How many of you have stopped to read the tags on your clothes or the instructions on the back of plastic containers? Look, we all know you still bring your dirty laundry over to your mom's for her to wash, so you're not checking any care directions. That doesn't mean companies don't put any thought into what they write on those. Some even include funny jokes that are bound to give the user some laughs! Fortunately, there are people online who do look at tags, so we've gathered some of the most hilarious ones and put them all in one list. Are you ready to check them out?
Sometimes You Just Need a Reminder
Imagine you finally receive your new bookcase from IKEA, but now you have to put it together. The second you open the instruction manual, you start to realize that the task will take you a lot longer and require more help than you thought. It's pretty much become a running joke that IKEA products are anything but easy to assemble. However, it might become more manageable if it had reminders like these.
We love an instruction manual that helps you avoid straining your back or reminds you which way screws are meant to be... well, screwed. Every product should include these tips.
Snacks Can Be Healthy and Helpful
When you buy hummus, what do you expect to find printed on the package? The company's ethos, perhaps. The ingredients list, for sure. If you're lucky, there might even be a recipe for a dish or something with garbanzo beans. What nobody would ever expect is for it to come with instructions on how to make a chair. Curiously, that's exactly what this bag of hummus came with.
We stand corrected: they're directions to build a bench, not a chair. This type of bench is supposed to be ideal to sit and study wildlife with.
That's Ominous...
Admittedly, clothing tags can be helpful. We use them all the time to figure out if a new piece of clothing can be out in the dryer or if that one jacket we never wash has some special care instructions. Trust us, not following those directions cost us plenty of tops. What we never expected them to have was life advice or, even worse, an ominous warning.
Fortunately, this is just a gimmick some brands adopt to get people interested in their products because if you find something like this, it's bound to make an impression. At least, we hope so...
Do as It Says or Else
When you first set out on your own, it can be tough to handle all the household chores you now need to do. One of them is laundry. There's so much to remember! Wash light and dark colors separately in case they bleed; use cold water for knits (shrinking a sweater is almost a rite of passage), and follow tag instructions. Fortunately, the ones on these pants are obvious.
Anyone who uses bleach on these after such a vehement message telling them not to has to be an agent of chaos. They just want to watch the world burn!
An Uplifting Circuit Board
One thing we only realized recently is that it's not just clothes that have hidden messages and threats in their tags. People like including notes in the computer they put together and the machines they service. However, what we'd never thought we'd see is a message carved directly into the circuit board of an electronic music device. If you don't believe us, take a look at this.
Who would've thought that a machine would have feelings? Well, it's more like the person who put it together felt very strongly about the positive impact of music, but whatever.
Pep Talk Included in Manual
Moving is stressful. It's not just having to put all your belongings in boxes just to put them on a truck or U-Haul and take everything out a few hours later. It's also having to put together any new furniture you've bought. If you've ever done that, you know it takes physical and mental effort. That's why we think it's a good idea for instructions to include motivational phrases like these.
The prospect of ending the day sitting on the couch and watching TV is enough motivation to get the task done. Especially if what you're building is the sofa.
The Warning Isn't Unwarranted
Who else here loves takeout? In our opinion, the best Friday night plan is to get food from our favorite Chinese or sushi place and eat it on the couch while watching old seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race or Law and Order if that's what we're in the mood for. Why go out to drink? No, we'd rather have some orange chicken at home. It's something we could easily get addicted to.
That's why, for us, everything this box says is entirely accurate. If we were to consume it regularly, we'd develop high blood pressure and clogged arteries at 32.
You've Been Hit By... A Smooth Criminal
We know that we've said nobody looks at clothes tags or instructions, but the truth is that they are essential. How many times have people confidently assumed they didn't need any help or directions and ended up doing irreparable damage to their brand-new product? By "people," we mean us, of course. That's why we hope that by showing you these funny manuals, you'll be inspired to read them more.
Using drawings of Michael Jackson to show how the product shouldn't be used is brilliant. Some companies put so much effort into manuals that it'd be a waste not to look at them!
It Came With a Surprise Inside
Having pets is an investment, and we don't just mean because feeding them and keeping them healthy requires significant funds. It's also because whatever toys you buy them won't last very long. We'd like to ask all the pet owners reading this to think about their pup's record for fastest squeaky toy destruction. It can be a bummer, but at least a few have some funny messages hidden inside.
It won't save you the pain of having to invest your hard-earned cash into buying another toy your pup will destroy instantly, but at least it'll give you a laugh!
How to Fold Clothes and Tacos
One of the most overwhelming parts of moving out alone isn't just doing chores but learning how to do them. Sure, you might've done a few loads of laundry while you were still living with your parents, but you probably didn't iron any pants or fold any of your t-shirts. Those tasks may look simple, but they're not. Fortunately, some tags have instructions that guide you through the process.
