We Bet You Can’t Guess What These 10 Things Are Really Used For

Every day we see lots of objects, and we are so used to this variety that we never even ask ourselves things like, "Why do you actually need a hole in a Chupa Chups stick?"

We at Bright Side, however, have done so, and we are genuinely surprised with some of our discoveries.

Pom-pom on a cap

Pom-poms are generally perceived as an accessory today, but their history dates back as far as the 18th century. Back then, French sailors wore hats with pom-poms to protect their heads from bumping on low deck ceilings. Later, different army suits included caps with pom-poms, and you could tell the military service by their shape and color.

A square hole in the Chupa Chups stick

It’s not to save a child from choking, as many believe: that’s what the empty length of the stick is for. The side hole is made to keep the candy on the holder. When it’s dipped into the liquid candy, the hole is filled first, making the whole sweet sit tightly on top.

Creases on pants

If you guessed they weren’t a purposeful stylish addition, then you were right. At the end of the 19th century, European clothing factories exported most of their produce abroad, and to make the most of the cargo hold space, the clothes were pressed down before shipping. The resulting creases on pants were almost impossible to get rid of. Later, they just became fashionable.

A "pocket" in ladies’ panties

The inner layer both in men’s and women’s underwear has to be made of a special soft material. Ladies’ panties, however, are made so that both seams can’t be inside, so one of them is not sewn, resulting in this "pocket." So now you know you shouldn’t put anything in there.

A square patch on a backpack

Many backpacks have this small leather patch on them. It’s actually quite useful when you’re camping: you could let ropes and hooks through it. Today, it’s mostly an accessory.

A hole between the camera lens and flash on iPhones

Few people know this little hole is actually an auxiliary microphone. It makes the sound on recordings clearer, helps Siri understand accents, and reduces the noise captured by the main mic.

The number 57 on Heinz ketchup bottles

It may seem to be a part of the design or the number of ingredients used. However, if you tilt the bottle and hit it with your palm on the number when ketchup doesn’t flow, you’re in for a big surprise.

A code on makeup bottles

Any cosmetics package, be it eye shadow or powder, contains this small open container symbol, labeled 6M, 12M, or 24M. This labeling indicates the shelf life of the product in months.

A simple trick: write down the date after which your makeup will become useless by adding the number of months to the date of opening.

Replaceable blades on a box cutter

Lots of people don’t really know that a dulled blade of a box cutter can be broken off to get a new and sharp one. It’s not dangerous if done correctly: let the dulled blade out, take off the clipper, fix the blade with a hole in the clipper, and break it off easily.

A switch on the rearview mirror

This is a day/night switch that protects the driver from being blinded by the headlights of a car behind them at night. Rearview mirrors have a double reflective coating that you can switch by pressing the button. This trick will be especially useful for novice drivers.