Every day we run across things that are puzzling in some fashion. Maybe it’s a complex concept or a quirky gadget. Even when we don’t fully grasp a thing, we often cling to the hope that it has a purpose, that it truly does something. That’s where the magic of the ‘10 every day’ myth begins.
Depending on your perspective, you might feel a pang of disappointment—or an odd comfort—upon learning that some everyday objects simply accomplish nothing. They may have once served a function, or maybe they never did, but today they exist as pure, harmless fluff. Yet, they stubbornly linger in our routines.
10 Every Day Office Thermostats Control Nothing
This one’s for anyone who works in a building where they can actually reach the thermostat. Typically you’ll see them in office towers, though some retail spaces also expose them to staff. If a chilly morning greets you, you might stroll over, turn the dial up a few degrees, and hope the room warms up quickly.
Chances are you’ll be waiting a long while for any noticeable heat if you’re banking solely on that thermostat. In reality, most office thermostats aren’t linked to any HVAC system. Roughly 90% of these controls in large corporate buildings are outright dummy units. Some even emit a faint hum to convince you that something’s happening, when in truth, nothing changes.
These faux thermostats have been around for more than half a century, and the motive is fairly straightforward: cost‑saving. Landlords prefer to keep heating and cooling static to cut expenses. Yet tenants often complain, so fake dials are installed to give the illusion of control—a true temperature placebo.
9 Close Door Buttons On Elevators Rarely Work
If you assumed thermostats are the only useless buttons, think again. Have you ever pressed the close‑door button in an elevator and felt it drag its feet? That sluggishness isn’t an accident—it’s often disconnected entirely.
Legally, an elevator door must remain fully open for three seconds according to the Americans with Disabilities Act, giving anyone with a disability enough time to step in. To stay compliant, many manufacturers simply disable the close‑door button so it can’t violate that rule. Since the act’s passage in 1990, any elevator built afterward likely has a non‑functional close button, unless a special key override—like those used by firefighters—is employed.
For what it’s worth, older elevators might still have a working close button, even though they technically shouldn’t. The open‑door button, however, remains operational on virtually every lift.
8 Citronella Candles Don’t Keep Mosquitoes Away
Mosquitoes can be a real nuisance depending on where you live and the season. Nobody enjoys the itchy bites, let alone the diseases they can spread. Consequently, a booming market exists for products promising to keep those pests at bay.
One of the classic go‑to solutions for campers is the citronella candle—those sunny‑yellow sticks that emit a lemony, acrid smoke meant to drive bugs elsewhere.
Citronella, a plant with a citrus‑like scent, is often marketed as a mosquito repellent, but scientific studies show citronella candles are no better than any ordinary candle at keeping insects away. Compared with proven repellents like DEET, they fall flat.
If you truly want to keep mosquitoes at bay, there are methods backed by research. If you’re looking to waste money, you could buy a sonic mosquito repeller or a citronella candle—both of which do nothing.
7 Crosswalk Buttons Rarely Do Anything
Thought we were done with pointless buttons? Think again. The world is riddled with switches that merely give you the illusion of influence. Crosswalk buttons are a prime example—they often aren’t hooked up to anything.
Contrary to popular belief, when they do work, they don’t magically speed up the walk signal at the cost of traffic. Their real purpose is simply to signal a pedestrian’s intent to cross. The system won’t necessarily guarantee a safe crossing unless the button has been pressed, but the traffic lights will still turn green for cars, and the pedestrian signal will change accordingly.
During peak traffic periods, many municipalities switch the system into a default mode where button presses are ignored, allowing the lights to follow a preset schedule regardless of waiting pedestrians.
There have even been instances where cities have completely disabled the buttons. In 2018, CNN reported that only about 100 of the city’s 1,000 crosswalk buttons actually performed any function, a steep drop from the 750 that worked back in 2004.
6 Most Cough Medicines Don’t Actually Work
When cold and flu season rolls around, the market for cough syrups explodes. Nobody wants to endure a day of relentless hacking, so a $3.6 billion global industry has sprung up around soothing that tickle.
