Updated September 18, 2023 106.2K votes 19.8K voters 1.7M views
Over 19.8K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Secrets Behind Widely Used Products
Voting Rules
Upvote the most fascinating and helpful secrets behind your favorite everyday brands
Nothing is ever quite what it seems, and in America the majority of our products have quite a few tricks up their sleeves. Whether it's false branding, false marketing, or an accidental origin story, it seems like we can never get a straight answer on any of our favorite products. These everyday, common products, have some shady truths hidden behind their snazzy labels, and some of these brand name secrets will save you all kinds of cash.
While you might have heard a couple of these product secrets before, there are definitely a few on this list that will surprise you. For instance, did you know that Hamilton Beach Brands was satisfying housewives waaaay before they started producing toasters? Or that the long standing myth about Jell-O being made from horse hooves is actually false (but the truth is just as disgusting), and that you aren't totally getting your moneys worth with Double Stuf Oreos?
Take a gander at all of these product secrets and weird brand origin stories and prepare to have everything you've ever known about Mr. Clean Magic Erasers fall apart. Okay, maybe that's a bit of an overstatement but we do hope that your mind is at least slightly blown at some of these product secrets.
Upvote the best secret, whether it's the grossest origin story, the craziest ingredients in your favorite foods, or the best accidental inventions of common items. You'll definitely question your next purchases after getting the scoop on these widely used household products.
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Lysol Was Originally Sold as a Cleanser for Your Lady Parts
Back in the 1920s, Lysol used to be sold as a vaginal douching product, promising its customers that it would curb vaginal odor and help maintain marital bliss. Yeah, let that one sink in...
Many people have Hamilton Beach to thank for a lot of their happiness. The company we all associate with toasters and other household appliances was the first to patent the electric vibrator back in 1902.
Just when you thought you were getting your daily source of fruits, it turns out that the "strawberries" and "peaches" in Quaker Instant Oatmeal are actually flavored dehydrated apples. The "blueberries" are flavored dried figs.
Have you ever wondered why Pepto-Bismol is so effective in moving along your uh... movements? The key ingredient in Pepto-Bismol is bismuth, a metal that has 86% of the density of lead. Bismuth is used because it is toxic to some bacteria that cause diarrhea, and because the weight of the bismuth allows it to displace stomach contents very effectively and reach the source of your problems efficiently.
We can personally attest that Mr. Clean's "Magic Erasers" really are magic. However, they're actually repackaged melamine sponges that you can order online for a couple cents each. Makes us question why we fork over a couple bucks for the brand name!
Play Doh was originally sold as wallpaper cleaner in the 1930s until classrooms started using it as modeling clay. It eventually became rebranded as a toy in 1950s. Kind of makes you rethink eating it all the time as a kid.
