WD 40 and its extra uses.

[Bluegum]

This was sent to me about WD-40

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...Viola! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed.

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 Corsair!

Company bought it in bulk to protect their Atlas missile parts. The workers were so pleased with the product, they began smuggling (also known as "shrinkage" or "stealing") it out to use at home. The executives decided there might be a consumer market for it a d put it in aerosol cans. The rest, as they say, is history.

It is a carefully guarded recipe known only to four people. Only one of them is the "brew master." There are about 2.5 million gallons of the stuff manufactured each year. It gets its distinctive smell from a fragrance that is added to the brew. Ken East (one of the original Founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.

Here are some of the uses:

Protects silver from tarnishing

Cleans and lubricates guitar strings

Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery.

Keeps flies off cows

Restores and cleans chalkboards

Removes lipstick stains

Loosens stubborn zippers

Untangles jewellery 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 bop; clothing

Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots

Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors

Keeps scissors working smoothly

Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes

Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide

Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers

Rids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises

Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open

Spraying an umbrella stem makes 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 saws and saw blades, and other tools

Removes splattered grease on stove

Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging

Lubricates prosthetic limbs

Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell)

Removes all traces of duct tape

I have even heard of folks spraying it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.Florida's favourite use was "cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers

The favourite use in the State of New York WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.

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.

Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately, and stops the itch.

WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.

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!

If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.

WD-40, long known for its ability to remove left-over tape mong sticky label tape), is also a lovely perfume and air freshener! Sprayed liberally on every hinge in the house, it leaves that distinctive clean fresh scent for up to two days! Seriously though, it removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor!

Use WD-40 for that 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.

Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Also great for throwing at the shop-dog when nothing else is ready to hand and he makes a suspicious move on your TS leg...

[dazzler]

Also great for throwing at the shop-dog when nothing else is ready to hand and he makes a suspicious move on your TS leg...

I used my triton protractor for that:D

Actually havent had a discussion on that for a while.....mmmmmmm.....does he dare;)

[benji79]

And here i am using air freshener in the toilet when i can get WD40 from work for nothing....:D

[Bluegum]

I liked the bit about fire ant bites. livving here in SEQLD it could come in handy.

[Cliff Rogers]

Also works on Sand Fly (Midge) bites & can be used to deter ants for a couple of days but don't spray it on ya sangers. ;) :D

[bsrlee]

It does NOT stop corrosion of fine machinery. Mate of mine (tm) has fixed many very expensive shotguns (in the $10,000 plus range) which have been 'lubricated' with WD40 - they are generally rusted up inside so the lock parts no longer move. WD40 -displaces- water, not eliminates it, so when the WD40 evaporates, it leaves the water behind, usually in droplets which encourage corrosion.

It is however an essential for cars in wet weather.

Ballistol (brand name) is a better oil & anti-corrosive - comes in spray pack & bulk bottles & cans. Or some of the lanolin based surface protectors. Haven't seen Boeshield but its supposed to be even better, specially in high temeratures.

[ernknot]

And here i am using air freshener in the toilet when i can get WD40 from work for nothing....:D
You could spray it on your bum, could make things easier?

[scooter]

You could spray it on your bum, could make things easier?

Or marinate yer food in it... ;) :p

[tashammer]

Also works on Sand Fly (Midge) bites & can be used to deter ants for a couple of days but don't spray it on ya sangers. ;) :D

That's just to show you that it protects yer semmitches from humans!

[tashammer]

You could spray it on your bum, could make things easier?


Yer, he said dryly, especially when yer skid off the toilet seat and into the wall - try telling that to yer insewerants company.

[PAH1]

Hate to put a dampner on it but WD 40 is in large part DMSO (Dimethyl sulfoxide). Great solvent some interestesting physical and chemical properties, perfect for perforating your skin. The US military played with it for a while as a means of getting vaccines into your bloodstream without needles. It worked too well as any grunge on your skin went in too. The last thing that I would be doing is getting that stuff anywhere near your skin.

