didn't necessarily go as planned, but hey, it's great they didn't because this is how she invented this modern dessert we now can't get enough of.

04:25 And speaking of popular snacks, the potato chip is even younger than the chocolate chip cookie.

04:30 Well, at least historically. There are many stories trying to explain how it was invented. One of them goes like this.

04:37 A chef named George Crum, based in New York, put the chips together in 1953.

04:43 He decided to try a different cooking solution when one of his customers didn't have nice things to say about his French fries.

04:50 He said they were too thick and kind of mushy. Then, Crum came up with potatoes that were thinly sliced and fried until brown.

04:58 People absolutely loved the dish, and they welcomed the first ever batch of chips with open arms.

05:05 Ice cream anyone? If the story is true, back in 1904 at the St. Louis World's Fair, one ice cream shop owner ran out of cups to serve his dish.

05:14 So, he fashioned a waffle into the shape of a cone, and the rest was history.

05:20 Okay, I'll admit it, chewing gum-like treats have been around since the ancient Greeks.

05:25 So this one isn't particularly a revolutionary discovery, but the actual gum we buy today wasn't there until the late 1800s.

05:33 An American inventor named Thomas Adams wanted to mix together different chemicals to create rubber.

05:39 He tried and failed, for that matter, to play with chicle for his experiment, but ended up fashioning this neat treat.

05:45 They still use chicle to this day to produce most chewing gums.

05:49 Back in the 1800s, there lived a man named Jean-Baptiste Jolly, who worked in the fabric industry as a textile maker.

05:56 How he came up with this next invention that we use a lot these days has less to do with him and more to do with his maid.

06:03 The story goes that the woman accidentally knocked a kerosene lamp over onto a tablecloth.

06:09 Instead of getting upset over the damaged fabric, Jolly noticed that the substance actually made the material cleaner.

06:16 Figured it out yet? Yep, that's how the idea for the very first dry cleaner popped up.

06:21 A very neat accident, if I do say so myself.

06:24 So, grocery carts have loops for a reason.

06:27 You don't want to put your jacket in your cart next to a bunch of potatoes and onions, do you?

06:33 Hang it on the loop instead. It's there to help you organize your cart better.

06:37 Carts also have a cool section at the bottom.

06:40 Whenever your cart's full, just lift it up and attach a shopping basket for extra purchases.

06:46 Lift up the whole metal thing, sit your basket on the horizontal bar above the wheels, and secure it with those handy hooks.

06:54 If you've got some pesky parsley stuck in your teeth, try this tip.

06:58 It can be hard to get it all out with loose floss. You need more tension. Just tie it in a knot.

07:05 Toothpaste stripes may seem a bit weird. It's just a marketing trick.

07:10 Back in the 70s, a leading toothpaste brand added a blue stripe to show that their toothpaste had double action.

07:17 Solid white toothpaste worked just as well.

07:20 But those blue bristles on your toothbrush actually make sense.

07:25 They gradually lose their color over time.

07:28 When the blue's faded, it's time to change your toothbrush.

07:32 Ever notice that tiny hole on the bottom of a padlock?

07:36 Its hidden purpose is to drain water out to keep it from rusting.

07:40 It's also the place to lubricate a padlock. A drop of oil in there will make it open and close way easier.

07:48 Those ridges on the edge of dimes aren't just for show.

07:52 People used to shave off the edges, then melt the edges down into new coins.

07:57 But thanks to the new design, it's easy to tell if someone's been shaving the edges off.

08:03 If you still struggle with peeling an orange, here's another way of opening it.

08:08 First, cut off the top and bottom. Make a slit on the side and pull it open.

08:14 That knobbly bit sticking out of the cap of your favorite cream is there for a reason.

08:19 These tubes are usually sealed with foil.

08:22 So unless you love breaking your nails trying to open them, just flip the cap over and push.

08:29 The tiny rubber disc under every bottle cap isn't just for seeing if you want a lifetime supply of soda.

08:36 It's what keeps your drink all nice and bubbly.

08:39 The lid keeps the liquid inside.

08:42 The rubber disc keeps the gas inside.

08:44 Until you drink it.

08:46 If you use the blue side of your eraser to erase pen, your notebooks are probably all full of holes.

08:52 The blue side's there for when you need to erase something on much thicker paper.

08:57 It works on pencil and even ink, as long as the paper's thick enough.

