Forty uses for WD-40
Melissa Lahati
Jan. 12 2009
It took 40 tries for the chemist Norm Larson to come up a formula he was trying to develop to prevent corrosion, which is done by displacing water. That is how he came up with the name WD-40 back in 1953. (Water Displacement-40th try)
The ingredients are a secret. But, it is a well known fact that it does not contain any cancer causing agents. I heard but can not confirm that it contains fish oil. According to the official WD-40 website it is safe to use on all surfaces without harming it. While there are many uses here are a few I found interesting.
- Protects silver from tarnishing.
- Removes road tar and grime from cars.
- Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
- Gives floors that `just-waxed` sheen without making it slippery.
- Keeps flies off cows.
- Restores and cleans chalkboards.
- Loosens stubborn zippers.
- Untangles jewelry chains.
- Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
- Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
- Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
- Removes tomato stains from clothing.
- Keeps glass and plastic shower doors free of water spots and grime.
- Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
- Will remove gum from carpet. Just spray it on let it sit for a minute and wipe off with a clean rag.
- Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes
- Removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
- Eats away bug guts without harming the finish on your car.
- Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
- Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
- Spraying an umbrella stem will make it easier to open and close.
- Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
- Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
- Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
- Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
- Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
- Keeps rust from forming on saw blades, and other tools.
- Removes splattered grease on stove and will shine it too.
- Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
- Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
- Removes all traces of duct tape.
- Said to attract fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time.
- Removes crayon from any surface including the inside of the clothes dryer
- Removes lipstick stains. Supposedly even if you already washed and dried the clothing. Saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and presto! Lipstick is gone!
- Car won't start? Spray on the distributor cap, it will displace the moisture and allow the car to start.
- Good for oven burns or any other type of burn. With supposedly no scarring.
- Remove sticker residue from clothing
- Removes permanent marker from most items
- Removes nail polish from hardwood floors
- Removes those lovely temporary tattoos we all love so much
Basically, if you have a noise, mark, stubborn stain or just about anything that is annoying you WD-40 will take care of it. Always be sure to test the WD-40 in an inconspicuous spot on all surfaces before using it. It will almost fix anything without harm so have fun, explore and enjoy.