Research indicates that many over‑the‑counter formulations containing ingredients such as budesonide, fluticasone, salbutamol, ipratropium, and montelukast offer little to no real cough‑suppressing benefit. While some syrups contain antihistamines or decongestants that can provide modest relief, the core “cough‑stop” component appears to be largely a placebo.
In short, if you’re hoping a bottle will silence your cough, you’ll likely need to wait it out, as the medicine itself probably isn’t doing the heavy lifting.
5 Phenylephrine, Found In Decongestants, Does Nothing At All
A recent wave of studies has revealed that phenylephrine—a staple in over 260 decongestant products ranging from Mucinex to Tylenol—offers essentially zero therapeutic effect. Multiple trials have concluded it has no measurable benefit, prompting doctors to petition the FDA for its removal from the market.
Phenylephrine rose to fame riding on the coattails of pseudoephedrine, the active ingredient in Sudafed that required ID verification because of its use in illicit meth production. To sidestep those restrictions, manufacturers marketed phenylephrine as a “safe” alternative, yet it never delivered comparable decongestant power.
In essence, phenylephrine is no better than a sugar pill despite aggressive advertising and the billions it generates.
4 Sports Drinks Are Pointless
Gatorade reigns supreme in the sports‑drink arena, boasting a legacy of being the go‑to hydration solution for athletes. Its branding touts a scientifically‑engineered formula that supposedly outperforms water.
Much of the research supporting those claims originates from the very companies that sell the drinks, creating a clear conflict of interest. Independent studies, however, paint a different picture.
Research shows that most people don’t need to replenish electrolytes after typical workouts; a simple blood test after a 45‑minute run revealed normal sugar and electrolyte levels, meaning water alone was sufficient. In fact, drinking a sugary sports drink post‑exercise can add unnecessary calories and sodium.
3 Kinesiology Tape Has No Science Proving It Does Anything
If you’ve ever seen athletes wrapped in bright, stretchy strips, you’ve encountered kinesiology tape. Marketed since the 1970s as a tool to stabilize muscles and boost circulation, its popularity has only grown.
Despite the hype, rigorous scientific reviews have found no credible evidence that the tape improves performance, speeds recovery, or reduces pain. It remains a classic example of modern‑day snake oil.
The tape’s allure persists partly because of high‑visibility endorsements at events like the Olympics, and because at least one major manufacturer faced a class‑action lawsuit over exaggerated health claims—settling without admitting wrongdoing.
2 Foaming Agents In Soap Serve No Practical Purpose
Ever tried a new hand‑soap only to notice it barely lathers? Many of us associate a fluffy foam with cleaning power, but that perception is misleading.
In reality, the true cleaning agents are water and surfactants. Manufacturers add foaming agents solely because consumers expect a rich lather. The foam itself does not contribute to dirt removal.
Moreover, foaming soaps can be less effective than their liquid counterparts. When soap is pre‑foamed, it becomes aerosolized, which can diminish its antibacterial potency. Studies show that antibacterial foams eliminate fewer microbes than standard liquid soaps.
1 Pepsodent In Toothpaste Had No Purpose But Made People Feel Like It Did
Ever wonder why the majority of toothpaste flavors are minty? While several attempts at alternative flavors have surfaced, mint dominates because it creates a distinct tingling sensation that many associate with cleanliness.
In the early 1900s, an inventor launched a mint‑flavored toothpaste called Pepsodent. At that time, oral hygiene in America was virtually nonexistent. Within a decade of its debut, aggressive advertising—led by legend Claude C. Hopkins—helped half the nation adopt regular brushing.
Competitors later discovered that Pepsodent’s secret weapon was citric acid, which caused a pleasant mouth‑tingle. This sensation became a habit cue, convincing users that a “tingle” equated to a clean mouth.
In truth, the mint and tingle didn’t enhance dental health; they merely provided a psychological cue. Modern toothpaste doesn’t need a minty bite or a zing to be effective, yet the legacy of Pepsodent demonstrates how perception can drive widespread brushing habits, even when the product itself had no real functional advantage.