09:02 Your bobby pins might not stay in place if the grooves aren't facing the right way.

09:07 They should always be on the bottom, close to your head.

09:11 Still coming loose?

09:12 Put a squeeze of hairspray right onto the bobby pin before you put it in your hair.

09:18 Many glass bottles usually have some sort of indent at the bottom.

09:23 It's handy if you want to be fancy.

09:25 Put your thumb in the indent and pour away.

09:29 The technical name for this little dude is a punt.

09:32 Those sugar sticks at your local coffee stand are ready to be opened in a new and easier way.

09:38 Look how happy they are!

09:40 Try splitting it right down the middle.

09:42 No more sugar on your fingers, no more tiny little paper bit, even your coffee's happier.

09:48 Your cotton rounds pack has those strings on it so you can hang it on a handy hook in the bathroom.

09:54 But there's no need to loosen and tighten back up again every time.

09:59 Check out the bottom of the pack.

10:01 It has a perforated line.

10:03 Tear it open carefully and you're good to go.

10:07 Doorknobs are usually made of brass, bronze, or some other copper alloy.

10:12 Why?

10:13 They're antibacterial, so they stop microbes from spreading.

10:17 Just a couple of hours and the pesky microbes are gone.

10:21 But don't forget to wash your hands anyway!

10:24 Bottles have long necks for a reason.

10:27 Hold the neck, not the bottle, if you want to enjoy a cold drink.

10:31 Two zips too much?

10:33 Maybe.

10:34 But they come in handy as a clever anti-theft device.

10:37 Just lock them together.

10:39 Now no one can open your backpack.

10:42 Don't have a lock on you?

10:44 You can also tie them together with some string or even just a paper clip.

10:48 Anything to slow those pickpockets down.

10:51 That tiny little button on the back of a shirt collar is used to hold your tie in place.

10:57 You don't want your tie trying to escape back there.

11:00 Shoe manufacturers care about their customers.

11:04 So most running shoes now have a special anti-blister system, pre-installed.

11:10 Sounds intense, but it's basically just that extra hole on top of your sneakers.

11:15 Make a loop with the extra hole, inserting the lace backwards.

11:19 Cross your laces and put them through the loops.

11:22 Now pull the laces down to lock your foot in place.

11:26 Now run!

11:28 You'll find silica gel packets when you buy bags, shoes, even some snacks.

11:34 Don't throw them away.

11:36 They soak up excess moisture, so any time your shoes are a bit damp, chuck a few gel packets in there overnight.

11:44 You might've been using your shampoo wrong this whole time.

11:47 Really?

11:48 Here's the gist.

11:49 Don't apply it to your hair.

11:51 Just apply it to the roots.

11:53 The foam you create will trickle down on your hair anyway.

11:57 The glass has a stem for a reason.

11:59 Touching the glass bowl with your hands will alter the drink's temperature, and it will get warmer much sooner.

12:05 While we're in the kitchen, let's check out your fridge.

12:08 Most of those come with designated areas in the door shelves for eggs, but this may not be the best solution for storing them.

12:16 The temperature in the door shelves tends to be a bit higher than in the fridge itself,

12:20 so it's not the best place to store delicate types of food, like eggs or dairy.

12:25 Make sure to remember that after your next trip to the supermarket.

12:29 Also, while we're still browsing items in the fridge, did you know that waiting for food to cool down before refrigerating it may be bad for it?

12:37 Keeping food at room temperature for more than two hours can increase its chances of going bad, so pop it in as soon as possible.

12:45 Just make sure to divide your food into smaller batches to help it cool down quicker.

12:50 What's that in your fridge I just saw?

12:52 Chocolate? Well, that's a big no-no.

12:55 Regardless of the season, remember to never store chocolate in the fridge.

12:59 The lower temperatures inside can cause the chocolate flavor to dull.

13:03 Also, who wants to eat rock-hard chocolate anyway?

13:06 When it comes to breakfast, next time you boil an egg, try putting a teaspoon of baking soda into the water when boiling.

13:14 The egg shells will peel off way easier.

13:17 Another tip is to crack the egg on one end and run it under the tap.

13:22 The water stream will help peel off the shell faster and with way less of a mess.

13:27 Fan of smoothies? Bet you didn't know there's actually a correct way to load up your blender.

13:32 Start with the liquids, then pile up the solids as you go.