They even included a thumbprint so beginners would know exactly where to place their fingers. It's not just a fun little addition but a useful one as well.
If It's Not a Joke, It's Sad
Good comedians know that sometimes stating the obvious can be the funniest joke in the repertoire. Then again, if there's one thing social media has proven is that what's "obvious" may not be that apparent to some people. You'd think nobody would have any issues figuring out how to use a mug, but you'd be surprised to find out that it may very well be the case for some.
Still, we think the usage instructions on this mug have more of a comedic purpose than a practical one. We know even shampoo bottles come with instructions, but come on.
Do People Really Flush This Down the Toilet?
People flush all sorts of objects down the toilet. Don't believe us? Ask a plumber. They find all kinds of odd knickknacks in clogged pipes. This is one reason why public restrooms put signs specifying what can and can't be washed down into the sewers. Still, that doesn't stop some from completely ignoring them. Maybe being funny about it could help? At least, that's what this place tried.
Imagine what an ex's sweater would do to the place's pipes. That toilet would be out of commission for ages! Hopes and dreams wouldn't clog them up, but you should always keep those.
What Do You Think They Meant?
Did you know that those odd symbols most clothing tags have printed on are supposed to tell you how the garment should be washed and ironed? They're actually pretty information-dense. The crossed-out triangle means you shouldn't use bleach on it, while the one that looks like a bucket with water means it's safe to machine wash. Then again, some people understand words better than drawings, so this company decided to spell everything out.
It's helpful, up until they scream, "BEHAVE LIKE AN ANIMAL" at the end. What do you think that meant? Rub poop all over yourself? We guess that's one way to attract customers.
Check for Ghosts
Just as a heads up, half of this list of pictures will involve us trying to convince you that instruction manuals are worth reading. In fact, here's another reason why they're helpful. Did you know that they have sections where they help you troubleshoot if your tool or appliance isn't working correctly? This person's power generator was malfunctioning, so they looked at the manual and found this.
Apparently, generators can get haunted, and you may have to become a ghost whisperer if you want it to work again. If the manual says it, it must be legit.
Nice Tune
What's even more boring than clothes tags? Barcodes, of course. They don't even have fun symbols or serve any purpose other than allowing the cashier to identify the item by scanning it. However, that doesn't mean they can't be whimsical. Some brands make them in the shape of mountains or bottles. This one decided to take it up a notch and made it almost interactive. Well, not exactly, but you'll see what we mean.
They added hands to make the bars look like piano keys. Isn't that cute? The funniest part is that the product doesn't seem related to music production in any way!
Wait Until You Hear About Santa
Ah, maternity clothes... They're expensive, you'll only wear them for a few months, and they'll stay in your closet gathering dust until you finally bring yourself to donate them or—God forbid—you get pregnant again. We're just kidding; it's not always bad, but it's undoubtedly an expensive process. It seems some clothing brands know this and use their tags to inspire people to take it with humor.
That’s right. The stork won’t deliver that baby; mom will! We guess many mothers would’ve preferred a bird had brought their child instead of going through the pain of labor.
Thank Cheesus!
Some people say grace before eating a meal. Others offer up a different prayer. Then again, many don't wait to dig into their dinners but may give thanks to more esoteric beings, like the cheese gods mentioned here. You may wonder if part of the original was lost in translation, but if you read it aloud, they'd realize that whoever wrote it was making a completely intentional joke.
You see, "cheeses" sounds very similar to "Jesus" if you read it with an American accent. However, we wouldn't be against thanking the cheese gods for the meal.
It's Something at Least
Can we take a moment to discuss how clothing brands haven't always had the best track record when it comes to body positivity? How many times did we feel ashamed of not being thin enough back in the day? Fortunately, they've become much better at avoiding that in recent years. The most significant step was offering more inclusive sizing, but a few brands even started adding kind messages to their clothes.
We don't know how much of a difference something a pair of jeans says can make, but it could at least give people a slight boost of confidence.
Details That'll Make You Smile
A story doesn't have to be long to make you feel something. There are plenty of one-line short tales that leave you reeling, like the one that goes, "Baby shoes. Never worn." Some might be creepy, but others can be inspiring. Besides, there are stories everywhere, even in clothing tags! The amount of text in this one might put you off reading it initially, but you'll be pleasantly surprised if you do.
It doesn't just include care instructions for the garment but for the wearer as well. Isn't that nice? It's small, but even a little bit of positivity can make your day.
A Polite Way to Ask People to Recycle
Now, it's more important than ever to reduce the waste we produce, reuse old items instead of throwing them away, and recycle anything we can. Because of that, many companies have begun adding little messages to their cardboard boxes to encourage people to do it. You might've seen the row of tiny letters at the bottom of your pastry box before, but we bet you didn't realize they spelled out something funny.
