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Few things take longer than deep cleaning your home. Not only because cleaning is something that feels neverending, but also because you usually find all sorts of stuff along the way, which tugs on your heartstrings or calls for further inspection.

That’s how you end up spending hours playing with things you had forgotten about. But it gets even more interesting—and likely, even more time consuming—when you find things you didn’t even know existed.

After stumbling upon such unexpected finds, many people show them off online, and that’s what today’s list is all about. We have combed through the internet to bring you some of the most unexpected and interesting old house finds that people have showcased. So, if you’re curious about the kind of treasures they have found from way back when, wait not a second longer and scroll down to browse them below.

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

I Found These In A Crawlspace In My Basement Mildly Curious

Rusty old metal keys with circular tops and ornate designs, found in an old house, held on a metal ring.

Barsidious_White Report

Final score:
96points
POST
RELATED:
    #2

    My Septuagenarian Mom Still Has Her ‘97 Softsoap Container To Match Her ‘97 Fish Bathroom

    Softsoap antibacterial hand soap with fish design on counter in bathroom with fish wallpaper, a bizarre thing in old houses.

    Just keep refilling, just keep refilling, just keep refilling, refilling, refilling.

    ZollieJones Report

    Final score:
    88points
    POST
    #3

    How Funny! My House Was Built In 1925 And I Am Tearing The Fireplace Out. In The Walls I Found Something Wrapped In Newspaper

    Burnt first prize string beans wrapped in old, charred newspaper found in an abandoned old house mystery.

    Its a sandwich wrapped in newspaper dated 1924.

    Report

    Final score:
    82points
    POST

    It’s safe to assume that many of these finds were unearthed when cleaning. And while that might not be a fun activity in and of itself, it does get more exciting when you find something dating years, if not decades, back.

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    Be that as it may, finding something really old or exciting when cleaning is less likely than finding clutter. Few homes can remain clutter-free for a long time, and chances are, you, too, have at least that everything drawer, where small, unnecessary items go to end their days.
    #4

    First Prize String Beans From September 1945 Found In My 102 Year Old Patient's Basement

    Glass jar with vintage 1945 first prize ribbon for home canned yellow wax beans on a wooden table in an old house.

    YorkTheNork Report

    Final score:
    80points
    POST
    #5

    We’re Having A Clear Out At My Nan’s House And We Just Found This Perfectly Preserved Early 1950s Bar Of Yardley’s Soap. Smells Great And It’s Not Cracked At All

    Vintage Yardley English lavender soap bar found in an old house, a bizarre item that left everyone confused.

    reddit.com Report

    Final score:
    77points
    POST
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    Whether it’s one drawer or an entire room, the clutter in our homes isn’t doing us much good. In an episode of Speaking of Psychology, Deacon Joseph Ferrari, PhD, professor of psychology and Saint Vincent DePaul Distinguished Professor at DePaul University in Chicago, noted that there’s a negative correlation between life satisfaction and clutter. The more clutter people have, the lower they report life satisfaction and the greater the stress they experience.

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    #6

    Mrs. Winslows Soothing Syrup. Friend Found It Under An Old House While Doing Pest Treatment

    Hand holding an old vintage bottle labeled Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup, a bizarre find in an old house.

    discontinued in the 1930s for becoming known as “Baby K**ler.” It was used for putting kids to sleep and teething infants, apparently contains 65 milligrams of morphine.

    nanidu Report

    Final score:
    77points
    POST
    #7

    I Will Never Throw These Away

    Vintage caramel apple candy packaging showing 6 caramel sheets and sticks, linked to first prize string beans found in old houses.

    We found these in my father’s house when he passed away. We found LOTS of items that fit in this sub, but these were my favorite!

    Tcarroll70 Report

    Final score:
    76points
    POST
    #8

    Helping Friend's Mum Clear Out Her House, Found Her Sexy Vatican Calendar (She's 94)

    Black and white portraits of men in clerical clothing displayed in a grid, an unusual find in old houses.

    BellaKaterina84 Report

    Final score:
    76points
    POST
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    Talking about why it is quite difficult to declutter your home, Dn. Joseph Ferrari, PhD, noted that it can be emotionally stressful or triggering; though, not necessarily in a negative way.