13:36 The motion created by the movement of the liquids will ensure a smooth, clump-free delicious breakfast or snack.

13:43 After that, you can clean it by simply adding some dishwashing soap and some water and letting it blend away.

13:49 No need to add it to the dishwasher anymore since the full cycle of the dishwasher can damage the metal plates on the blender.

13:56 If you're ever in the mood for a peanut butter sandwich, but the peanut butter is all split with the oils on top, remember there's a correct way to store it.

14:05 Placing the peanut butter jar upside down in your cupboard will ensure the oils are spread out evenly.

14:12 Love a good steak but never get a perfect consistency? You're probably digging in too soon.

14:17 You have to let the meat rest after cooking for at least 10 minutes before you start cutting it.

14:22 Using the right knife will also give you better results.

14:26 A sharp knife will ensure you don't lose any of those lovely meat juices.

14:30 It's pasta night! Ever wondered why there's a hole in the middle of the spaghetti spoon?

14:36 Turns out you can use that hole to check how much pasta to cook per person.

14:41 Now you know exactly how much of it to boil for that special marinara sauce of yours.

14:45 When using non-stick pans, never use metal utensils. Go for wooden or plastic ones instead.

14:52 The metal will be way too rough on the surface of your pans and can actually damage the non-adherent surface.

14:58 Are you a leftovers for dinner type of person? Aren't we all?

15:02 Quick tip for reheating your dinner in the microwave. Try spreading the food around the edges of the plate.

15:08 Microwaves are indeed designed to heat food as evenly as possible. But not if the food is piled up.

15:15 Ever tried to take out a single Tic Tac from the tiny container? Just turn the box on its side.

15:21 There's a cleverly designed slot on the plastic top precisely for that.

15:26 No more shaking the Tic Tac box like a maniac.

15:29 If you're up for some music but don't have a speaker around, don't worry.

15:33 Placing your phone in a cup or a bowl will amplify the sound and make your experience so much better.

15:39 In a hurry and your phone is running out of battery, there's a simple way to reduce the charging time.

15:45 Simply set the phone to airplane mode. You'll see, it'll charge up to 100% in no time.

15:52 We all keep our phones in all sorts of places. Our pockets, bags, under our pillows.

15:58 Hence, a lot of fuzz or lint can get stuck in the charging port. For safety reasons, turn the phone off before cleaning it.

16:04 You can use specifically designed tools for cleaning the charging ports, speakers or a microphone.

16:10 Just be sure to be gentle.

16:12 Nice desk you got there. Did you know that those little legs on the back of the keyboard are actually there to help you see the keys better?

16:21 However, if you can type without having to look at the keyboard, don't use them to lift the keyboard up.

16:27 This position can damage your wrists when using for a long period of time.

16:30 If you like to keep your things organized and prefer to use sticky notes, just make sure to remove them from the notes cube from side to side to prevent curling.

16:40 We all feel a little overwhelmed when it comes to storage, especially linens.

16:45 One easy way to make sure you'll never get mixed sheets is to store each set in the matching pillowcase.

16:53 Not only will you get easy access to each set, but it's way nicer to look at on the shelves.

16:57 When it comes to storing clothing, people use wooden hangers for more than just aesthetic reasons.

17:03 They may be bigger and heavier than plastic ones, but they also help repel moths.

17:08 Keep that in mind, more so when storing winter clothes.

17:11 Were you ever curious about that one extra loophole in your running shoes?

17:17 That one just next to your ankles?

17:20 Well, turns out it's there for a reason. The tighter the laces on your shoes, the less likely you are to get blisters.

17:26 Always fit your shoes correctly and use that extra loop in the shoes if needed before you go for a run.

17:32 Your dress shirts have a tiny secret too.

17:35 On the inside of the shirt, right between the shoulders, there's a tiny loop that you can use to hang the garment whenever you don't have a hanger lying around.

17:43 Have you ever wondered what these extra holes at the top of your running shoes are for?

17:49 They're designed so that you can tie the shoes in multiple different ways.

17:52 That's useful when you want to compensate for things such as a bad stride or even a damaged toe.

17:58 Plus, you can change the look of your shoes the way you prefer.

18:03 Many people use a dust jacket of their book as a bookmarker.

18:09 No problem with that, it will save your book from bent page corners.

18:13 But the primary purpose of a dust cover is to keep the book safe from distortions.

