Earlier this month, Reddit user WoOoOoOoShHhHh asked people to share industry secrets in the fields they work in.
Let's just say you'll be glad to know what you learned after reading this post. Let's dive in!
1. This dentist dropped some helpful info about toothpaste:
"Here’s the lowdown on toothpaste: As long as it has fluoride, they are all basically the same. The only difference is the packaging. So whether it says whitening, gum protection, or whatever else — it is all exactly the same. The exception is that sensitivity toothpaste typically does have an extra active ingredient: KNO3, which helps with sensitivity. Don’t ever feel obligated to buy the expensive toothpaste because you think it will be better for your teeth, just buy whatever you like best."
2. This aircraft fueler gave some advice about traveling with pets:
"Don't check your pets in kennels, especially in the summer and winter. They are subjected to some very harsh environments — left on belt loaders in the sweltering heat, right next to a running APU that's loud enough to deafen human ears. It's terrible. I always feel so sorry for them. Also, if your departure is delayed, 90% of the time it's us (the fueler). If there's a truck sitting under the wing, we're the reason you're late. Sorry."
3. These secondhand store employees shared what happens after items are donated:
"We don't clean anything that we sell, and we get some really gross stuff that touches everything else. So, next time you buy something, wash it well."
"Fifty percent of what you donate ends up in the trash because we don’t have the space for it, or we just deem it too ugly."
4. This bulk buyer brought bad news about the cleanliness of grocery stores:
"If you're someone who purchases bulk nuts, grains, etc. — just know that those bins are probably rarely cleaned, and even when they are 'cleaned,' odds are they were just rinsed out/wiped down to look clean. When I took over, our bulk department had no cleaning logs or sanitizing procedure. The bins had moths/insect colonies and mold in them. Our store was opened nearly five years prior."
5. This jewelry store employee gave some useful tips when shopping for stones:
"Most of the prettiest gemstones are also very affordable. Tanzanite is a beautiful purple and looks nicer than amethyst. Topaz comes in lots of colors, including a pretty blue color, which can be as nice as aquamarine. Opals aren't as brightly rainbow hued as they look in pictures."
6. This employee flat-out exposed student loan companies:
"The life of a student loan servicer... They lie to their customers about not saving their credit card information because we aren't supposed to. We also save their social, addresses, and five of their most recent phone numbers and bank account numbers."
7. This résumé screener let everyone in on a promising little secret:
"Job 'requirements' are more of a wish-list situation. Never let some unchecked boxes deter you from applying — you have no idea what the applicant pool is like. The biggest boon, especially at small companies, is someone who legitimately cares."
8. This construction worker helped saved people a lot of money:
"If your windows or sliding doors are tough to open and close, 9 times out of 10, we put your own dish soap on the tracks and the thing works perfectly. It take five minutes and we charge $150. Dish soap, people — it's better than WD-40 sometimes."
10. This heating and cooling expert offered money-saving tips:
"Change your dirty furnace filters and clean your AC coils outside. These make up an easy 30% of my calls for no heat/cooling. You have two coils, inside and outside. Your furnace filter keeps the inside one clean, so make sure that filter is clean!! Outside coil — kill power to the unit, remove the coil guard and top. Don’t use high pressure water. Simply use a shower setting and hold it a few inches away from the coil. Do from both ways. Button that beauty up and wait for it to dry before turning the power back on."
11. This attorney gave simple but important advice:
"The secret is shut the fuck up."
12. This head chef revealed why restaurant food tastes so good:
"There is way more butter than you think in almost every dish you eat at fancy restaurants, and that is usually the reason you won't see the amount of calories in each dish."
13. This bath shop employee shared how people are tricked into thinking they have new scents:
"The scents they 'discontinue' will come back with a different name and new marketing. They’re just recycling the scents."
14. This RV technician proved some things are NOT built to last:
"Shit is designed to start breaking after around 44 uses. Most RV owners use their trailers on weekends, but not every weekend. So, that 44 uses — on average — stretches between two and three years."
15. And this restaurant staffer came clean about the price of wine:
"The cheapest bottle of wine at a restaurant has the biggest markup."
So, there you have it! Do you have any more industry secrets you've learned to add to this list?! Let us know in the comments!
Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.