Unusual Uses for WD-40 - Knitting Paradisestatic.knittingparadise.com/upload/2017/9/26/... · Unusual Uses for WD-40 ... explore actual unusual uses. ... WD-40 is not a lubricant,

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Unusual Uses for WD-40

by mikeasaurus

WD-40 is a low viscosity solvent with an addedlubricant, and probably the most item found in almostevery tool box and workshop around the world. Thestory goes that development of a corrosion preventionsolution took 40 tries to create a water displacingformula, the name water displacement 40 stuck. Theubiquitous and most recognized brand ofsolvent/lubricant brings with it a lot of myths, and ire,regarding its efficacy.

This product is used in all kinds of ways, but there'ssomething very important to consider before reachingfor the blue can

WD-40 is primarily a petroleum-based volatilesolvent that evaporates leaving behind a non-volatile lubricant

Meaning that the solvent penetrates and does its jobremoving grime and then evaporates and leavesbehind a thin film of oil. It's important to know justwhat WD-40 is, and what it isn't.

For certain applications there's room for a product likeWD-40, but most other times it's better to use adedicated solvent first followed by a dedicatedlubricant after. Just like a 2-in-1 shampoo andconditioner isn't the best at being a shampoo or

conditioner, neither is WD-40.

An important distinction with WD-40:

Not all WD-40 is the same. Though the cans belowlook similar, they are very different. The MSDS forWD-40 shows that it's mostly a penetrating solventwith some oil once the solvent is gone. There areother varieties of WD-40 on the market that dodifferent things, specifically a version that is alubricant that has no solvent (see can on the right inthe picture below).

If you're looking for just a lubricant then standard WD-40 is not the right tool for the job, which is wheresome confusion and myths arise about this product.In this Instructable we'll focus on the ubiquitous bluecan of WD-40 (solvent with some oil aftermath) andexplore actual unusual uses.

Whatever your feelings on this sometimes slipperysubstance, you're sure to find some unusual uses forWD-40 below.

Unusual Uses for WD-40: Page 1

Step 1: De-grease Your Hands

Since WD-40 is mostly a solvent, why not use it onmore than just stuck nuts and bolts? Applying a sprayof solvent to your greasy hands can help cut into thegrime and clean your hands before applying a soaplather.

Spray your hands over a trash bin or other containedarea and then rub your hands together, working thesolvent into your greasy hands with your fingers toremove any grease buildup.

After your hands have been degreased, head over toyour wash basin and wash your hands with plenty ofsoap to remove the remaining lubricant the WD-40left.


Step 2: Remove Stickers / Decals

Removing stickers is one of my least favorite tasks.No matter how careful I am I always manage to ripthe sticker, making removal so much more difficult.WD-40 to the rescue!

Blast your sticker with this slippery lubricant and letsit for about 5 minutes. I find that saturating a papertowel and leaving that on top of the sticker works

great at keeping the lubricant on the sticker andcontained.

After a few minutes you should see a notable changein the sticker as it's absorbed the WD-40, and shouldpeel right off.


Step 3: Crayon + Marker Removal

When regular cleaner just won't do, WD-40 steps into make cleanup easier. Wax crayons naturally repelmoisture, but WD-40 can tackle this challenge.

Spray crayon marked area and let sit for a fewminutes (saturating a square of paper towel to stick tovertical surfaces can help), then rub area with a lintfree cloth to remove the crayon. (Thanks for thepictures, Troy)

After cleaning you may see some coloration from thecrayon, if so repeat the process. After the crayon hasbeen removed, clean the wall with regular householdcleaner to and a cloth remove the WD-40 residue.

As with all stain removal solutions, test in aninconspicuous area first to ensure you won't damageyour walls.


Step 4: Remove Permanent Marker From Walls, and Other Non-porous Surfaces(Sometimes)

The solvent in WD-40 is strong enough to penetrateand remove permanent marker, but the surface thatthe marker is on make a huge difference. If themarked surface has a glossy paint coating, like thewalls in kitchens and washrooms, you're likely to getthe marker off. Ditto with tile. However, if your wallhas a matte finish you probably won't get all themarker off using WD-40.

Soak a paper towel or rag with WD-40 and apply itdirectly onto the permanent marker on the wall. Allowthe solvent to make contact with the wall for about 30seconds, then gently rub the area in small circularmotions. If you apply too much pressure right away

you risk smearing the marker around the wall, so goslow and apply more pressure to the rubbing motiononce most of the marker has been removed.

