Did you know, a human brain processes color before it processes words or shapes? Nevertheless, these everyday things have been colored for specific reasons that we might not even know.
1. Fire Hydrants
You will often see fire hydrants in different colors in different places, the most common beings red and yellow (because they stand out and are easier to find).
The hydrants are color-coded according to the gallons of water (GPM) they can deliver per minute. Depending on their size, they are used to hire different types of fires. Blue usually delivers the highest amount of water and red delivers the least.
2. Tires
The rubber used to make tires is actually white but the tires turn out to be carbon black, which is black in color, is added to it to increase its durability and keep away heat and UV light.
3. Traffic Lights
We all know that red means to stop, yellow means to wait, and green means to go. But who decides what colors mean what? Red color has the longest wavelength, which means it can be seen from large distances. The color red is also stimulating and associated with being active. Yellow has a shorter wavelength but longer than green.
4. Commercial Airplanes
Airplanes are painted white so that they reflect almost all the sunlight and absorb as less heat as possible. The color also helps planes take less time to cool down when they are parked.
5. Airplane Seats and Social Media Logos
Most airplane/public transport seats are blue. The color blue is considered to be calming and represents safety and reliability. Airplanes flying at height can often cause anxiety and frustration and hence blue tries to mitigate that.
It is because of the same reason that logos of some of the largest social media platforms are also blue.
6. Toilet Paper
Theoretically, toilet paper, which is made of paper should be brown in color. But it is whitened with bleach. Colouring a toilet paper would require extra costs to the manufacturer which isn’t a profitable deal too. Also, colored paper takes more time to decompose.
7. Soccer Balls
Soccer balls used to bleached while Adidas decided to pep things up and add black blocks to them. Black and white balls were easier to spot on TV, which was also black and white at that time.
8. School Buses and Taxis
Yellow is easy to recognize. Hence school buses and taxis are often colored in a combination of yellow and black, making them easier to spot by students (or people) as well as other drivers on the road.
9. Zebra Crossings
Black and white make the perfect contrasting pair to be able to be seen from afar. This helps drivers to spot the zebra crossing from a distance and reduce their speed. The color also makes pedestrians standout from within a safe distance.
10. Hotel Bedsheets and Linens
No matter whether a hotel is luxurious or inexpensive, you’d always find white bedsheets and linens in your room. They are easiest to stain and that is exactly why they are used.
White sheets assure guests that the bed is clean and fresh. And because they look and feel so clean, they also give the impression of luxury.
Do you know any other everyday things that are a specific color for a specific reason?