Every now and then I get an email from a faithful reader with a suggestion for a blog topic. WD-40 is an example. Ken W. alerted me to the fact that this famous degreaser/oiler/cleanser/sparkler turned fifty this year; and, while I hadn’t heard any hoopla for the occasion in the Big Press, I decided it was worth a mention in my little online publication.
WD-40 began life as an experiment to find a rust preventative solvent and degreaser for missile parts. In other words, the product needed to protect an item from the effects of water. Three technicians in San Diego, California, worked to find an appropriate formula and were successful on the fortieth formulation, which was called Water Displacement 40; hence, the commercial name.
WD-40 had a myriad of undiscovered uses beyond the protection of missile parts; and, as time passed, these uses came to light and led to the product being sold commercially. Currently about 2.5 million gallons of the secret formula are manufactured each year.
What can WD-40 do? Well, in the hope of enlightening readers, here are just a dozen uses for the slimy film that is sprayed from a yellow and blue can.
1. Cleans guitar strings.
2. Removes lipstick stains.
3. Prevents flies from landing on cows.
4. Eliminates noises in rocking chairs, door hinges, and electric fans.
5. Keeps pigeons off balconies.
6. Stops rust from forming on saws and saw blades.
7. Removes the leftover sticky from duct tape.
8. Supposedly attracts fish without expensive lures.
9. Removes tomato stains.
10. Untangles jewelry chains.
11. Prevents water spots on glass shower doors.
12. And, finally, according to the State of New York, WD-40 is used to protect the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
If it’s good enough for the Statue of Liberty, then maybe the rest of us should spray some on ourselves when winter sets in
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