We were recently sent this bit of info by our father, who revelled at the opportunity to contribute to the blog. It's a great little story about the invention of WD-40, which, it turns out, was never intended for lubrication at all and has, as its basic ingredient, nothing other than fish oil!
"I had a neighbor who had bought a new pickup. I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that someone had spray painted red all around the sides of this beige truck (for some unknown reason).. I went over, woke him up, and told him the bad news...
He was very upset and was trying to figure out what to do probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing was open. Another neighbor came out and told him to get his WD-40 and clean it off. It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his paint job that was on the truck. I'm impressed! WD-40 who knew?
Water Displacement #40. The product began from a search for a rust
preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a "water displacement" compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts.
Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.
When you read the "shower door" part, try it. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It's a miracle! Then try it on your stovetop... Voila! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed.
Here are some of the uses:
1) Protects silver from tarnishing.
2) Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3) Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4) Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery.
5) Keeps flies off cows
6) Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7) Removes lipstick stains.
8) Loosens stubborn zippers.
9) Untangles jewellery chains.
10) Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11) Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12) Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13) Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14) Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15) Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16) Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17) Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes
18) It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19) Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
20) Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21) Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers.
22) Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23) Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24) Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25) Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26) Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27) Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28) Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29) Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30) Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31) Removes splattered grease on stove.
32) Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33) Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34) Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35) Removes all traces of duct tape.
36) Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37) Florida's favourite use is: "cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers."
38) The favourite use in the state of New York WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39) WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40) Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41) WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42) Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
43) If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start. "
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/wd-40.asp
this was debunked by snopes and wd-40 HQ ^_^" wd-40 only does some of that stuff...
i have used it for lubricating door hinges etc..sure wish it could remove fat from my arteries and thighs
Parents always send around stuff that gets debunked on snopes! Anything an older family member sends you should be run by snopes.com before believing.
WD-40 reminds me of my own dad. One of the best things he ever did was teach me how to fix things. If only mom had taught me how to cook then I wouldn't need a husband ;)
My car was spray painted last year and a little elbow grease, rags and soap took it right off. I have an old red car and would be worried about messing up the paint.
That said, everyone needs WD-40 around the house because it sure comes in handy.
Hmm, sounds like WD-40 is as much of a miracle cure as Windex in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Am I the only one who loves the smell of the stuff?
There's no fish oil in WD-40. Also, WD-40 is technically NOT a lubricant. It is a solvent. Very different. The reason WD-40 can loosen up stuck gears, joints, etc, is NOT because its lubricating those joints, but because its acting as a solvent on the rust, dirt, grime, old grease, etc. in those joints.
This is why, for example, you should never "lubricate" bicycle gears and chains with WD-40. You can use to clean those parts, but only if you fully wash off the WD-40 when you are done and then re-lubricate your gears and chain with Teflon or silicon or other similar type of lubricant.
I just used it for #17 this past weekend. Thankfully my Mom had a can at her house. I will be investing in the largest can I can find!
I too love the smell. Reminds me of my dad.
WD-40 and duct tape are two basic things your toolbox should never be without.
44) Kills black widow spiders quickly & effectively. Sprayer tube eliminates spray all over and aims true without your fingers getting too close to the spider And that's no joke when you have kids/pets and live in Arizona. Shout out, wende!
PS - I'm a devout animal lover & vegetarian, and have helped to relocate many not-well-located animals including rattlesnakes, gila monsters, tarantulas, wolf spiders, etc. But black widows, you just have to kill.
While duct tape and wd-40 are always in stock at my house, it is a sad truth that neither is ever the _right_ tool for the job.
WD-40 is a terrible penetrating oil, miserable lubricant and crappy solvent for removing cruft. Almost anything fixed with WD-40 or duct tape will need re-fixing in the near future.
I'm really disappointed that this was apparently posted without any fact checking at all. Whenever I read or hear about miracle products--regardless of the source--my first inclination is to at the very least google or check snopes. I love the design ideas on AT, but I'll certainly take posts with any home product or technical advice with a large grain of salt from now on.
you guys are all way too bored to seriously sit around testing all day.
GET A JOB--- THAT PAYS!!
I know that this applies to a limited audience, NYC-wise, but if you ever forget to move your car on an alternate side day and get hit with one of those green stickers, WD-40 will take it off in a snap.
Heh. I want to know who thought this was serious and tried nos. 5 (Keeps flies off cows) and 20 (Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide).
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Wow. I am blown away by that extensive list. Makes me want to purchase a bottle and attack difficult spots around my home!
my high school teacher actually used WD-40 on his chalkboards. they really were the cleaned, nicest looking chalkboards-shiny and black.
Cara - we just discovered a male black widow. The female can't be close behind. Thanks for the tip from the Valley of the Sun!
Just so everyone knows: I'm NOT the JUSTIN who posted above.........I've been posting since the very start of this blog, and I'd never be so crass as to post a BS comment like JUSTIN did.
JUSTIN!!! Where do you get off telling people to "get a job"?
Negativity aside, this post belongs on the Classics list!
As for lubrication, don't forget the other classics:
3 in One Oil http://www.wd40.com/Brands/3in1.cfm
and Marvel Lubricating Oil, which has been around for ages - it's amazing stuff. http://tinyurl.com/3xyo8c