18:18 For instance, if you spill juice or drop some of the food on your book while reading it.

18:23 The Tic Tac dispenser has this little groove on its top, so you can dispense only one Tic Tac at a time.

18:30 Even though, let's be honest here, nobody does that.

18:34 Most of us just spill a whole bunch at once and then we wiggle all those extra Tic Tacs back in.

18:40 Those rubber bumps you see between the tire treads are there for your safety.

18:46 The raised edges tell you what the minimum height of your tread is.

18:49 If the bump and the edges are even, it's time for you to visit the tire shop as soon as possible.

18:55 But if the bumps are well beneath the level of the edges, you're good to go.

19:00 What about that black grating on the microwave window?

19:04 It's something called a Faraday shield.

19:07 And it's there to prevent microwaves from getting away and turning the entire room into a Faraday cage.

19:14 If the microwaves escape, your meal won't cook properly either.

19:17 So yep, the cage is not there to make it difficult for you to see your meal while it's cooking.

19:22 It's keeping the electromagnetic energy inside.

19:25 How about a wrench-compatible screwdriver?

19:30 Cover your screwdriver with the end of your wrench and you can increase its torque.

19:34 That's why the head of your screwdriver is designed the way it is.

19:38 When you have odd angles, you can use this strategy.

19:43 You've probably heard those myths, "The blue side of the eraser can erase the pen."

19:47 False. Its purpose is to erase a pencil.

19:50 But in case you're writing something on heavier paper,

19:53 the blue side can remove smudges you see after using the pink eraser too.

19:58 Have you ever wondered why oranges in supermarkets mostly come in the red mesh bag?

20:05 It's a trick to make this food look more orange and encourage you to make a purchase.

20:11 Tip. Don't throw away the mesh bag.

20:13 Tie it up so you can have a small pot scrubber to clean your sink, kitchen, appliances, and dishes.

20:19 You can see golf balls don't have a perfectly round shape.

20:24 Their surface is covered with many little dimples, something golf balls didn't always have.

20:29 At one point, experienced golfers started noticing how through time,

20:34 older balls with imperfections, such as nicks and bumps, could travel further.

20:40 Such things create turbulence in the air around the golf ball, which eventually reduces drag.

20:46 So, manufacturers started producing balls with dimples so they could go farther and faster.

20:52 You might have noticed that sometimes there are ridges in toothpick tops.

20:57 It's more hygienic because when you break that off, you can prop the toothpick up on it,

21:02 and it won't touch anything.

21:06 Another safety feature you'll find, this time in your car, is a tab on your rearview mirror.

21:12 With it, you can change the position of the mirror,

21:15 so you don't get blinded if there's a car behind you with its high beams on.

21:19 So this little tab helps you control the glare of lights coming from behind.

21:23 This feature showed up in the 1930s, but in the early 1970s,

21:28 it became a part of standard equipment in most trucks and cars.

21:34 Do you see that tiny hole on your iPhone, right next to the rear-facing camera?

21:38 It's a microphone, and it's there so your phone can record sound as you turn your camera around.

21:44 Some cables have a thick cylinder towards the end of the cord.

21:50 It's called a ferrite core or a choke.

21:53 It's a magnetic iron oxide that stops high-frequency electromagnetic interference.

21:59 For example, you know that annoying static noise you get if you bring your phone too close to a speaker?

22:04 This interrupts your call, which is why cable cords with big cylinders are pretty useful,

22:09 because they prevent these things.

22:11 Do you know why nearly all luggage bags and backpacks have two zippers?

22:17 It's way more convenient and easier to open in that way.

22:21 But not just that, you can also lock these two zippers together,

22:25 to keep the stuff inside your bags safer.

22:29 You know how toilets at public spots like malls have those big gaps at the bottom?

22:34 It's primarily for better circulation of air.

22:37 This type of door also makes it easier to clean the toilet or check if it's occupied if you're standing in line.

22:44 Other than that, if you get stuck there and the lock gets broken,

22:48 you still have a way to escape, you can just crawl out.

22:52 Ever notice those plastic end caps on utility knives?

22:57 And they also have scales on them,

22:59 which indicates you may use them multiple times but with sharp edges.

23:04 You can separate the blades through these plastic end caps,

23:08 then you can move the slider and bring the sharp blade to the front.

23:12 That's it for today.

23:14 So hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your friends.

23:19 Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side.

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