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    “When I pick the item up, it might bring me joy or happiness,” the psychologist pointed out. “I may look at it, I say, ‘Oh, I remember that good time we had. I got to keep that.’ Or I pick it up and I say, ‘Oh, yes, that was a really tough time in my life. That was some relationship, and I want to avoid it.’ So it could be a trigger to something in the past. And that’s one of the reasons it’s harder to declutter because it brings back either positive or negative emotions.”
    #9

    Cleaning Out Mil Old House

    Rare Louis XIII Grande Champagne cognac bottle found in an old house, intriguing vintage collectible item discovery.

    Found this old bottle of booze. It’s remy cognac… looks old.

    Available_Forever_32 Report

    Final score:
    71points
    POST
    #10

    Found Cleaning Out My Grandparents House That They’ve Lived In Since 1965

    Vintage packaged food items including Dream Whip, Nestlé Souptime, Jell-O dessert mix, Royal gelatin dessert, and Roast'n Toast oven cooking bag.

    Clementine7162 Report

    Final score:
    69points
    POST
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    #11

    I Was At My Grandparents House And I Found This In Their Things. I Love It

    Vintage Windsor computer model with keyboard and antenna, a bizarre thing found in old houses that left everyone confused.

    It's a radio that looks like those old computers, I'm glad I got to take this with me my grandma had past away so we were looking through some stuff so we could clean some of it out.

    AppointmentAny6045 Report

    Final score:
    66points
    POST

    Another reason why it’s so hard to declutter is people. Yes, people, especially those you share your space and belongings with.

    “Most of the time, the decision to keep or get rid of something is not just my own,” Dn. Ferrari said. “Perhaps you have a partner. Perhaps you’re living with someone. Perhaps there’s someone else, others in your life. So you want to throw it away, but the other people say, ‘No, we need to keep it.’ So it may not be your own decision. And getting rid of it would cause a conflict.”
    #12

    For All Of Your Chocolate Covered Poison Needs

    Old poison bottle labeled Strychnine Sulphate tablets found inside a vintage house, a bizarre discovery.

    There are still some left in the bottle - they look just like brown M&M minis. Does anyone know why this existed?

    OneBlueberry2480: During the turn of the century, small amounts were taken to encourage saliva production, and build a good appetite.

    flatgreysky Report

    Final score:
    65points
    POST
    #13

    1940’s Unused Roll Of Toilet Paper

    Vintage ScotTissue roll held in hand, a bizarre thing found in old houses puzzling collectors and history enthusiasts

    UnknownAristocracy Report

    Final score:
    62points
    POST
    #14

    Nanny Kept Everything

    Hand holding a vintage Coca-Cola syrup bottle, an unusual find in old houses that puzzled many collectors.

    ummmmmmmmidunno Report

    Final score:
    62points
    POST

    While it might not be easy to convince yourself—or your partner, roommate, or family member—to declutter the home and maybe throw some things out, doing that has several benefits. Not only does decluttering minimize stress levels, it also reportedly eliminates as much as 40% of housework in an average home.
    #15

    This Old Seven-Up Bottlers Flavor I Found At Grandma's House

    Vintage brown glass bottle of Seven-Up with old label, a bizarre thing found in old houses that left everyone confused.

    logicblocks Report

    Final score:
    59points
    POST

    Never miss a story that brings joy to the world. Follow on Google News

    #16

    The Original Key To My House Built In 1937. It Still Unlocks All Of The Doors In The House. The Creepy Thing Is, The Bedrooms Only Lock/Unlock From The Outside

    Old rusty metal key with unique shape and attached modern keys on a dark wooden surface in an old house.

    timetripper11 Report

    Final score:
    55points
    POST
    #17

    My Grandfather Worked In A Pringles Factory. Yes There Are Chips In There

    Vintage Pringles potato chips can from 1971, a bizarre thing found in old houses that left everyone confused.

    pleasedtomeetyou194 Report

    Final score:
    54points
    POST

    If this list made you curious about what you can find in your own home, consider this a reminder that it’s time to declutter! Who knows, maybe you’ll find something interesting in that drawer of yours.
    #18

    Still Wrapped 50 Year Old Condoms From Around 1971

    Vintage Dixie Deluxe c****m packaging found in an old house, showcasing rare and bizarre First Prize String Beans collectible item.