[mic-d]

Hate to put a dampner on it but WD 40 is in large part DMSO (Dimethyl sulfoxide). Great solvent some interestesting physical and chemical properties, perfect for perforating your skin. The US military played with it for a while as a means of getting vaccines into your bloodstream without needles. It worked too well as any grunge on your skin went in too. The last thing that I would be doing is getting that stuff anywhere near your skin.

When I read your post it immediately peaked my interest and I went straight out and put a few drops on my wrist. Having worked with DMSO as a solvent in NMR, and got it on my skin, I know that within seconds of exposure on the skin, you can taste it in your mouth. But the WD40 didn't have any of the characteristic taste. I wonder where you heard it was DMSO? Anyway I did quick google and came up with this link that suggests most of the volatiles are medium chain hydrocarbons.

http://yarchive.net/chem/wd40.html
Cheers
Michael

[Andy Mac]

I don't know where DMSO fits in, but the Material Safety Data sheet I just downloaded (from the manufacturer) listed the flollowing:

Aliphatic Petroleum Distillates 45-50%
Petroleum Base Oil 15-25%
LVP Hydrocarbon Fluid 12-18%
Carbon Dioxide 2-3%
Non-hazardous Ingredients ‹ 10%

Cheers,

[Bob38S]

This was sent to me about WD-40

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.

Please tell me more about the shower door. We have glass - these would look great as an ornament but for everyday use workwise to try to keep them clean :mad::mad:

Did use WD40 a long time ago on some tools which were stored for almost 12 months - see the post above re the shotguns :mad::mad::mad::mad:

This is where I learnt about the great results obtained using vinegar for rust removal.

WD 40 on doors:-
How often?
We are on septic system - problems?
Does it affect sealers used around the base?
Anything else you can think of..........

Regards,
Bob

[Toymaker Len]

Just mentioned this list to SWMBO and she remembered the time she had used WD40 to get cheap and nasty leg wax off her skin... Seems nothing else would work at all.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Well I dont know about the leg wax I always use duct tape:eek:
The only thing I would use WD40 for is to loosen something tight and that is only if I've run out of my trusty Inox.
I usually have 3 cans on the go at any one time the stuff is brilliant.

It out lasts anything I have used before and never gets gummy and is Australian owned and made.
Nowhere on the WD40 does it say that it is non toxic at least Inox states that it is non toxic.

Now I wouldn't go and give myself a blast up the nose to start me in the mornings, nor would I be spraying it on me bum but I feel safer using a product that at least claims that it is non toxic and as I stated earlier the stuff is great once you use it you wont go back.

[PAH1]

When I read your post it immediately peaked my interest and I went straight out and put a few drops on my wrist. Having worked with DMSO as a solvent in NMR, and got it on my skin, I know that within seconds of exposure on the skin, you can taste it in your mouth. But the WD40 didn't have any of the characteristic taste. I wonder where you heard it was DMSO? Anyway I did quick google and came up with this link that suggests most of the volatiles are medium chain hydrocarbons.

http://yarchive.net/chem/wd40.html
Cheers
Michael

Interesting, it was an industrial chemist that told me, although some aspects of its physical properties were not consistent with DMSO. I would still be leary of the possibility of skin permeabilisation though, our skins are designed to keep water in and things like oil do get through pretty well.

[tashammer]

...
The only thing I would use WD40 for is to loosen something tight and that is only if I've run out of my trusty Inox.
I usually have 3 cans on the go at any one time the stuff is brilliant...



http://www.revolutionmaterials.com.au/

Revolution Advanced Metals & Materials
PO Box 5 Newport Vic Australia 3015
Tel +61 (03) 9029 3469
Fax +61 (03) 9397 8382



So i phoned them and left a message. Inox might be worth a try. Though i was reading something about NOT using phosphoric acid on somethings but i am buggered if i can recall where and i was just the other day too.