Admittedly, we would be in an excellent mood after downing a few pastries. Then again, we might be too full to care about anything but our stomachs.
Friendly Advice to Dudes Out There
This is a question for all the men out there. Does not asking for directions or reading instructions really make you more "manly"? Because not checking the label and ruining a sweater isn't exactly something to be proud of. Honestly, you'd save a pretty penny if you didn't just throw knitwear into the dryer without checking if you should. Maybe you should follow this tag's advice and ask your girlfriend.
Then again, perhaps you shouldn't because being a woman doesn't mean you're born with a comprehensive knowledge of how to wash stuff. Most ladies just read the labels...
Just Blame the Broom for Everything
We bring you a new discovery. It's a piece of information you've probably never heard before. Something that'll blow your mind. Did you know that monuments have use instructions? Well, it's more like a list of what you can and cannot do while visiting them. Now that we think about it, the info isn't as revolutionary as we thought it was. However, this landmark's sign certainly proposes novel activities to do.
Would the broom answer if we asked it for cleaning advice? Also, we don't think blaming the broom for the degradation of contemporary morals is correct, but that's just us.
How to Wash the Day's Worries Away
Some items are valuable because you can use them for almost everything. For example, some stand mixers can be used to whip, mix, grind beef, make pasta, and much more. On the contrary, shower curtains serve only one function, although that doesn't make them less critical. In fact, they might be even more essential than a stand mixer, especially if it's one like this, which also teaches you how to relax.
You probably know already that to relax, you need to get eight hours of sleep and wash all your troubles away, but sometimes life isn't so simple.
Save a Toaster From a Gruesome Death
Have you ever seen those videos where people cook stakes in a toaster? That set off a chain reaction that saw the poor appliances be thoroughly abused for views. You don't need an instruction manual to know that you should only put bread in a toaster, but just in case, this one came with a very descriptive set of drawings that showed what not to do with it.
Weirdly, it wouldn't surprise us to learn that someone tried to wash a toaster by putting it under the faucet. However, we don't understand why anyone would put it in the oven.
That's One Way to Get People to Excercise
Every day, new studies come out that further prove how vital regular exercise is for our well-being. It doesn't just keep you fit physically but also helps you stay healthy mentally. Not to mention, it'll help you retain independence as you age. Fitness brands love driving the point home in any way possible, but we admit that what this shoe company did is a bit more out there.
Putting a reminder of the inevitability of death is one way to get people to exercise more. At least, we think that's what they were going for.
An Alternative Way to Get Underwear Clean
We recently learned that we'd been doing something wrong for most of the time we've lived on our own. Previously, we did our laundry as usual, throwing everything into the washer and putting it on the cold water setting to avoid anything shrinking. However, someone recently told us that we weren't supposed to wash underwear in the same way. Is that true? If it is, we'll have to find another method.
We could try wearing our underwear in the shower and washing it along with our bodies, as this tag advises. Maybe that way, we'll stop getting holes in them.
The Fascinating History of Diapers
What we're about to say might sound ridiculous to many, but the history of diapers is fascinating. For most of human history, they were made of cloth, washed, and reused. It wasn't until 1948 that the first disposable versions started appearing on the market, and they didn't become widespread until 1961. Curiously, reusable diapers have come back in fashion, and the usage instructions are pretty much what we imagined.
It doesn't take a genius to realize that you should clean them out after every poop. If you don't, the biggest problem won't be ruining the diaper but stinking up the whole house.
In Case Any Aliens Visit Us
Everyone complains about how IKEA instructions are impossible to follow. That doesn't stop people from buying their products. The bottom line is that they're cute and affordable, so there will always be customers who prefer shopping there. Besides, everyone gets the tables and chairs assembled in the end. That doesn't mean they haven't made an effort to make the manuals more accessible. They've even created one for aliens!
If extraterrestrials ever visit the Earth, they'll be able to buy IKEA furniture and put it together just as regular humans do: struggling the whole way and being confused.
Why Do Artisanal Breweries Do This?
Artisanal breweries, much like artisanal bakeries, have popped up all over the world in numbers lately. It's almost as though young people can't afford to buy houses, so they spend their money on alcohol and food. We're only half joking. There should be no age limit on enjoying a good meal and quality drinks. However, there's one thing we've noticed about these upscale breweries: they always include bizarre messages in their boxes.
Where to start with all that's written on this box? It seems the brewery used it more as a way to communicate its values than a tool to pass on helpful information.
Otherwise Colonel Sanders Will Hunt You Down
Remember how Plankton was always trying to steal the secret recipe for the Krabby Patty in SpongeBob SquarePants? Well, it turns out that it might not be that different from real life. It seems fast food chains are always trying to one-up each other. Take the case of KFC, which is fiercely protective of its famous blend of spices, so much so that its frozen bags come with a warning.