    BrickReek Report

    Final score:
    54points
    POST
    #19

    Found At Nan’s House - Glass Vase With Metal Grill Inside

    Crystal bowl with a metal grid insert, a bizarre vintage item found in old houses that left everyone confused.

    It's for arranging cut flowers (a rose bowl).

    BitingBuzzer Report

    Final score:
    54points
    POST
    #20

    Fixing Up An Old (100+ Years) House, Found This In The Back Room

    Hand holding vintage Uncle Remus syrup can, a bizarre thing found in old houses, with faded label and worn colors.

    Master-Wordsmith Report

    Final score:
    53points
    POST
    #21

    Found This Cleaning An Old Mans Basement

    Hand holding an old poison bottle with a faded label, one of the bizarre things found in old houses.

    RJA9786 Report

    Final score:
    53points
    POST
    #22

    Didn't Pick Up Almond Extract From The Grocery Store Because I Was Told We Already Had Some

    Hand holding a vintage bottle of Schilling pure almond extract, an unusual find in old houses.

    slizzwhiz Report

    Final score:
    51points
    POST
    #23

    Unopened Welches Jelly Jar From 1994. Found This At An Estate Sale This Summer

    Hand holding a vintage Winnie the Pooh jar, one of the bizarre things found in old houses that left everyone confused.

    crazylegolady Report

    Final score:
    51points
    POST
    #24

    Cleaning Out My Grandma's Basement And I Found A Bottle Of Arsenic

    Old glass bottle labeled Fowler’s Solution of Arsenic found among bizarre things in old houses.

    On another note does anyone know how to safely dispose of arsenic? The bottle is really cool and I want to keep it. I have no use for the actual arsenic in it. I feel like it's not one of those things I can just pour out on the ground with it being poison and all.

    eucher317 Report

    Final score:
    50points
    POST
    #25

    Thirsty Anyone?

    Vintage Hi-C Boppin' Berry juice box featuring The Backstreet Boys, a bizarre find in old houses collection.

    And no I will not drink it. I was um… A bit obsessed with BSB… I was determined to marry Kevin.

    Such_Promise4790 Report

    Final score:
    50points
    POST
    #26

    Found Under The Floor Boards In A 1800's House

    Old bizarre metal tool with serrated edges and finger holes found in an old house among First Prize String Beans curiosities.

    imgur.com Report

    Final score:
    50points
    POST
    #27

    Remodeling My 1918 Home And Found This Battery In The Wall

    Vintage Columbia Eveready ignitor dry cell battery for radio and ignition, an unusual find in old houses.

    Snaefellsjokul Report

    Final score:
    49points
    POST
    #28

    Canned Peaches From The Carter Administration. Found In Mom's Cellar. Peaches Canned In 1976

    Hand holding a jar of preserved first prize string beans with a rusty metal lid marked 76 inside an old house.

    ramair351c Report

    Final score:
    48points
    POST
    #29

    80's Gatorade

    Two vintage glass Gatorade bottles with lemon-lime and fruit punch flavors on a balcony with water and hills behind.

    Helping someone clean out their house today and these were in the basement.

    Professional_Eye_480 Report

    Final score:
    47points
    POST
    #30

    My Grandma Still Has An Unopened New Coke Can In Her Fridge From 1985

    Old can of Coca-Cola stored in a fridge alongside plastic bags and fruit, illustrating bizarre things found in old houses.

    Random-Non-Sequitur Report

    Final score:
    46points
    POST
    #31

    Found When Cleaning Out My Mothers Closet

    Millenios cereal box from 2000 found in an old house, featuring a time capsule and year 2000 predictions.

    getoffmylawnyahear Report

    Final score:
    45points
    POST
    #32

    Granny's Freezer Had An 84 Year Old Biscuit With A Note

    A handwritten note and a preserved biscuit found in an old house, labeled First Prize String Beans.

    hoop-d-lishus Report

    Final score:
    45points
    POST
    #33

    Found In My Boyfriend’s Pantry

    Vintage Kraft Shake 'N Bake original chicken box featuring a pop star contest, a bizarre find in old houses.

    reddit.com Report

    Final score:
    44points
    POST
    #34

    Poptarts 1991 With Free Vhs Rental

    Vintage Kellogg's Pop-Tarts box offering free video movie rental, a strange find linked to first prize string beans mystery.

