WD-40, or Water Displacement #40,
was developed during a search for a rust preventative solvent, and
de-greaser, to
protect missile parts. It was created in 1953 by three technicians at
the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project
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.
The workers were so pleased with the product, that they began smuggling
it out of the plant to use at home. After watching this, the
executives decided there might be a consumer market for it,
and put it
in aerosol cans. The rest, as they say, is history.
WD-40 has 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 will hurt you.
The basic ingredient is purported to be a fish oil.
There are many uses for WD-40 that most people don't know about. A
partial list is included below.
Here are just some of the many 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 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 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 kids 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).
It 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.
Removes all traces of duct tape.
Folks even spray it on their
arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
Florida's favorite use is:
"cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers."
The favorite use in the state of
New York-- protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
Use it for fire ant bites. It
takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
Great for removing crayon from
walls.
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 spray WD-40 on a wet
distributor cap, it will displace the moisture and allow the car to
start.
Camouflages scratches in
ceramic and marble floors.
Lubricates and
stops squeaks
in electric fans.
It removes black scuff marks from
the kitchen floor!
Removes tomato stains from
clothing.
Removes those nasty tar and scuff
marks on floors.
Gets oil spots off
concrete driveways.
Bug guts will eat away the finish
on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
