Greatest Tools #3: WD-40
Number 3 on the list of the 10 greatest tools of all time is that wonderful little spray lubricant known as WD-40.
What does the WD stand for?
I thought you would never ask. In the 1950’s a chemist named Norm Larsen was working on a product to prevent corrosion. Since water is a major culprit in corrosion, he came up with a formula which “displaces,” “water.” This Water Displacement formula (WD) was his 40th attempt. Hence, WD-40.
Unfortunately, even though this is one of the greatest tools of all time it is packaged with one of the worst tools of all time. That horrible little red tube thing taped to the can. It ALWAYS falls off. And it is impossible not to loose it.
However, here are a few of the magic elixirs greatest uses.
- Cures arthritis. My father-in-law swears by this. He is a retired Air Force mechanic and when his knuckles and knees get grouchy he squirts them with WD-40. He says it works every time.
- Bathroom light bulb. If you squirt the threads before you install the bulb it won’t get corroded and break when you try to change it.
- Satellite TV Dish. If you live in a snowy climate the white stuff can build up on your dish and screw up your reception. Shoot a coating of WD-40 on the dish and the snow will slide off instead.
- Fan rejuvenator. If you like a floor fans to keep your air circulating you know it eventually collects enough dust to slow the motor down. Take it outside and set it on a newspaper. Then spray WD-40 into the motor until it comes clean.
- Pipe Tape. When I put pipe thread on a threaded pipe joint I spray the male and female connectors with WD-40. It makes an awesome waterproof connection.
- Lime Remover. Got that calcified build up at the base of your faucet. Spray it with WD-40, wait a few minutes then scrape it off with a popsicle stick.
- Spot Remover. Water spots on polished aluminum can be removed with an application of WD-40. It work on my Harley-Davidson.
- Tree Sap Zapper. Got tree sap on your car? Put some WD-40 on a soft cloth and gently rub it away.
- Sticker Remover. Did some idiot put an “I break for _____” on your car bumper. Leave your gun in the glove box. Spray the edges of the sticker with WD-40 and gently work your way toward the other end to remove the sticker and the glue.
- Squirrel Attack. Are the squirrels raiding your bird feeders? Spray the pole about half way up with a generous coat of WD-40. The squirrels don’t love it.
Those are ten of my top WD-40’s what are some of yours?
Reg Adkins writes on behavior and the human experience at (elementaltruths.blogspot.com).
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Comments
will says on August 22nd, 2006 at 8:17 am
My favorite WD40 hack doesn’t involve using WD40, but involves not losing the little red straw. Use Man’s Other Greatest Invention, Duct Tape, to tape an emptied Bic pen tube to the side of your can of WD40 (ya know, the ones you used to shoot spitwads as a kid?). :)
Slip your little red tube in there, and put the pen cap back on. No more lost tubes. I’ve got three red tubes in mine right now.
erick says on August 22nd, 2006 at 8:17 am
The original straw is bad, but the new Smart-straw design has a permanently-attached straw that flips up for use or down to allow spraying without the straw. The pen, also, is great for use with tools and knives.
http://www.wd40.com/Brands/wd40_smart_straw.html
Mark says on August 22nd, 2006 at 8:17 am
I will add that WD-40 also does a pretty good job of getting Silly Putty out of carpeting. Just spray is on and the putty loses its stickiness. You can then pull the putty out of the carpet.
PS – if you have little kids crawling around, I’d suggest washing the WD-40 off the carpet after you are done.
Mark
Chris says on August 22nd, 2006 at 8:26 am
If I was playing the “count the typos” drinking game while reading this article, I’d be drunk by now. Loose? Work? Break?
Give me a brake.
David says on August 22nd, 2006 at 8:46 am
What Chris said.
jonathan peterson says on August 22nd, 2006 at 3:34 pm
It makes a WICKED flamethrower
Reg says on August 22nd, 2006 at 5:48 pm
I’m glad you liked the article. I noticed some concerns about my typos. You nailed me. I pretty much look to see if there are enough vowels in a word and burn it from there. I also must confess, I sometimes do it to tick people off. I’m sick that way.
Peace!
GK says on August 22nd, 2006 at 9:41 pm
What David and Chris said. Also, it works great on hinges and sisters.
Steve says on August 23rd, 2006 at 4:51 am
I have a can of WD40 that has been in my toolbox for probably 15 years. I still have the red straw thanks to a simple bit of masking tape holding it to the side of the can. Probably wouldn’t stand up to being in a more heavily used environment, but it’s survived moving house at least 5 times including moving from the UK to Sweden.
Peas!
DJ says on August 23rd, 2006 at 8:32 am
While using a hand-saw to cut through a 2×4, I spray on a little WD40 to keep the saw from jamming.
Mario says on August 23rd, 2006 at 11:44 am
The medium size WD40 cans lately have two grooves on the cap that you can store the red straw in.
I also used sticky tape in the past, until I noticed this groove in the cap. Just align it with the grooves and press straw in – no more lost straw.
Mario says on August 23rd, 2006 at 11:52 am
Forgot to add uses…
I used WD40 to remove wax from sister-in-law’s waxer. The wax had spilt inside the box with the warming machine, and everything was gunked up.
She was going to throw it away, but I’d used WD40 on glue before, so I thought I’d take a crack at it.
After about two hours of spraying and wiping, she had her machine back and working again.
Also used it to remove dirt from car rims. Light spray, loosens dirt. Brings back shine too.