    When I was in highschool in 2010-2014, I found this empty poptarts box behind the lockers. Still one of my favorite things.

    sawtoothpath Report

    Final score:
    44points
    POST
    #35

    Found In The Back Of My Family’s Vacation Beach House… Any Guesses As To Production Date?

    Vintage Tide detergent box held in hand, an unusual find among bizarre things found in old houses.

    Found a few things online from the 70s-80s but can’t find the actual date on the box!

    tattedhippo Report

    Final score:
    43points
    POST
    #36

    Found This In My 80 Year Old Mother’s House

    Notebook labeled internet passwords found among bizarre things in old houses, placed on a wooden surface.

    peat_s Report

    Final score:
    43points
    POST
    #37

    Other People Inherit Money Or A House; I Inherit The Heinz Ketchup Limited Black Edition

    Hand holding an old Heinz tomato ketchup bottle, a bizarre thing found in an old house collection.

    liverwursti Report

    Final score:
    42points
    POST
    #38

    Found Two Bottles Buried In My Cellar

    Old dusty green bottles covered in cobwebs found inside an old house, showing First Prize String Beans mystery objects.

    My new house is from 1703, so they can be 1 year old or 321 years old or anything in between. The cellar is directly soil, so I found it while cleaning it out. Contrarily to the bottles in the picture (from the 1990s I think), these two were buried in the soil.

    YellowOnline Report

    Final score:
    41points
    POST
    #39

    This Soap I Found At My Grandmas House

    Hand holding a bizarre old gingerbread man figurine with a heart-shaped hole found in an old house.

    WillieStroker69420 Report

    Final score:
    41points
    POST
    #40

    Chips From '94. Cleaning Out A Hoard, And Found These

    Vintage Lay's bag featuring Bugs Bunny, shown in an old house, linked to first prize string beans mystery.

    Basic_Guarantee_4552 Report

    Final score:
    39points
    POST
    #41

    Breakfast With Barbie Cereal Expired In 1990

    Vintage Breakfast With Barbie cereal box, a bizarre nostalgic find in old houses that left everyone confused.

    SqueakySnapdragon Report

    Final score:
    39points
    POST
    #42

    Forgotten Emergency Snacks Found In Our Earthquake Kit From The 90’s

    Plastic container filled with old candy bars and snacks, a bizarre thing found in an old house setting outdoors.

    The Chewy bars were absolute mush. Nature Valley bars were still dry (because of course they were). And I wish I could say those were breadsticks and peanut butter but… They were cheese.

    mabeltheknife Report

    Final score:
    39points
    POST
    #43

    Cleaning Out My Grandma's Pantry And I Found These Jarred Preserves From 1964

    Old jar with dated label found in an old house among bizarre things that left everyone confused.

    yourmomprobably Report

    Final score:
    39points
    POST
    #44

    Bought These Off A Walgreens Shelf 3 Days Ago

    Close-up of First Prize String Beans packaging with a date printed on the wrapper in an indoor setting.

    It took all my strength to get it lodged into me. And now I can’t get it out. Might tie it to the door and slam it shut.

    SisteroftheMoon16 Report

    Final score:
    39points
    POST
    #45

    Found Back In 2013

    Vintage Green Giant whole mushrooms jar found in old houses, an unusual and baffling discovery.

    It’s not a recent find but I moved in with my grandfather when my grandmother passed back in 2013. Slowly started working on cleaning things out and found this gem at the back of the pantry.

    Jcbowden10 Report

    Final score:
    24points
    POST
    #46

    We Just Bought A House And The Owner Left Behind Some Ancient Feminine Products. I Haven't Thought Of New Freedom (Beltless!!!!) In Decades. They Are Like Twin Mattresses For Action Figures!

    Box of New Freedom beltless mini pads with new improved protection and three adhesive strips, a bizarre old house find.

    Shmousie Report

    Final score:
    22points
    POST
    #47

    Husband Found While Working On A Job

    Old jar of Peter Pan crunchy peanut butter with an expired date, found among bizarre things in old houses.

