Outdated houses are stuffed with character—and design quirks like cellphone niches and card desk doorways. If there’s a mysterious slot (or two) behind your drugs cupboard, then your toilet wall could also be crammed with one thing surprising.

Homes constructed within the early to mid-1900s with an unique drugs cupboard within the toilet could have an unassuming little slot on the again wall. As soon as upon a time, these slots served a shocking function: to eliminate razor blades! Right here’s a short historical past in your drugs cupboard razor slot.

Why do drugs cupboards have a razor slot?

Security razors for males had been invented within the early 1900s. The primary one was launched in 1903 by Gillette, the identical razor model that many individuals use immediately!

Designed to permit males to shave at house as an alternative of visiting a barber store, these at-home razors had replaceable blades that wanted to be modified periodically. Nevertheless, this left households with piles of used razor blades to eliminate, and so they couldn’t be tossed into the trash, because the used blades had been technically a biohazard. So what did they do? Drop the blades into their partitions!

To create a “secure” strategy to eliminate used razor blades, drugs cupboards had been designed with a razor-sized slot within the again. The cupboard was put in into the lavatory wall between two studs, and when males wanted a brand new razor blade, they’d drop the used one into the empty space throughout the wall. Out of sight, out of thoughts! There are many quirks you might discover in historic houses, however that is undoubtedly one which may catch you off guard.

This observe tapered off within the ’70s when absolutely disposable razors grew to become the norm, however most of the cupboards—and the piles of razors within the wall—are nonetheless round immediately.

Is it harmful?

Having partitions crammed with razor blades does sound a bit ominous, however there’s no actual hazard as long as your wall stays intact. The blades aren’t going wherever, as they’re trapped between the studs throughout the wall.

Nevertheless, for those who determine to renovate and open up the wall, you’ll need to use warning, particularly within the space behind the drugs cupboard. Put on protecting gear whereas working within the space, and for those who discover a cache of previous blades, you might need to buy a blade financial institution to eliminate them safely.