What you can do with WD-40
27.8.2019
Translation: machine translated
For the inventor, WD-40 is a penetrating oil. In the consumer's mind, the blue can is an all-purpose weapon whose applications are almost endless. Or did you know that you can use it to get chewing gum out of your hair?
A more or less well-known saying goes: "If it can't be solved with Gaffa or WD-40, then maybe it's not a problem at all." Gaffa holds the world together, WD-40 gets it moving. At least that's the conventional wisdom. But the miracle product in the blue can is not actually a lubricant at all, but a penetrating oil. Due to its low surface tension, it gets into even the smallest cracks and dissolves oil, grease, rust and soot, among other things. This means that stuck parts can be quickly made workable again. However, WD-40 is not suitable as a long-term lubricant as it is far too thin.
Before I share some uses for WD-40 with you, here are a few fun facts about the product. The developers needed 40 attempts before the water-displacing formula worked, hence the name: Water Displacement, 40th formula or WD-40 for short. 15 years later, in 1968, 10,000 units were sent to American soldiers in the Vietnam War every month so that they could maintain their weapons in the difficult climate.
Miracle product from a can
Today, there are clearly better gun cleaners than WD-40, but in other areas, no other product can beat this miracle product. Users have found all kinds of ways to use the product. Whether this makes sense or not remains to be seen.
- Have your children defaced your shelf with felt-tip pens or crayons? Put WD-40 on it and the colour residue will be gone in no time at all.
- Your mirror fogs up after every shower, so you can't do your make-up or anything else for a while. From now on, spray WD-40 on the glass and you'll be able to see your face straight after showering.
- Everyone puts their foot in their mouth or even in dog poo. In the latter case, WD-40 helps.
- WD-40 can even be helpful for people with dentures. If these are difficult to remove, spray a little of the penetrating oil onto the joint and it should be easier to remove.
- Farewell to limescale! WD-40 removes unsightly deposits and also makes it harder for new ones to form.
- Does food often end up on your shirt rather than in your mouth? For stubborn stains such as tomato sauce, it helps to pre-treat the garment with WD-40. It's also supposed to work on blood.
- Gum in your hair or carpet? What used to mean cutting it off can now be solved with WD-40.
- It's hard to imagine at the moment, but in winter WD-40 also acts as frost protection. For car locks, for example.
- If you don't want to go organic, you could even spray your plant troughs and tubs with the penetrating oil so that you never have to worry about slugs again.
You realise: WD-40 works in almost every situation. And that's just the more unusual applications. The stuff can also be used to remove glue, soften leather or clean metal. As good as the agent may work, be aware that it is not really environmentally friendly and should therefore not get into waste water or groundwater.
My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.
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