    Collins71514 Report

    Final score:
    21points
    POST
    #48

    Found These Year 2000 Twinkies In My Parents Closet Today

    Hand holding a vintage Hostess Twinkies 2000 box, one of the bizarre things found in old houses, labeled special.

    aquietinspiration Report

    Final score:
    21points
    POST
    #49

    Found This Unopened Bottle Of Orbitz While Helping Clean My Neighbors Garage

    Hand holding a vintage Orbitz drink bottle containing floating orbs, a bizarre thing found in old houses collection.

    DonkeyFarm42069 Report

    Final score:
    21points
    POST
    #50

    I Was Given 6 Bags Of Food, And Nearly All Of It Expired More Than A Decade Ago

    Various vintage food packages including First Prize String Beans and baking mixes found in an old house collection.

    Context: I am poor, 'homeless' (in RV)

    A family friend made a big deal all weekend about bringing me six bags of food for me and my wife to go through and dump the rest off at the "blessings pantry".... This is some of it!

    The best part: The Ghirardellis mint chips and dumpling mix are so antique they don't even have an expiry date. Exciting, we love old food youtubes!

    The sun-dried tomatoes (2009) are congealed into a whole new product, may patent it...

    Thought about eating that 2008 dark chocolate because damn! The caviar has no date, not sure if it's even that old, but... no.

    The rancid smell coming off that Crisco (2007) was intense. The cheese fantastico bottle was creating a vacuum, may implode one day, may keep for science. And wtf is Molly McButter!!

    She even suggested I give all the pouch tunas (2011-2014) to my elderly dog, so basically I'm thinking she's trying to end us all off.

    AliveWeird4230 Report

    Final score:
    20points
    POST
    #51

    38 Year Old Brownies

    Plastic-wrapped first prize string beans mold with handwritten notes found in an old house decades ago.

    There’s a sad story to these nearly 4 decade old brownies. My great aunt, who lives with dementia, had a son who tragically died at 12 in 1986. Not long before, he baked these brownies for her, and ever since then they have sat in the back of her refrigerator. We found it while going through her fridge. I won’t take off the lid until we decide to throw it out (which surely will be soon) but it seems like they’ve aged without growing mold, which is mildly concerning, but pretty cool.

    ZaytherLegit Report

    Final score:
    20points
    POST
    #52

    Vaporub From The 70’s Found In My 97 & 95 Year Old Patients’ House

    Old vintage Vicks VapoRub jar found in an old house, a bizarre and confusing historical item discovery.

    MentaLeeConstipated Report

    Final score:
    19points
    POST
    #53

    Old School Travel Comb? Found Stuck Behind A Drawer In Our Bathroom

    Vintage wooden first prize string beans holder with metal prongs, an unusual item found in an old house collection.

    Found this stuck behind the drawer in our bathroom. Our house burned down and was rebuilt in the 1950’s. It’s probably 4”x3”ish. The teeth seem pretty wide to be a comb.

    spankrat29 Report

    Final score:
    19points
    POST
    #54

    How Old Is This?

    Old vintage MD 20 20 wine bottle found in an old house, a bizarre discovery that left everyone confused.

    dinger815 Report

    Final score:
    18points
    POST
    #55

    Any Guesses As To The Year?

    Vintage Nabisco Premium saltine crackers tin, an unusual and bizarre item found in old houses.

    From the father-in-law’s house. Made of tin. We’re keeping it, btw.

    Oh, and try to say “wax wrapper stack packs” three times fast.

    Floydada79235 Report

    Final score:
    17points
    POST
    #56

    McDonald's Jam From 1990

    Vintage McDonald's strawberry preserves and grape jam packets, unusual first prize string beans found in old houses collection.

    reddit.com Report

    Final score:
    17points
    POST
    #57

    Now That I'm Old Enough To Be A Grandma, My Sealed Pokemon Jelly Jars

    Vintage Welch’s jelly jars with Pokémon designs, a quirky find that fits the theme of bizarre things found in old houses.

    fatredditnerds Report

    Final score:
    17points
    POST
    #58

    A Fork I Found In A House I Inherited... My Dad Was A Thieving Sod

    Close-up of a vintage fork labeled Hospital Property found among bizarre items in old houses, puzzling many collectors.

