WD40

Submitted by Bill St. Clair on Sun, 07 Mar 2004 12:44:46 GMT
Author unknown

A friend sent this to me, and when I read the "shower door" part I tried it. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. Mine is plastic, not glass and it's a miracle! Then I tried my stove top.... Voila! it's now shinier than it's ever been. I'm amazed.

The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and de-greaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. It's name comes from the project that was 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, 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 and 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 it's distinctive smell from a fragrance that is added to the brew. Ken East 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
  • Gets oil spots off concrete driveways
  • 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 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, knees to relieve arthritis pain. It has cured my knee pain.
  • One fellow claims spraying it on fishing lures attracts fish.
  • WD-40 has been designated the "official multi-purpose problem-solver of NASCAR," a ringing endorsement if there ever was one. Can WD-40 can solve the Jeff Gordon problem?

In celebration of their 50th year, the company conducted a contest to learn the favorite uses of it's customers and fan club members, (Yes, there is a WD-40 Fan Club).

They compiled the information to identify the favorite use in each of the 50 states. Naturally I was curious about Georgia and Alabama and found the favorite use in both states was that it "penetrates stuck bolts, lug nuts, and hose ends." Florida's favorite use was "cleans and removes lovebugs from grills and bumpers."

California's favorite use was penetrating the bolts on the Golden Gate Bridge.

Let me close with one final, wonderful use--the favorite use in the State of New York--WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.

No wonder they've had 50 successful years.

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Comments (6):

Doctors and pharmaceuticals

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06 Jul 2006 02:10:06 GMT

Doctors and pharmaceuticals are against the use of WD 40 for arthritis. It must be because of TWO reasons: Their economic interests, or they have not ever had arthritis pain. :O)

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WD 40 for Arthritis.

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 30 Aug 2007 17:25:18 GMT

I agree. The doctors and pharmaceuticals don't want us to use home remedies. They might lose a precious dollar. I have arthritis in my index finger. It aches very intensely. I sprayed WD 40 on it this morning (no massaging) and haven't had pain since. The so-called experts say the massaging and the cool feeling has a placebo effect. But neither applied to my case. I just sprayed it on and it had no cooling effect. I know pain when I have it. Who are they to say I just imagined it relieved the pain???

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As a mechanic I use WD-40 on

Submitted by Vinyl Banners on Sat, 25 Oct 2008 10:40:06 GMT

As a mechanic I use WD-40 on a daily basis. During all my years in this profession I can say that it is the best product of its kind. Ever.

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Interesting

Submitted by Arletta on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 03:26:16 GMT

I have intense pain sometimes, but, I am not sure if it is from arthritis at all. I mean, I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, but I was told that I might have arthritic hips.

Now, some people say Fibromyalgia is a form of arthritis anyway. Which makes a bit of sense, I guess, as I learned from what little Reflexology I studied that arthritis is, at least some times, caused by an accumulation of stress. Something about calcium crystals, which, if you relax in the proper fashion, will gather together into little bumps under your skin and then you can flick them and break them up and they'll dissipate out of your body. I wish I could remember more.

Here is what I do know:tonight, just a few minutes ago, I sprayed wD-40 on my hips, knees, back of the neck, and rubbed it into my hands. I don't feel total pain relief, but, my knee- which has been hurting for about two weeks now - feels tons better, suddenly. My hip feels still arthritic, as in stuck in place, but, less so than before and my fingers can move faster on the keyboard. I do feel in less pain and the WD-40 was not cool - I feel warmer for having sprayed it on, in fact.

Also, while they are saying it doesn't work (against mass anecdotal evidence), there are two things to keep in mind:

1) They said hydrogen peroxide therapy doesn't work, they made it illegal - and then they learned that their precious antibiotics, no matter how expensive, can't stop radiation sickness or flesh eating viruses, but hydrogen peroxide can! So, now, it is legal again.

2) They have developed a product "similar to WD-40" which they will inject into your joints. Anything to keep the cost up! If it's similar, and it works, then it seems to me that they are lying about the research on WD-40 never having been done. They just made it a step or two off so they can keep the profits for themselves.

Sickening!

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CONVAIR, dumbass, not

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 03 Jan 2009 15:22:35 GMT

CONVAIR, dumbass, not Corvair. One's an airplane, one's a car.

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Wow, Arletta, you are

Submitted by notanutjob on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:44:45 GMT

Wow, Arletta, you are certifiable.

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