WD-40

[AlanHo]

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

I had a neighbour who had bought a new van. I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that some vandal had spray painted red all around the sides of this white van. I went over and told him the bad news. He was very upset and was trying to work out what to do, probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing was open.

Another neighbour came out and told him to get some WD-40 and clean it off. It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm the paint that was on the van. I'm impressed!

WD-40 - how did someone work out it would do that?

'Water Displacement No.40' The product began from a search for 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. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower screen. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as on glass. It's a miracle! Then try it on your cooker top .... Kazamm! 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 20 strings.

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

5. Keeps flies off cows.

6. Restores and cleans blackboards.

7. Removes lipstick stains.

8. Loosens stubborn zips.

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 screens 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. Dead insects will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!

20. Gives a children's playground gym slide a 20 shine for a super fast slide.

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

22. 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!

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. 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 counties .

38. Use it for gnat bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.

P. S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Interesting - never heard of it! (And I wouldn't know where to get it either.)

Did a Google search and found http://www.wd40.com/ - over 2000 uses!

[-pops-]

Not sure about the basic ingredient being fish oil although I don't doubt it may be present and possibly responsible for the "varnish" effect when overused. (Fish oil oxidises to a hard varnish on long exposure to air)

The important penetrating ingredient is most likely a light mineral (petroleum) oil with a small amount of a detergent material to make the oil "wetter". You can tell there is detergent present by the slight foaming which occurs in use.

An ingredient that is not often considered is that WD40 contains perfume and, apparently, it doesn't work nearly as well without the perfume being included. The amount of perfume in WD40 is quite low but sales of the product are so big that having the contract to make WD40 perfume is a passport to profit for the perfumery company.

This might be interesting: http://www.thegunzone.com/rust.html

[andsome]

I always have a can in the garage. :D

[AlanHo]

Have you tried spraying your balls with it so they run faster on the crown green?

[catgate]

Have you tried spraying your balls with it so they run faster on the crown green?

I think anyone who had there balls sprayed with it would run faster anywhere.

Several years ago there were a good number of "me too" versions of this wonderful product on the market.

One day one of my technical service chemists and I were discussing them and speculating what the difference between them all was.

A couple of days later he walked into my office with the possible answer. He had got samples of most of them from the mainenance department stores and had run them through our UV spectrophotometer and the indications were they were all the same witrh the exception of one little area. Apart from that little area they were virtually identical to brake fluid.

We assumed the little area was the "smell" bit, since they all had a different one.

[AlanHo]

I thought that brake fluid acted as a jolly good paint stripper - a quality that WD-40 seems to lack.

[catgate]

I am no sure that modern brake fluid is. I know it used to be very fierce, but there seems to have been a change since my last "spillage". Since then I have been very circumspect, and it does not show when I stand with my back to the light.

[Belatucadrus]

I thought that brake fluid acted as a jolly good paint stripper - a quality that WD-40 seems to lack.

It does, made a real mess of my TR7 wing with it some years back.

I seem to remember that before they went with the current blue tins WD40 had a rocket logo and made quite a big thing about the Titan involvement.

[andsome]

Have you tried spraying your balls with it so they run faster on the crown green?

OUCH! :lol:

[artist]

Have you tried spraying your balls with it ............

Tut! Tut!!

[AlanHo]

Tut! Tut!!

My humble apologies Artist - it was quite thoughtless of me. I had no idea my statement could be interpreted in any other way than in reference to those round things he plays with on the crown green.....I hope you will be able to forgive the fact that I have dropped one again........

[rong]

So he doesn't have to take his hands out of his pockets then:unsure:

[AlanHo]

So he doesn't have to take his hands out of his pockets then:unsure:

You are obviously unsure.

[MJR]

Not only an informative thread but also an amusing one (cough) :lol:

[-pops-]

Not only an informative thread but also an amusing one (cough) :lol:

Always amazed at the collective knowledge of forum members that constitute these bon mots.

[Gandalph]

I tried a pint of that WD-40 once but didn't think much of it. I went back to Hypoid 90. We geordies are very particular about what we drink.