    IKissedHerInnerThigh Report

    Final score:
    17points
    POST
    #59

    As We’re Finding Old Stuff, I’ll Add This. Just Found It At My Parents’ House, Probably From When Me And My Sister Were Younger As Neither Parent Drinks

    Old bottle of MD 20/20 strawberry rosé grape wine found among bizarre things in old houses confusing many.

    (I’m guessing 80s or 90s by the label and sludge at the bottom)

    SoggyWotsits Report

    Final score:
    17points
    POST
    #60

    I’ve Found This Car Key At My Home, I Dont Own Such A Car

    Hand holding a worn black car key on a green textured surface and near a laptop keyboard, found in old houses.

    So I’ve found this key under our bathtub while cleaning after my dog urinated near it which leaked under the bathtub. I’ve never got any complaint about a missing keys at my house. The bathtub plastic under was never removed before and it was made somewhat 20 years ago.

    Apprehensive-Unit268 Report

    Final score:
    17points
    POST
    #61

    Jars Of Baby Food From 1994. Grandmother Said “It’s Ok. Don’t Throw It Away”. Do We Know Why Grandmothers Are This Way? Mental Illness?

    Jar of Gerber carrot baby food on a shelf, an unusual find related to first prize string beans in old houses.

    thedemp Report

    Final score:
    16points
    POST
    #62

    Just Keep Refilling, Just Keep Refilling, Just Keep Refilling, Refilling, Refilling

    Vintage iodized salt container with paper lid found among bizarre things in old houses, showing signs of age and wear.

    It turns out the only container of salt she has is dated from 1965!!! It worked, and salt doesn't really expire!

    cswimc Report

    Final score:
    16points
    POST
    #63

    My Dad Poured This In His Mouth Then Asked If I Could Read The Date On It

    Close-up of an old syrup bottle with a best purchase date from 2007, one of the bizarre things found in old houses.

    ilovegyroid Report

    Final score:
    15points
    POST
    #64

    These Pickles I Just Found Are In Their 30’s

    Hand holding a jar of Vlasic Original Hamburger Dill Chips with green label, shown from two angles in a kitchen.

    Taking care of my grandma after a fall and was cleaning her fridge a bit (I don’t dare try to clean the back of the fridge and she wont let me either) these were in fact placed back in the fridge because “they are in vinegar its fine”. And I thought the strawberries from 2013 were bad.

    ZolTheTroll413 Report

    Final score:
    15points
    POST
    #65

    Unopened Egg Nog From 1975? At My Grandma's House

    Vintage Borden egg nog can found in old house pantry with faded bottom and retro packaging design.

    LoveSniff Report

    Final score:
    14points
    POST
    #66

    Cleaning Out My Parents House And Found A Jar Of 23 Year Old Mayonnaise

    Hand holding a jar of Best Foods mayonnaise found among bizarre things in old houses including first prize string beans.

    reddit.com Report

    Final score:
    13points
    POST
    #67

    Slim Fast

    Old Slim Fast creamy milk chocolate can with a best by date from 2001, one of the bizarre things found in old houses.

    jj33ca Report

    Final score:
    13points
    POST
    #68

    Grandma’s Freezer

    Slices of ribeye steak on a plate with a packaged ribeye label, one of the bizarre things found in old houses.

    This is so niche. Photo was actually taken in 2022 but still. I had no idea I would ever get the opportunity to share it but by the grace of God I stumbled onto this.

    WorkingEmployee8767 Report

    Final score:
    13points
    POST
    #69

    1997 Miracle Whip Found In My Great Uncles House

    Hand holding a jar of Kraft Miracle Whip Light dressing, a bizarre item found in an old house kitchen.

    Cousins came out to make the outside group of family guess how old this mayo was and didn’t believe it until I went inside for myself. If it didn’t have the factory seal I’d think my great aunt had repurposed the jar for applesauce.

    confusedbird101 Report

    Final score:
    12points
    POST
    #70

    I Ate Approx. 20 Year Old Gushers. Ama

    Old Fruit Gushers candy with unusual dark pieces on a countertop, resembling bizarre things found in old houses.

    XxTURDxTACOxX Report

    Final score:
    11points
    POST
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