There are countless products in our world, each designed with a specific purpose in mind. But sometimes, the original intention behind a product takes an unexpected turn, leading to its use in ways the inventors never imagined. Here are ten familiar products whose initial purposes might surprise you!
Play-Doh
Who doesn’t recognize Play-Doh, the colorful, moldable compound loved by children? Originally, Joseph McVicker created Play-Doh around 1930 as a wallpaper cleaner! The idea was that you’d roll it against the wall to remove soot. However, with the rise of vinyl wallpaper, McVicker’s business declined. A teacher friend suggested using it as modeling clay, and the rest is history. By 1955, the wallpaper cleaner was reborn as Play-Doh, a staple in classrooms and homes worldwide. [1]
Post-it Notes
Post-it notes are essential for reminders and organization. In 1968, Dr. Spence Silver at 3M was trying to develop a super-strong adhesive but instead created a weak, pressure-sensitive one dubbed “unglue.” Years later, Art Fry, another 3M scientist, found a use for it in his hymn book. He was tired of bookmarks falling out. Applying the “unglue” to paper, he created a bookmark that stayed put without damaging the pages. In 1977, 3M launched “Press ‘N Peel,” later renamed “Post-its,” and achieved phenomenal success. [2]
Bubble Wrap
Bubble wrap is everyone’s favorite stress reliever. In 1957, engineers Alfred W. Fielding and Marc Chavannes at Sealed Air Corporation tried to create textured wallpaper by sealing two shower curtains with bubbles between them. The wallpaper idea flopped, but in 1959, IBM announced a new computer. Sealed Air Corp proposed using bubble wrap as a protective packaging material. IBM agreed, and bubble wrap became a global standard for protecting fragile items. [3]
Super Glue
Super Glue is known for its incredible bonding power. During World War II, Dr. Harry Wesley Coover sought to create clear plastic gun sights for allied forces. He discovered cyanoacrylate, an extremely sticky compound, but it stuck to everything, hindering the project. In 1951, while assisting a team at Eastman Kodak to create heat-resistant polymers for jet engines, Coover rediscovered cyanoacrylate. Fred Joyner, an assistant, used it to glue prisms together, and they bonded instantly. Eastman Kodak began production, licensing it to Loctite, which sold it as “Super-Bonder.” Super Glue was also used in the Vietnam War to seal soldiers’ wounds, saving lives by quickly stopping the bleeding. [4]
The Treadmill
The treadmill is a popular fitness machine, but its origins are far from health-focused. The earliest treadmills appeared in the Roman Empire as treadwheels in ancient cranes, where men walked inside to lift heavy weights. In the 1800s, farmers used horses on treadmills to power stationary machines, coining the term “Horse Power.” In 1818, William Cubitt created prison treadmills in Great Britain, where prisoners ground corn as a form of hard labor. These penal treadmills ended with the Prison Act of 1889. Only in the 1960s did Bill Staub and Dr. Kenneth Cooper create the first home exercise treadmill. [5]
WD-40
WD-40 is a versatile maintenance product. In 1953, the Rocket Chemical Company sought to create a rust-preventing chemical for the aerospace industry. It took them 40 attempts to perfect their Water Displacement substance, hence WD-40. Convair first used WD-40 on the Atlas missile’s outer shell. Employees took bottles for themselves. In 1960, Norm Larsen commercially sold WD-40 in cans. The company grew, and in 1961, WD-40 was used to treat vehicles and houses damaged by Hurricane Carla. By 1969, the company was renamed WD-40 Company, Inc.. [6]
Chewing Gum
Chewing gum has ancient roots. In Mayan and Aztec cultures, it was known as chicle and used as food and breath freshener. In 1869, Thomas Adams Sr. learned about chicle from Mexican general Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Adams tried making rain boots, face masks, and toys from it, but without success. He then flavored the chicle, creating “Adams New York Chewing Gum.” By 1870, Adams and Sons sold sour orange-flavored gum as candy, eventually patenting a chewing gum machine. [7]
The Necktie
The necktie is a staple of formal wear. During the 17th century, French King Louis XIII hired Croatian mercenaries. These soldiers wore ornate cloths around their necks to hold up their jackets. King Louis liked the cloth designs and made them mandatory at Royal Gatherings, calling them “La Cravate.” The modern tie likely emerged around the 1920s. [8]
Listerine
Listerine is a popular mouthwash used worldwide. In 1865, inspired by Louis Pasteur’s germ theory and Sir Joseph Lister’s antiseptic surgery, Doctor Joseph Lawrence created a solvent to disinfect wounds. He named it “LISTERINE” after Sir Joseph Lister. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was sold as a floor cleaner, deodorant, and disease remedy. Only in 1923 did it become an antiseptic mouthwash. [9]
The Slinky
The Slinky is a classic toy. In 1943, mechanical engineer Richard James tried to invent a spring to stabilize naval equipment. Accidentally knocking springs off a shelf, he saw them uncoil and “gently” land. He decided to turn the tension spring into a toy. His wife, Betty, named it “Slinky,” meaning “graceful and sinuous in movement.” After experimentation and a $500 loan, they sold 400 Slinkys in minutes at Gimbels Department Store in Philadelphia in 1945. [10]
From wallpaper cleaner to children’s toy, these products’ unexpected journeys highlight human creativity and adaptability. Who knows what other everyday items have hidden pasts?
What surprised you the most? Leave a comment below!
