Did you know the chainsaw wasn’t originally invented to cut wood? It first appeared in the late 18th century as a medical tool meant to help during difficult childbirths. As terrifying as that sounds, it looked nothing like the large, powerful device we know today—though it probably wasn’t a particularly pleasant sight either.
It just goes to show that products don’t always end up being used the way their inventors intended. One Redditor asked people to share things that are now commonly used for completely different purposes, and the responses were full of surprising examples. We gathered some of the most curious ones here. Scroll down to see what they shared.
#1
Everything is a hammer, unless it's a screwdriver, in which case it's a chisel.
39points
#2
The chair in your bedroom. It was never designed to be a wardrobe, yet here we are.
34points
#3
I use the vacuum sealing machine meant for food to save left over caulking tubes or any item that will ruin when exposed to air. Place the tube or left over glue in a bag and even a year later good to go.
33points
#4
The Danish cookie tins that are used as sewing kits.
29points
#5
Those black alligator clips for holding papers…..are the best chip clips ever. I worked in a lab and we used the hell out of them for just about anything.
29points
#6
The cheapest hair conditioner on the shelf is the best shaving cream I've ever used. It's slicker than snot on a doorknob, it won't dry your skin out, and the bottle lasts a year or more, for like $5.
Just don't spill any on the shower floor.
Just don't spill any on the shower floor.
28points
#7
Baby oil - no one uses that to fry babies.
23points
#8
Swiffer dry mop pads: best nail polish remover ever, instead of cotton balls. 1 bloop of nail polish remover on one of those dry pads, and your nail polish will come off in 1 clean shot. The nail polish remover won’t evaporate, stays wet, and makes it so fast and less wasteful with the nail polish remover. I cut mine up into little strips. Done.
Edit: Discovered this by accident + out of laziness when I ran out of cotton balls and one of those pads was near me. I’m never going back. It works so well.
Edit: Discovered this by accident + out of laziness when I ran out of cotton balls and one of those pads was near me. I’m never going back. It works so well.
23points
#9
I came here to look for a Super Glue comment. As far as I know it was designed to be used as 'liquid stiches'. I still use it for that more than anything else, but almost no one believes me when I recommend it for wound closure.
23points
#10
Tooth brushes when worn should not be thrown away. They make excellent grout and cleaning brushes.
22points
#11
Paper clips, they are used for everything mate, I went to school with McGyver.
22points
#12
Duct tape fixes basically everything.
21points
#13
My father bought a box of 500 (!) dehydrated napkins for our wedding; they look like white mints, but if you add a few drops of water, they unfold and are made of quite high quality paper. I keep a small ziplock of them in my toiletry bag; many European hotels don’t supply washcloths and these are made of thick enough paper to last for a few days of face-washing. They’re also great for camping. Thanks, Dad!
18points
#14
Something like half of prescription meds are used for something other than the indication they've been approved for.
17points
#15
Good ol butterknife screwdriver.
17points
#16
Most university/college degrees. Many people are doing something other than using the degree they have.
16points
#17
I use Dawn dish soap to take oil stains out of clothing.
16points
#18
Ngl, zip ties are for cable management on paper, but in reality they are the only thing holding every aging car bumper and backyard fence together.
16points
#19
Pedialyte. Same use- dealing with dehydration, but instead of children with fevers, adults who have had too much alcohol.
15points
#20
Tennis balls to wash your duvet.
Put the duvet in the washing machine, and toss three tennis balls in as well.
Wash. The tennis balls will agitate the duvet.
Same with the dryer. The tennis balls will keep the filling in the duvet from clumping.
Put the duvet in the washing machine, and toss three tennis balls in as well.
Wash. The tennis balls will agitate the duvet.
Same with the dryer. The tennis balls will keep the filling in the duvet from clumping.
15points