If you have a matte or porous finish then the imageabove is likely as good as the cleanup is going to get.If you're determined to remove the marker using thismethod then apply more WD-40 and keep scrubbing.

Repeat the process of soaking a rag in WD-40 andapplying it directly to the affected area, letting it sit fora few seconds before buffing and removing themarker. I was able to remove the marker here on asemi-gloss wall with under 5-minutes of work.


Step 5: Keep Shovel Snow Free

Since WD-40 has lubricating properties, use it tokeep things you want clean nice and slippery.Spraying some WD-40 on your snow shovel face canclean the shovel face and prevent snow from stickingto whatever was scooped up previously, and the lightoil finish after the solvent has evaporated keeps theshovel nice and slippery. (nice boots there, Jessy!)

Spray a light coating over the shovel face and wipeoff to remove any substances that might be on theshovel. Then apply a second light coat and let standfor about a minute to let the solvent evaporate. Then,you're ready to go! Depending on how muchshoveling you're doing you may need to reapply, sokeep the spray can handy.

Step 6: Remove Stuck Ring

Injured knuckles can swell, so timely removal of ringson fingers becomes critical. Since many bangedknuckles come from a workshop, WD-40 is a handyremedy that can quickly slip a tight ring off a fatfinger.

Spray your ring with a liberal dose of WD-40 and thenwork the ring around your finger, allowing the lowviscosity oil to run in between your ring and skin. Theoil will lube up your finger and (hopefully) let yourfinger slip out from the constricting ring.


Step 7: Clean Stainless Steel Sinks

Though stainless steel is a robust material for thekitchen, it can get watermarks and fingerprint stains.Blast your sink with WD-40 and scrub with a souringpad to remove the most stubborn stains. Not only willit remove stains, the remaining oil from WD-40 alsohelps protect the surface from getting new marks in

the future.

Since WD-40 is a petroleum-based product, makesure you clean anything it is used on in the kitchenthoroughly afterwards.


Step 8: De Rust Cast Iron Tools

Probably the most practical application for WD-40outside of being a lubricant is it's use to clean castiron.

Thoroughly coat the rusted area with WD-40 and letsit for about 5 minutes. Use a 100-120 grit sandpaperto gently scrub in small circles over the entire affectedarea. use a rag to wipe off the loose rust and debris,then apply more WD-40 and repeat until all largeportions of rust are removed.

For stubborn areas saturate again with WD-40 anduse some 00 steel wool, rubbing in small circles overthe entire area.

The steel wool is great for getting into the smallcrevices of the cast iron, and providing a protective oilsheen to the cast iron. (That's a good looking spindlesander, Troy).


Step 9: Lubricate Vinyl Records

This is probably the most contentious application forWD-40 on the Internet. Period. But, before you vinylmusic purists put my head on a spike, hear me out!

There is some merit to using WD-40 on vinyl records.Since WD-40 has solvents it's great for dissolvingwaxy grime from your records, and evaporatesquickly leaving a thin oil behind to lubricate the recordstylus. However, it's those same solvents that givepeople pause when using WD-40 on a plastic like

vinyl. The reason to even consider using WD-40 in anapplication like this is the one-two punch of solvent(to remove grease) and lubricant (smooth vinyl).

I can only speak from my own personal experience,and I have yet to see any deleterious results.However, if you're unsure you can always use twoseparate applications of a vinyl-safe cleaning solventand then a lubricant.


Flame thrower? Hillbilly Mace? I wonder if it can be used as a deicer in a pinch... or if it's viscous evough to seal a worn outvalve/valve stem on car wheels. I bet there's lots of clever macguyver-type uses for the straw too.