John Butler says on August 23rd, 2006 at 12:08 pm
I use WD40 on graffiti left on our church’s concrete steps — usually from Magic Marker or Sharpie, by the appearance of it. I soak the graffito in WD40, let it set about 10 minutes, and then scrub with warm, soapy water with a scrub brush. The WD40 works as a solvent.
Keith says on August 23rd, 2006 at 1:29 pm
Yeah gotta have “graffito” a new type of annoyance on the church steps……..must be a type of anti-christian satanic language…..
Carl says on August 23rd, 2006 at 5:38 pm
WD-40 is an awesome hand cleaner after working on the car…and soap removes the WD 40
Bud Reynolds says on August 25th, 2006 at 9:26 am
I have a 1989 Chevy pickup that I store in a shed saving it for my grandson. It has hopeless clear-coat paint. Once a year I wash it and go all over it with WD-40. Does a great job with the paint and black moulding trim. Also protects the chrome. Fast and easy!
Bud Reynolds
sam says on August 26th, 2006 at 11:13 am
I’ve used it for removing tar off your feet or shoes that I’ve picked up from the beach.
Melinda Ackles says on September 21st, 2006 at 5:01 pm
Whoever the guy was who said he removed graffiti with WD40 is a liar!!!!!! My supervisor used it on the front of our library and it didn’t work!!!!!
Dave says on October 23rd, 2006 at 7:54 am
My dad who travels extensively in an RV taught me to always keep a can of WD-40 on hand to squirt into the trailer wire connections when the lights don’t work. Cleans the corrosion or water.
Reg Adkins says on October 24th, 2006 at 9:39 am
Dave, I think the WD actually stands for Water Displacement.
greg says on November 11th, 2006 at 12:31 am
wd-40 one of the best lure for any fisherman
it works wonders on fish. But don’t get got
it’s a warning. Friend
liot says on November 12th, 2006 at 9:26 am
WD 40 does a great job at removing the filth from my firearms after shooting.The spray force easily blasts away the soot before a final cleaning with CLP.
JuanCarlos says on December 7th, 2006 at 4:09 am
I practice Historic Swordsmanship in Madrid and we use WD-40 to clean oil remains, oxide stains and sweat drops from the blades of our swords, applied usually once a week and the blade remains bright and we avoid oxide from developing.
Mitch Moody says on December 27th, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Use it for water displacement. I had a friend who while working on his monitor, left it on his deck, and it got flooded with rainwater before he remembered to bring it back in.
He dumped out the water, removed the hood, and applied a liberal coating of WD-40 to the inside circuitry.
After a couple of days to let it dry, he plugged it in, and it worked like a champ.
Be advised, you will want to make certain you allow time for any water that could still be inside to dry out. You don’t want to short your monitor, or electrocute yourself.
Joey says on March 21st, 2007 at 8:33 am
I used WD-40 to clean my black slate around my fireplace. I used a cleaning solution that didn’t like slate and it gave it white streaks all over. I tried everything, then I brought out good ol’ WD-40 and it looks brand new again!
jintao says on May 7th, 2007 at 3:27 am
WD-40
mac says on May 11th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
I use it to clean my saucepan and cooker, it also works well to remove earwax. Just use the red straw.
deandre says on June 26th, 2007 at 11:39 am
Mitch as long as you let any circuitry dry without ever running it the water won’t cross circuitry so not I don’t think WD-40 was even needed considering he let it dry for days to be honest.
Graham says on July 27th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
I use WD40, with and without the little red straw, as a bicycle chain degreaser at the start of each biking season before re-lubing the chain. Works great. Spray on without the straw and let soak about 15 minutes and run the chain through a thick towel, i.e. rag. I use the straw for any heavy dirt/grease deposits, and then run the chain through the towel again.
jane says on December 2nd, 2007 at 4:51 am
Iv’e heard that wd 40 is what they use to killtermites.Does anyone think it might kill the red mite that causes mange. I’m in the phillipines and have tried everything.
Reg Adkins says on December 2nd, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Hi Jane,
I wrote the original article about WD-40.
I’d never heard of the use as a mange cure. So, I did a little research for you.
Here is what I could find out.
Mange comes in three varieties: Demodectic, Cheyletiella and Sarcoptic. It is caused by different species of mites, tiny eight-legged critters related to spiders.
The treatment for one type is not the same as the treatment for another type.
There are several treatments for mange mites and usually they’re quite effective. Your veterinarian will prescribe one of them (sometimes a dip, spray or creme) with perhaps an antibiotic and positive results should appear inside 7 days.
In any case You must visit the vet for mange as only medication will reverse the effects.
Hope this helps.
Reg of http://www.elementaltruths.com
Mark says on February 20th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
WD-40 is lame compared to a product I recently found on the web. Pro21 spray lubricant by Aerospace Lubricants is the whip. It’s a grease but it does not run like WD-40 and it stays on the part you spray it on it seems like forever. I used it on my lawn mower chain and it lasted for over 4 months before I had to reapply it. For you greenies it is approved for sale in California and contains no bad stuff like Hexane. I have used some of their other products and they are the best lubricants I beleive I have ever used.
Mike says on April 16th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Works great as a cooking spray!
Sarah says on May 4th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
We bought our house 15 years ago and found out (once we’d moved in) one of the bedroom windows didn’t open. Looking to sell we tried to get it open incase someone tried the windows (like we should have). My husband sprayed the frame and hinge and tried the window with moderate pressure, spraying on and off for about 3 hours and then amazingly it finally opened! As good as new! Great product- saved us the cost of new double glazing.
sam eatherly says on May 13th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Geez—think it might cure cancer?
Butts says on May 24th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Yes.