Did you notice that the ingredients list just says "spices"? It seems the people at KFC guard their secrets more closely than the stingy Mr. Krabs does.
Oh, the Irony...
We've been talking about labels all this time without realizing that we were falling into the classic trap society pushes us into: labeling ourselves. Who cares if you don't follow instructions? Even if you do, it's fine. The point is that people should be free to do as they want, and brands should be free to put useless tags on their clothes. See? This one knows what's what.
The label is talking about avoiding being labeled; isn't that ironic? Nobody should be following the advice they read on a garment's tag, but in this case, it's valid.
Some Packages Are Impossible to Open
Have you ever gotten a package that was impossible to open? Back when we still went to shops to buy electronics, they used to have these plastic zip-ties that were a pain to open. No scissors could cut them, and no knives could saw through them. They almost made you want to burn the whole thing to the ground. See? That's a product that would've benefited from having opening instructions like these.
We can't admit or deny it, but we may have considered taking an axe to those zip-ties. However, where would we get one? Using a carrot is a stretch, though.
This Coffee Bag Came With Two Instructions!
If you've browsed TikTok or Instagram recently, you might've noticed there's a suspicious abundance of videos of people making coffee. That said, they don't just throw a spoonful of Folger's instant coffee into a mug with boiling water. These people roast their beans, grind them, and then do a hundred steps we'd never seen before. Fortunately, regular coffee bags don't come with such detailed instructions, except for this one.
We forgot to mention that the detailed explanation was for how to tie a tie. It still tells you how to brew a cup of coffee, but what a fun bonus!
Who Wears a Shirt Without Pants?
Remember that pair of underwear that said you could wear the garment in the shower to wash it? Well, it turns out that not every clothing company recommends you wash their products at the same time you wash your body. Still, it doesn't mean the brand that made this tag wasn't fun. They put all their resources into designing unique symbols to print alongside the regular how-to-wash instructions.
We wonder what type of consumer buys a shirt but forgets to wear pants when they go outside. If that's their target, they mustn't have too much business.
It's Safety, but Also Good Branding
Did anyone else enjoy putting dry ice into water and watching the white vapor rise as kids? Or was that just us? We remember our mom yelling at us not to touch it under any circumstances, which, in retrospect, was good advice. Who knows how many people have burnt their fingers by handling solidified carbon dioxide without being safe? Fortunately, this package came with some tips to avoid injury.
In addition, whoever wrote it had the brilliant idea of using humor to illustrate their point better. Besides, it's a company that makes stuff for dogs, so this is good branding.
PSA: Don't Leave Scottish Drinks in the Sun
If there are any people from the UK reading this, there's something we'd like to ask. Is it true that it's always cloudy over there? Judging by what the movies show, the sun never shines in London, but by that criteria, it doesn't shine in Edinborough either... or in the rest of Scotland. That said, it seems even the local lemonade companies have embraced this stereotype as accurate.
No soft drink deals well with being left in the sun, but apparently, Scottish drinks hate it even more. We're curious why it says to turn the bottle upside down.
It Illustrates Vegans Perfectly
We've got nothing against vegans. If we all incorporated more plant-based foods into our diets, we'd probably be healthier. However, some of those who have eschewed animal products can sometimes get a bit annoying about getting others to do the same. Actually, they get very annoying. Unfortunately, even plant-based products sometimes suffer from being a little bit too intense. If you don't understand what we mean, here's a graphic description.
All those extra letters and the odd lack of spaces make this text pretty overwhelming to look at. We've stared at it forever and still don't know what it says.
An Important Reminder
Here's one for the men reading this. Have you ever put on pants and went to do up the zipper when suddenly, it snags on something... and then you feel the pain? That something was your skin, and the one covering a very delicate body part, at that. We imagine it's many people's worst nightmare, but just in case you need to be reminded to be careful, these pants will give you one.
You may not love to be reminded of such a painful experience, but it's undeniably a nice touch. Any brand can make a pair of pants, but these are special.
It Gives a New Meaning to "Detailed"
Have you ever wondered why people who don't have dads call when they need a lightbulb replaced? Or if they need to put together a piece of furniture? Some could call a neighbor or the super if they live in an apartment. Then again, they can also get a friend's help. If they buy whatever item came with this, they could even tell them how long it'd take.
See? This is a helpful instruction manual. It tells you enough information to make everyone's life easier, even that of whoever you manage to convince to help you.
This Deodorant Has a Message for Us
In the real world, most people don't go about showing their armpits to everyone. That's not what deodorant ads want to make you think, though. They always show men and women with their arms raised as though life was a classroom, and they always had questions to ask. That said, we have to admit we appreciate when they market their product with something other than "it'll make you not stink."
At least this company's original with its use of black humor as a marketing strategy. Do you think it smells like mint? You know, because it keeps the pits in "mint" condition?