Step 10: Bonus: Where NOT to Use WD-40

As a bonus, it's important to know where not to use WD-40. In the intro I mentioned that WD-40 is a solvent first,with a light oil remaining after the solvent evaporates. You'd be surprised how people use WD-40 primarily as alubricant, which is only going to make things worse. Though there's loads of good applications for WD-40, there'splenty of places that you shouldn't use it. Here's a few:

Electronics: This might seem obvious, but you'd be surprised at where electronics are hiding. Anoften overlooked area could be the buttons on your smartphone or music player, all the way tosomething less obvious like the lens for your digital camera. The solvents in WD-40 can break downsome plastics, and the low viscosity of WD-40 makes sure the solution penetrates deep.Solution: If possible open the device and clean by hand using very little silicone spray.Bike chains, door hinges: The lubrication will work as intended for all these applications, but theresidue left over can also attract dirt and dust thereby negating the oil benefits after the initialapplication.Solution: Clean bike chain with an old toothbrush to remove debris. Use bike chain oil and wipeclean with a rag.Door locks: If your door lock is stuck, the solvent in WD-40 might help is get loose, but there's notenough lubricant left over to help the tumblers move freely over the long term. Solution: Use a graphite powder, designed to stay slippery and made especially for locks.Rubik's Cube: WD-40 is not a lubricant, it's a solvent. Using WD-40 on some plastics can causethem to break down or melt.Solution: Use a silicone spray.

Do you have your own unusual use for WD-40?I want to see it!

Share a picture of your unusual use in the comments below and get a free Pro Membership to Instructables!


And, believe it or not, WD-40 can be used as fish bait. Just spray your lure and give it a cast. Ofcourse in some areas it might be somewhat illegal.

So the fish bites and then slips off? :)

Lol, that's pretty funny, lensman888.

Using WD40 as a hand cleaner is inadvisable and can lead to dermatitis and other skin problemsincluding cancer.

For cleaning computer keyboards, the trick is to not get the liquid into the keyboard. I have hadgreat success by turning the keyboard (unplugged) upside down and then spraying a MIST of acleaner such as Windex onto the surface, then scrubbing it, while upside down, with a soft bristlebrush such as one you use on your hands and fingernails, then drying it with a soft cotton towel. Ifyou missed any spots, spray the brush with Windex, shake it off and then scrub the missed spotand wipe off immediately. If that doesn't clean it satisfactory, you can escalate the cleaning byusing a spray kitchen cleaner instead of Windex but you might remove the printing on the keys sotest first, then final wipe with a damp cotton towel to remove the detergent residue. Remember,Mist not Spray!

WD-40 will restore a typewriter ribbon that has dried-out.

Margarine is better for cleaning ingrained grease on hands. Rub in the margarine. Then rub inwashing-up liquid. Then rinse under water.

Margarine works well because it is full of emulsifiers and fats. As a bonus, the fats help stop yourskin drying out.


I have used WD40 for decades but it does have limitations which I am pleased to see you havemade clear. I once drenched a bike chain in it then had to endure hearing the grit and s**t grind itto destruction!

I would never use petrochemicals on any part of my body, always wearing gloves on my hands,however there are some occasions when I may need to wash my hands of grease etc but I havefound washing up liquid to be excellent, the best being Ecover. Apply a teaspoonful to dry hands,rub together well then rinse off with water. Much better for your skin!

WD40 can be used to remove chewing gum from fabric. Squirt a small aliquot on the offendinggum, leave for 20 seconds then carefully prise off using the end of a butterknife or similar.

One reason WD40 is so useful is that it can be used, with the little red pipe, to squirt into hard toreach places.

Although WD-40 is great stuff please do not use it on vinyl records this will cause you to wreck theLP it will look great but it will cause your stylus to clog and you will land up scratching the vinylrecord making it useless when you try to play it again, this happens as you said in the early part ofthe information that it leaves a residue behind, which in fact fills the record grooves causing theproblem

If you need to clean your vinyl records you can buy shop cleaner or you can make your own with amixture of distilled water, soap flakes and some isopropyl alcohol and use a decent quality smallbrush and lint free cloth

If you have ever had a hard time installing a new radiator hose on your car because the new hoseis too tight to fit over the connector fitting, just spray a little WD-40 around the inside of the hoseand it will slip right on.

EXCELLENT! Here's one more: remove duct tape residue. Works great!

To all the naysayers: WD-40 is not a universal solution to all problems, but it does have its place.

No, it is 50% of the solution. Duct tape (https://imgur.com/MpBI29B) is the other 50% :-)


One you missed is as a lubricant when cutting aluminium and aluminium alloys. It stops the softaluminium clogging the saw teeth and makes drills and taps cut sweetly. (as an aside white spiritor paraffin will work just as well).

Bob

I keep a couple WD-40 'markers' (https://www.lowes.com/pd/WD-40-0-26-fl-oz-WD-40-No-Mess-Pen/1209883)on hand for stickers and crayon removal, much better precise application. Aerosolsalways overspray too much.

