What do you use WD40 for?

[Ronni]

I mean, besides the obvious of stopping a door from squeaking or creaking.

It’s my go-to for dissolving the sticky residue left from peeling a price tag sticker from an item, or a label from a jar.

I’ve used it to separate two glasses that are nestled one within the other too tightly.

My luggage zippers move easily since treating them with WD40.

I have a manual can opener which turned so stiffly till I lubricated it with a quick spray of WD40

I’ve spritzed into a keyhole to make the key turn easily.

What about you? Add your tips and tricks!

 

[JustBonee]

I use it for the usual things, door hinges, etc., plus squeaky wheels on a dog stroller after a rain storm.

 

[Magna-Carta]

I had some residue adhesive on the paintwork of my car. Left there after removing heavy duty adhesive tape that was holding a clear plastic cover over a door window that had been smashed.

I tried everything to remove the adhesive but nothing much worked. Obviously, I had to be careful what cleaner/glue remover to use as I didn't want to damage the paint. Then a friend suggested I spay WD40 on the residue adhesive and leave it for an hour and gently remove it with a thin plastic card, similar to a credit card.

It worked and was easily removed. I then washed the car and polished the area around the window. After doing that there was no evidence that the adhesive had ever been there.

 

[Mizmo]

I used it on my squeaky apartment main door off and on and finally the maintenance manager told me to stop using it and oil it 'properly'.

per Sir Google
"The reason that WD 40 is not good for lubricating door hinges is that the main function is as a cleaner and a water displacer, It does contain a very small amount of lubricant, but spraying your hinges with WD 40 could ultimately attract dirt and make the problem even worse..... Jul 28, 2020"

A good tip I found last year for those rusted metal parts on my garden chairs which I left out on balcony over winter
.....Spray well with WD and rub with a piece of aluminum foil. Worked quite well on my old chairs.....

 

[jujube]

As they say:

"Every problem can be solved either by WD-40 or by duct tape. If it doesn't move and it's supposed to, use WD-40. If it's not supposed to move and it does, use duct tape. Now, isn't that simple?"

 

[Pappy]

WD-40 was invented in San Diego in 1953 as a rust-prevention solvent for Atlas missile outer skins. A chemist at the Rocket Chemical Company created a compound that would prevent rust and corrosion on the Atlas.

It has came along way since 1953. I use it remove paint from my hands and the unsightly ring around the toilet bowl.

 

[Pepper]

I've used Olive Oil & it works! Must buy WD40 though, I'm out of Olive Oil.

 

[Purwell]

I used it on my squeaky apartment main door off and on and finally the maintenance manager told me to stop using it and oil it 'properly'.

per Sir Google
"The reason that WD 40 is not good for lubricating door hinges is that the main function is as a cleaner and a water displacer, It does contain a very small amount of lubricant, but spraying your hinges with WD 40 could ultimately attract dirt and make the problem even worse..... Jul 28, 2020"

A good tip I found last year for those rusted metal parts on my garden chairs which I left out on balcony over winter
.....Spray well with WD and rub with a piece of aluminum foil. Worked quite well on my old chairs.....

This is very true it is not a lubricant any more than water is, in fact it can wash out any lubricant that already exists. Light machine oil is much more useful.

It does have some penetrating properties but Plus Gas is far superior.

 

[Gary O']

I last used it on the passenger side truck door hinge
It was sticking badly when fully open
Let that go too long and the pin breaks
Then it's a $400 fix

Been a couple months
still not sticking

Thinking about it,
I may spritz my right knee today
Should save a bundle

 

[OldFeller]

It’s my go-to for dissolving the sticky residue left from peeling a price tag sticker from an item, or a label from a jar.

Along the same lines, it is excellent for removing chewing gum stuck to the soles of your shoes.

Probably something that more likely occurs to people living in a big city where the number of kids increases the likelihood of there being a "minefield" of discarded chewing gum on the sidewalks

 

[Jackie23]

I use it on tools and lawn mower to keep them moving and to prevent rust.

 

[Alligatorob]

Great stuff, I use it all the time, lubrication and cleaning mostly.

WD 40 is not good for lubricating door hinges

Plus Gas is far superior

Some truth to that, to quote Wikipedia: "It acts as a lubricant, rust preventive, penetrant and moisture displacer. There are specialized products that perform better than WD-40 in each of these uses, but WD-40's flexibility has given it fame as a jack of all trades." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40

Its just a petroleum hydrocarbon mix that falls somewhere between gasoline and diesel. But without the hydrocarbons that give an unpleasant odor. It can lubricate, but its too light to last, in time it evaporates, and as @Purwell says can displace the heavier oils. I still like it. It's almost 70 years old now and the exact formula is still a well guarded trade secret.

I've used Olive Oil & it works! Must buy WD40 though, I'm out of Olive Oil.

Olive oil tastes better, but has more calories.

 

[jimintoronto]

I last used it on the passenger side truck door hinge
It was sticking badly when fully open
Let that go too long and the pin breaks
Then it's a $400 fix

Been a couple months
still not sticking

Thinking about it,
I may spritz my right knee today
Should save a bundle

For you knee try Voltaren, extra strength. Apply once , every 12 hours. After I broke my left leg in March of this year, I spent 5 weeks in a physical rehab hospital, and that product was used by the physio therapy staff on my knee, every day. Great stuff, really works to reduce pain and swelling. JimB.

 

[hollydolly]

I use it on tools and lawn mower to keep them moving and to prevent rust.

Me too, and loads of other things.. I once was told that you can un knot fine jewellery chains by spraying a little WD40 on them

 

[fuzzybuddy]

Hey, thanks. I have a flag pole to replace, and it's stuck on the deck plate. I forgot about WD40.

 

[Tom52]

I use it to loosen dried bug guts off the front of the car. Works on chrome, painted, and plastic parts.

 

[Hopeful1]

I know this may sound crazy, but…
WD-40 squirted deep down into an ant mound with the little straw nozzle will make them disappear overnight.
They either die or get up and move somewhere else. Note - when you first spray it into the mount the ants go crazy.
So don’t stand to close!
You spray it deep into the mound it doesn’t harm the grass.


I had 3 large mounts and 1 medium mount last week all at one time. All gone!

Maybe they moved to the neighbors yard, not sure

 

[DebraMae]

I have well water and it leaves mineral deposits around knobs, faucets, etc. Somebody told me to spray it with WD40, let it sit a while, then scrub it with a brush. (I used an old toothbrush.) It worked! Shines the fixtures nicely too.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

I use it for the usual things, door hinges, etc., plus squeaky wheels on a dog stroller after a rain storm.

Dog stroller. Love it

 

[Gaer]

Holy Cow!

Spray a paper towel with WD-40!

Wipe (for one second) on only one of the headlights on your vehicle.

Stand back and look at both of the headlights.

Say out loud: "Holy Crap!"

Then you can wipe the other headlight.

I do this once a year and it lasts a long, long time!

It's rather INCREDIBLE!

 

[Alligatorob]

Makes a good flame thrower.

 

[Geezer Garage]

Yes, more water displacement than lubricant. Used to use it back when on distributors when they got wet. I use it mostly now for cutting aluminum on the lathe, and milling machine. Keeps the aluminum from sticking to the cutters, and improves the finish. Used it in the Caribbean to remove salt corrosion from window screens.