15 Everyday Items That Were Originally Invented for Completely Different Uses
That smartphone in your pocket? It might surprise you to learn that many of its components were first designed for something entirely different. In fact, many objects we use daily started life with completely different purposes in mind.
Like a college graduate who ended up in an unexpected career, these inventions found their true calling through happy accidents and creative thinking.
Bubble Wrap – The Failed Wallpaper
Before protecting your packages, Bubble Wrap tried to revolutionize interior design. In 1957, engineers Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes created a textured wallpaper by sealing two shower curtains together. While homes weren’t ready for plastic bubbles on their walls, the shipping industry recognized its protective potential.
Next time you pop those addictive bubbles, remember – you’re playing with rejected home decor.
Play-Doh – The Clean-Up Crew
That colorful modeling clay started as a serious cleaning product. In the 1930s, Kutol Products created a putty to remove coal residue from wallpaper. When heating systems became cleaner and vinyl wallpaper arrived, the company faced disaster.
They discovered children were using it for art projects. A few color additions and scent improvements later, Play-Doh became the beloved toy we know today.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Coca-Cola – The Medicinal Mishap
Your favorite soft drink was originally marketed as a cure for morphine addiction. Pharmacist John Pemberton created the syrup as a patent medicine in 1885. When Atlanta banned alcohol in 1886, he removed the wine from his formula, accidentally inventing the world’s most popular non-alcoholic beverage.
Sometimes the best remedies come in unexpected packages.
Viagra – The Heart Helper
Before becoming famous for something else entirely, Viagra started as a treatment for angina and hypertension. During clinical trials, researchers noticed some surprising “side effects.”
While it didn’t become the heart medication they planned, it certainly got people’s blood pumping in other ways.
Post-it Notes – The Failed Super-Glue
In 1968, 3M scientist Spencer Silver tried creating a super-strong adhesive. Instead, he made an unusually weak one that could stick and peel repeatedly. The invention sat unused until colleague Art Fry needed bookmarks that wouldn’t fall out of his hymnal.
Sometimes success comes not from sticking to the plan, but from embracing the unexpected.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Listerine – The Floor Cleaner’s Promotion
Before freshening millions of mouths, Listerine was sold as a surgical antiseptic and floor cleaner. Created in 1879, it was even marketed as a treatment for gonorrhea. When the company pitched it as a solution for “chronic halitosis” (bad breath), sales skyrocketed.
Talk about a dramatic career change.
Kleenex – The Gas Mask Filter
During World War I, Kimberly-Clark developed creped cellulose as gas mask filters. After the war, they had to find new uses for their specialized material. When they learned women were using it to remove cold cream, Kleenex was born.
From protecting soldiers to removing makeup – sometimes the best ideas come from customers themselves.
WD-40 – The Rocket Science Spinoff
The lubricant in your garage has a space-age pedigree. Created to protect Atlas missile parts from rust and corrosion, WD-40 got its name from being the 40th attempt at a “Water Displacement” formula.
While it never made it to space, it found its way into millions of homes.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Silly Putty – The Rubber Substitute
During World War II’s rubber shortage, General Electric tried creating a synthetic rubber substitute. They ended up with a bouncing putty that could copy newspaper prints. While it couldn’t replace rubber tires, it became one of the 20th century’s most popular toys.
Sometimes failure bounces in unexpected directions.
Microwave Oven – The Melted Chocolate Bar
Raytheon engineer Percy Spencer was working with a magnetron when he noticed his chocolate bar melted. This radar equipment accident led to the development of microwave ovens.
From military technology to reheating leftovers – warfare’s loss became convenience’s gain.
Super Glue – The Military Mistake
During World War II, Harry Coover Jr. accidentally created Super Glue while trying to make clear plastic gun sights. Initially rejected for being too sticky, it found its true purpose years later.
Sometimes the problems of one field become solutions in another.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Frisbee – The Pie Plate Phenomenon
College students in New England discovered that empty pie tins from the Frisbie Pie Company made excellent flying discs. The Wham-O company later refined the design, creating the plastic disc we know today.
Who knew dessert packaging would inspire a sports equipment revolution?
Matches – The Chemistry Lab Accident
In 1826, chemist John Walker accidentally created matches while scraping a mixing stick on his hearth. The dried chemicals burst into flame, inspiring him to develop the first friction matches.
Some of the best discoveries happen when we’re cleaning up our mistakes.
Corn Flakes – The Sanitarium Surprise
The Kellogg brothers were trying to make granola for their sanitarium patients when they accidentally left wheat cooking too long. The wheat became crispy flakes, leading to their famous breakfast cereals.
A kitchen mishap became the morning ritual for millions.
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Brandy – The Wine Salesman’s Solution
Medieval wine merchants boiled their product to reduce its volume for transport, planning to add water later. Customers enjoyed the concentrated form so much, they kept it that way.
Sometimes the shipping method becomes more popular than the original product.
From Mistakes to Modern Marvels
These everyday items remind us that innovation often comes from unexpected places. Whether through happy accidents, customer feedback, or creative repurposing, these inventions found their true purpose far from their original intent.
Next time you use these products, remember – sometimes the best ideas come from embracing the unexpected turns in life’s laboratory.
More from Go2Tutors!
- Famous Battles: How Much Do You Really Know About U.S. History?
- Top 5 Most Important Skills, According To Harvard Business School
- How Well Do You Know 90s Pop Culture? Take the Quiz
- Master the Art of Public Speaking with These Expert Tips
- Think You Know Capitals? Put Your Knowledge to the Test
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