Oh, the www.ferret.com.au (http://www.ferret.com.au) website has things mixed up including hooking inox into a web site that is defunct and a phone that is cut off, though the names of the companies are similar, just be wary of who you get on to.


It just occurred to me, what the the acid in molasses? I thought that there might have been phosphoric acid, but no, i couldn't find it but, so far, i am up to nine acids occurring in molasses which might explain its rust removal capabilities.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Hi Tashammer,

No I think that inoxclean is a totally different product. the stuff I was talking about is a lubricant - a super lubricant no less!!!!

Their web site http://www.inox-mx3.com they're up on the Gold Coast.

[woodsprite]

Cetainly is magic stuff. Have a very old autocycle which I used to ride 30 years ago. Since then it sat in the shed and moisture got into the cylinder and froze the piston. A few squirts with WD-40, and a week later the piston pushed out with only gentle hand pressure.

Used it to clean and polish the plastic bits on our Starwagon over a eyar ago, and the bits still look as good as new - actually reckon that for this type of application it is better then Armorall.

Also used it on a bunch of old hand tools I had lying around. Wire brushed the rust off them, sprayed them, wiped them, and they also continue to look and feel great - and even work now!
Jeff

[Bob38S]

Please tell me more about the shower door. We have glass - these would look great as an ornament but for everyday use workwise to try to keep them clean :mad::mad:
...
WD 40 on doors:-
How often?
We are on septic system - problems?
Does it affect sealers used around the base?
Anything else you can think of..........

Regards,
Bob

Anyone tried this?

[John G]

Thanks guys,
I was wondering why all my clamps and tools were rusting, despite all the care I thought I was putting into them.
So thanks to this thread, I've now binned the wd40 and am using Inox everywhere.

[slabman]

Inox is good. Also try its competitor - ACL made by Liquid Engineering. Its non-toxic and made in Oz, trigger rather aerosol (i.e. you're not paying for propellant) and more volume for the dollar. Lasts for ages, amongst other things, I use it on the alloy rudder slides of my sea kayak - WD40 lasted less than one outing, ACL lubricated lasted for weeks on end for a single application.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

[mrstevo]

I remember an old timer telling me to use WD40 instead of Aerostart for starting engines that needed an extra bit of help, and it was meant to be easier on the engine, i never did try it though, make good sense when you think about it.

I agree about the Inox, it is very good, and has an even more pleasant odour than WD40, and the ACL by liquid engineering is good too, only problem is that the trigger pack would always be falling over and i'd notice it a few days later..empty.

[Poppa]

Inox is non-corrosive. WD40 will corrode metal if left on it. Inox also leaves a coating on metal that continues to protect long after. My Dad went to school with the bloke that invented Inox, and has had many a discussion with him about it. It is definitely non-toxic. I've started using it as a protectant for tools after I clean them back.

For water immersion applications, try Lanox. Made by the same company as Inox, but contains lanoline as well. My dad has used it for years to lubricate boat motors and it does the trick.

My only problem was finding a local outlet for Inox. Bunnies didn't have it, neither did Home or Magnet Mart, and the local specialist toolies shops had never heard of it. I found some at Repco and layed in a supply....

If you use WD40 extensively, give Inox a try - it is much better stuff and Australian owned and made.

Oh and Inox also comes in a 125ml pump pack (non-aerosol), 5 and 20 litre non-aerosol containers (and a 205 litre drum if you're really keen!).

[Willis]

As a woodturner i've found wd 40 excellent as a spray on end grain tear out spray on sand immediately good luck

[scooter]

Welcome aboard, Willis :)


Cheers................Sean

[Rossluck]

Welcome Willis :D

SWMBO saved me some problems the other day by spraying WD40 over the mechanism of my recliner chair. The dang thing was becoming almost usless and I had to fall out of the chair to get out of it. Now it's like new.