# Is WD-40 Dangerous To Use?



## cabinetman (Jan 21, 2007)

When you read the "shower door" part, try it. It's the first thing that has cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It's a miracle!

Then try it on your stovetop… Viola! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed.

The product began from a search for a 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 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 is history. It is a carefully guarded recipe known only to four people. One of them is the "brew master." There are about 2.5 million gallons of the stuff manufactured each year. It gets its distinctive
smell from a fragrance that is added to the brew. Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.

Here are a few of the 1000s of uses: a.. ~Protects silver from tarnishing b.. ~Cleans and lubricates guitar strings c.. ~Gets oil spots off concrete driveways d.. ~Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery e.. ~Keeps flies off cows f.. ~Restores and cleans chalkboards g.. ~Removes lipstick stains h.. ~Loosens stubborn zippers i.. ~Untangles jewelry chains j.. ~Removes stains from stainless steel sinks k.. ~Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill l.. ~Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing m.. ~Removes tomato stains from clothing n.. ~Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots o.. ~Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors p.. ~Keeps scissors working smoothly q..~Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes r.. ~Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide s.. ~Lubricates gear shift and mower - deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers t.. ~Rids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises u.. ~Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open v.. ~Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close w.. ~Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards and vinyl bumpers x.. ~Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles ~Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans y.. ~Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons and bicycles for easy handling z.. ~Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly aa.. ~Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools ab.. ~Removes splattered grease on stove ac.. ~Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging ad.. ~Lubricates prosthetic limbs ae.. ~Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell) af.. ~Removes all traces of duct tape ag.. ~I have even heard of folks spraying it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.

ah..~Florida's favorite use was "cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers ai.. ~The favorite use in the state of New York-WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements. aj.. ~WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. 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 states. ak.. ~Keeps away chiggers on the kids al.. ~Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately, and stops the itch. am.. ~WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag. an.. ~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 re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!

ao..~If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start. (If I knew what a distributor cap was, it might help) ap.. ~WD-40, long known for its ability to remove leftover tape smudges (sticky label tape), is also a lovely perfume and air freshener! Sprayed liberally on every hinge in the house, it leaves that distinctive clean fresh scent for up to two days! aq.. ~Seriously though, 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. ar.. ~Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40! as.. at.. Now go and use your WD-40…..........on all the above.
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## Hawgnutz (Mar 29, 2007)

Thanks for soem more uses for WD-40, as well as the history lesson. I was told that the main ingredient is simply kerosene. I use it a LOT!
Thanks.
God Bless,
Hawg


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## cabinetman (Jan 21, 2007)

Thanks for the response. It seems not many Jocks or Jockettes use WD-40 or are familiar with it with the lack of response. Yes it has many uses, some you'd never think of. Like many of the available products that are shop orientated, there are definitely appropriate uses for a lot of different products. Some work better than others. For products like WD-40, the CRC products, liquid wrench, 3-In-One, graphite, MOS2 (molybdenum disulphide) all have their specific properties that may or may not be compatible with the application. Knowing the caustic, toxic, or incompatibility saves a lot of grief or maybe a project.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

directions came with our Scroll Saw - to clean the protected cast iron plate with WD 40 before waxing it.


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## Frank (Nov 19, 2006)

Hello Cabinetman;
--Ha!....I always have a can of this stuff (WD-40) close by. Use it all the time out in the woods with my chainsaws and saws, axes and pry bars. I use wooden wedges for splitting and felling trees so I keep those wedges saturated with it. Have even used it as for finishing wood projects as an undercoat and finish coat on wooden mallets that I make….and it really works great!!!

I buy it in the spray cans and also by the gallon which I then proceed to pour into plastic pump spray bottles. Use it on my crawler's, spraying all metal of these beasts and tracks and other machines. In my estimation this is a great product for and on metal, wood….!

Now that we've talke about *WD-40*, what about the other great one….*duck tape*?

GODSPEED,
Frank


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

A friend of mine, AND HIS WIFE, swear by WD-40 for easing the arthritis pain in their joints.
See ab above.


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## Wooder (Dec 9, 2006)

Hey that's why I buy it in the 3 can packs at Sam's Club. I use it for everything!


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## Caliper (Mar 12, 2007)

Funny thing I learned I could use it for (I may have missed it above). If you have any of the synthetic hiking pants (or anything synthetic that is a petroleum-based derivative) you can use it to clean tree sap off them. I thought I had ruined some rather pricey pants once but stumbled onto the suggestion of WD-40 in a web search. Worked like a charm and I still have the pants.


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