WD-40 Myths and Truths

Clarke123

Senior Member
I got the following in an e-mail, and have researched it some on the internet ... but I cannot say that I have verified any of it to be true .. Anyone actually know if these claims for WD-40 are true?

"Before you read to the end, does anybody know what the main ingredient of WD-40 is?

Don't lie and don't cheat. WD-40. Who knew? 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 Convair 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 stove top ... Viola! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed.

Here are some other 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 them slippery.

5. Keeps flies off cows.

6. Restores and cleans chalkboards...

7. Removes lipstick stains.

8. Loosens stubborn zippers.

9. Untangles jewelry 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 playground 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 favorite use is: 'cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.'

38. The favorite 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 locations.

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 rewash. Presto! The lipstick is gone!

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

P. S. The basic ingredient is said to be FISH OIL ..
 

BBQBOSS

Banned
Back when i worked for Atlas Roofing slinging shingles and tar paper, I would bathe my arms, face and neck everyday before i left the plant to get the tar off. They had big tubs of it in the mechanical room for cleaning parts and such. It would cut right through that asphalt. Every now and then I spray a little behind my ears for old times sake. :bounce:
 

Tag-a-long

Senior Member
Back when i worked for Atlas Roofing slinging shingles and tar paper, I would bathe my arms, face and neck everyday before i left the plant to get the tar off. They had big tubs of it in the mechanical room for cleaning parts and such. It would cut right through that asphalt. Every now and then I spray a little behind my ears for old times sake. :bounce:

mmmm.... baby is that 40 weight you're wearing???? :love:
 

mickbear

Senior Member
back in the 70's i worked at the Ga experiment station in griffin during the summers and there was an old black guy that would spray it on his knees every day! he said it made them feel better.it must have worked because he could work rings around us high school kids.
 

modern_yeoman

Senior Member
back in the 70's i worked at the Ga experiment station in griffin during the summers and there was an old black guy that would spray it on his knees every day! he said it made them feel better.it must have worked because he could work rings around us high school kids.

I use to work with a company out of Kennesaw that built cell phone towers...a guy there did the same thing!
 

FX Jenkins

Senior Member
Just don't have it on ya in the woods, attracts blank panthers...
 

FX Jenkins

Senior Member

arcame

Senior Member

akiahunter

Senior Member
back in the 70's i worked at the Ga experiment station in griffin during the summers and there was an old black guy that would spray it on his knees every day! he said it made them feel better.it must have worked because he could work rings around us high school kids.
my pops used it all the time on his creaky elbows workin on old cars, used it to spray the distributor cap and rotor button when we sunk the old mud trucks and believe it or not, when i work in the glass business, we sprayed our rubber gloves to help grip the big glass panels we put in buildings:huh:
 

VHinch

Senior Member
"Before you read to the end, does anybody know what the main ingredient of WD-40 is?

P. S. The basic ingredient is said to be FISH OIL ..

That's an urban legend. WD-40 is 50% Stoddard solvent and 15% mineral oil. I can't recall the rest of the ingredients without having to look it up.
 

GoldDot40

Senior Member
That's an urban legend. WD-40 is 50% Stoddard solvent and 15% mineral oil. I can't recall the rest of the ingredients without having to look it up.

From their MSDS....
3 - Composition/Information on Ingredients
Ingredient.........Weight Percent

Aliphatic Hydrocarbon..........45-50%

Petroleum Base Oil................<25%

LVP Aliphatic Hydrocarbon....12-18%

Carbon Dioxide......................2-3%

Surfactant.............................<2

Non-Hazardous Ingredients....<10

That being known....also know this. We 'used' to use WD-40 to coat engine blocks while they were being stored to be used later. After several months to years, we removed the plastic storage bag to find these engine blocks rusted beyond use. I've also read where other people have experienced the same thing with it. Needless to say, we don't use WD-40 to spray on stored engine blocks anymore.
 

RUTTNBUCK

Gone But Not Forgotten
From their MSDS....
3 - Composition/Information on Ingredients
Ingredient.........Weight Percent

Aliphatic Hydrocarbon..........45-50%

Petroleum Base Oil................<25%

LVP Aliphatic Hydrocarbon....12-18%

Carbon Dioxide......................2-3%

Surfactant.............................<2

Non-Hazardous Ingredients....<10

That being known....also know this. We 'used' to use WD-40 to coat engine blocks while they were being stored to be used later. After several months to years, we removed the plastic storage bag to find these engine blocks rusted beyond use. I've also read where other people have experienced the same thing with it. Needless to say, we don't use WD-40 to spray on stored engine blocks anymore.
Ballistol is a much better rust preventative!!

http://www.ballistol.com/
 

FishingAddict

Senior Member
My great uncle used to fish the saltwater everyday. He did not like rinsing the reels heavily every day, he said that it will rinse the grease out of the gears.

So he coated his reels with WD 40 before every outing, this would help prevent the salt water from getting in the reels.
 
Top