Good input on general lube of WD-40. Another was to remove labels. I found if substrate canhandle it, use a heat gun. On cardboard boxes I remove the shipping labels to reuse the box whenneeded. WD-40 would ruin the box.

Forgot, after you clean the underside of your lawn mower deck, spray it with wd40 and clean upany puddles of it with paper towel. It will allow easier cleaning of deck on next go round...

If you paint, walls etc. wd40 will clean your hands of both latex & oil paints.....learned that from aprofessional painter...after use dawn to clean wd40 residue

Great 'ible!' Thank you!

Although my sense of smell is not robust (can't smell skunk), my wife has a keen sense of smell.The odor of WD40 is offensive to her. I used to keep a small can in the kitchen for removing labelsbut have discovered that lightly scratching the label then covering it generously with olive oil andallowing it to sit for awhile - say, a half hour - does the trick with all but the most stubborn labeladhesives. I then coat the area with Dawn and wash with a scrubbing pad. Very rarely is there anyresidue left, but a repeat always works for me.


WD40-silicone is the BEST THING for synthetic wig hair. No joke, apply prior to tangling and youcan rough up a wig and then comb it back out. Bonus, if you over apply washing it out with dawnsoap leaves just the right amount of residue to result in luscious locks!

use lamp oil (kerosene) to clean stuff, use proper machine oil or fat to lubricate stuff, wd40 is thebiggest rip-off you can possibly buy.

I have used it for many years and found no problems with it. I feel it to be safe to use m=on manythings shown here in this article. + I have used it for other things also. It can get your vehicle backto running if you go through water, and kill it. Just spray the distributor inside with WD-40. Also, thespark plug wire connections to the plugs. Beautiful for killing wasps.

AGREE!

Best thing ever to get pitch off of anything. Spring camping this year we came home with pitch onshoes, chairs, rugs and matts, bedding, and just about all the gear we carry outside. A lot likeremoving lables in the example above, it worked quickly.

While we're talking about how terrible WD-40 is for our hands, Acetone is a great alternative!

Just Kidding. I use professional hand cleaner. No residue, good smell.

Very interesting instructable! Thanks for sharing.

Before you all start spraying it on your hands, read this:

https://wd40.com/files/pdf/msds-wd482671453.pdf (https://wd40.com/files/pdf/msds-wd482671453.pdf)

It is IMPOSSIBLE to remove permanent markers from walls. If you can remove it, it was not apermanent marker.

I have just one use for WD40: trow it away and use stuff that is made for the task.


I see you have never actually used WD-40. I have used it for many years, with no problems to myskin or other. I find it works great for many things, but some I have not used it on,....yet. I do not gowith all the stuff these government graded warnings give out. I do know it kills wasps really good,and it will get rid of water if you get it on/in your distributor cap when it kills the engine. Enjoy.

For walls, go with either a 'magic' eraser (Mr. Clean) or rubbing alcohol. My daughter was acompetitve swimmer and we wrote race information (event numbers, heat, lane assignment) on herarm and also swim art (sharks, stingrays, funny phrases) with permanent marker. Rubbing alcoholtook it all off instantly and it does the same for tougher surfaces than skin!

Yep, it's nasty stuff. The MSDS is linked in the intro, along with some notes on where (and wherenot) to use it. Like all things, quantity and common sense need to play a role in application

In my experience, the permanent marker removal works, with the caveat of what kind of finish is onyour walls (discussed in the step). Gloss or semi-gloss paint there's hope, eggshell or matte finishand you're repainting.

For Dry Erase white boards: Just rub a Dry Erase marker back and forth across the permanentmarking and the solvent will usually remove it. (If permanent marking is left too long it will make anindelible stain.)

This a weird use (but sadly, one that I had to use). It removes Vaseline from a dog's coat. My doggot a hold of and ate an entire jar of Vaseline (given the number of articles, apparently a relativelycommon occurrence). He pooped Vaseline for a few days and then petroleum jelly madeEVERYTHING stick to his long coat. I washed him numerous times - nada. Internets to the rescue:sprayed the affected area (his butt, not his face) with WD-40, then washed and VOILA! Vaselinegone. Just a random use to add to the list... :-)


Man, I hope I NEVER have a reason to try this with my dog - (Thing learned today: Keep Vaselineaway from dogs!)

Want to get that grease off your hands?Use a liquid soap, mixed with some sand from your yard.The grit in the sand along with the soap will cut through the grease, then just rinse with water.Very cheap and easy, without any residue.

I use dishwasher soap and coffeegrounds.

Coarse sea salt instead of sand -- washes away with the soap.

Pray spark plug after wash the car engine

Don't use it to strip old silicone grout from showers, tubs, and the like! There are a lot of youtubevideos recommending this and I made the mistake of trying it. It does remove old silicone groutpretty well, but it leaves behind a petroleum based residue. Sure, you can use some high gradesolvents to get rid of it, but you're not doing yourself a favor. A month later, my newly laid siliconegrout was peeling back up. Not worth it, don't do this :)

The best way I have found to remove a permanent marker from a white board, is to "color" over themark with a dry erasable marker. The solvent in the dry erasable marker seems to lift thepermanent mark and make it erasable.

That is a teachers trick. If you by accident use a permanent marker on a whiteboard just write overit with at whiteboardmarker. They are usually right at hand.


Spray a little onto your cars roof bars and registration plates. Bugs in the summer months wont endup stuck to them and the ones that are, are a lot easier to get off.

Hardened polyurethane foam or adhesive is impossible to get off your hands, once cured - itseems nothing that doesn't dissolve your skin first is able to dissolve it. Thoroughly greasing yourhands, leaving them to stay so for a while (I grease my hands thoroughly with spent cooking oil,then put on a pair of rubber gloves, for up to half an hour), then gently rubbing with a rough clothpeels off most of the polyurethane without taking too much of the skin with it. I wonder if WD-40,with its penetrating solvent and fat residue, might work for cleaning polyurethane off your hands.(I've gotten good at not getting polyurethane on my hands, though, so chances for me to try this outsoon are small.)

Although I have not tried it, I have been told WD-40 is effective at removing spray paint (graffiti)from a car if applied within a few hours.

WD-40 is basically kerosene, detergents, and a little light oil. It’s designed as a penetrant andwater displaced, and it works well for that. But it’s a terrible lubricant, and certainly not somethingyou want to apply to your skin. The MSDS warns against prolonged contact, which leads toirritation, de-fatting, and dematitis.

Soap will remove grease from your hands more effectively than WD-40. Never use it as a bicyclechain lubricant, as it will wash out the grease inside the links, leaving nothing to reduce friction andwear. It is a good product for cleaning rust off cast iron, although I use a mix of motor oil andodorless mineral spirits (stoddard solvent) which is gentler to your skin and much cheaper.

A better product for coating snow shovels and protecting metal left outdoors is Boeshield, whichleaves a very tough coating of wax. It’s also an excellent product for bicycle chains, as it leaves acoating that doesn’t attract dirt and grit.

So, you think WD-40 is bad for your skin but mineral spirits is OK? What would you think the term"prolonged exposure" means?


Thanks for sharing. Bike chain is a typical misconception. I'm glad it's been put out there for others.Do you have any recommendations for removing rust off of bike chains before lubricating them?Thanks again!

Vinegar does great at removing rust from small tools so I believe it would also work well on a bikechain. Just place the chain in shallow dish or pan or a deep narrow container (I cut the top off a tallwater bottle like Smart Water) & cover the item with vinegar. Let it sit for an hour or two orovernight then just rinse with water & wipe any remaining rust off. A second soaking may beappropriate on heavy rust.

I am a sinner!

Ethyl alcohol (Everclear) works on most "permanent" markers, and leaves no residue.

For cleaning hands, almost any brand of baby wipes work better than anything else I've tried, willeven remove silicone grease. Much less hazardous than WD40.

For lubrication that doesn't attract grime (in fact sheds it) I use Boeshield T-9. Best chain and toollubricant I've ever used.

If a bike chain is seriously rusty, replacing it is the only safe option.

It's also effective at killing wasp. I keep some handy when working outside. I've opened upelectrical boxes and found nests crawling with wasp. A quick spray is all it takes.

I would NEVER apply WD40 to skin or anything I touch such as records!

The chemical company is protected from lawsuits by putting warning labels on the product. If theconsumer fails to read the label and something goes wrong, it is the consumer who loses. READTHE WARNING LABEL!


Documents

Unusual Uses for WD-40 - Knitting Paradisestatic.knittingparadise.com/upload/2017/9/26/... · Unusual Uses for WD-40 ... explore actual unusual uses. ... WD-40 is not a lubricant,