Interesting facts about WD-40

[Atom Ant 0]

This might be old, but it is still a goodie. And no I have no links with WD-40 in any way, shape or form...

 

Before you read to the end, do you know what the main ingredient of WD-40 is?

 

I had a neighbour who had bought a new van. I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that some vandal had spray painted red all around the sides of this white van. I went over and told him the bad news. He was very upset and was trying to work out what to do, probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing was open.

 

Another neighbour came out and told him to get some WD-40 and clean it off. It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm the paint that was on the van. I'm impressed! WD-40 - how did someone work out it would do that?

 

'Water Displacement No.40' The product began from a search for 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 Convair Company bought it in bulk to protect

their atlas missile parts.

 

Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower screen. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as on glass. It's a miracle! Then try it on your cooker top .... Kazamm! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed.

Here are some other uses:

 

1. Protects silver from tarnishing.

2. Removes road tar and grime from cars.

3. Cleans and lubricates guitar 20 strings.

4. Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making them slippery.

5. Keeps flies off cows.

6. Restores and cleans blackboards.

7. Removes lipstick stains.

8. Loosens stubborn zips.

9. Untangles jewelry chains.

10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.

11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.

12. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.

13. Removes tomato stains from clothing.

14. Keeps glass shower screens free of water spots.

15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.

16. Keeps scissors working smoothly.

17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.

18. 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.

19. Dead insects will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!

20. Gives a children's playground gym slide a 20 shine for a super fast slide.

21. WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.

22. 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! The lipstick is gone!

23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.

24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.

25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.

26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.

27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.

28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.

29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.

30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.

31. Removes splattered grease on stove.

32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.

33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.

34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).

35. Removes all traces of duct tape.

36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.

37. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, 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 counties .

38. Use it for gnat bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.

 

And for some reason...........spray it on your arthritic knee joints etc and it will ease them.

 

P. S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL

[Guest]

Mate your house must smell like an engineering workshop. I can't stand the smell. Don't use it on electrical components as dust sticks to it and could end up with a short.

I use it to clean the bike motor. Spay it on and let it soak for a half hour then wash off with a spray of water.

Oh and it does not stop rust on tools such as sawblades.

[Atom Ant 0]

I don't have any! Just thought it was an interesting email

[wheels 543]

WD-40’s “Secret Sauce”

The company purposely have not patented the formulation so as to keep it secret. There are so many myths about WD-40, it's quite funny I think. One myth being Fish oil. No it does not contain fish oil. It also does not contain Stoddard Solvent.

 

The following is from the WD-40 people themselves.

Myth: WD-40 contains Stoddard Solvent.

Fact:

Over the past few decades, the name Stoddard Solvent was synonymous with all mineral spirits. Today, the mineral spirits found in products like ours are more refined and processed (see hydrogenation, hydrotreating and distillation techniques) providing mixtures with varying boiling points, cleaning ability, and chemical composition.

 

The catchall phrase “Stoddard Solvent” is no longer adequate to tell the proper story. WD-40 does indeed have 50% mineral spirits, but they are refined and purified for specific characteristics needed to meet today’s performance, regulatory, and safety requirements.

Health and Safety

 

Information derived from our Material Safety Data Sheet and referred to for the general use of our product can be misleading. MSDS information is for the workplace and not primarily intended for the general consumer. For the general consumer, the product label provides the key safety and usage information.

WD-40’s Original Founder

 

Myth: Ken East is WD-40’s original founder.

Fact:

While Ken East is often referred to as one of WD-40’s original founders, he used to say, “Heck, I ain’t that old.” Ken was the facility manager at WD-40 Company’s San Diego headquarters and was affectionately known as “The Brewmaster.” He mixed up batches of our secret sauce for over 15 years and was often heard to proudly proclaim, “I absolutely LOVE my job!” Ken happily retired in 2009.

 

As mentioned in our corporate and brand history, Norm Larsen, founder of Rocket Chemical Company, is considered the original founder of WD-40. Read the real story behind WD-40.

What a Fish story!

 

Myth: WD-40 contains fish oil.

Fact:

Consumers have told us over the years that they have caught some of the biggest fish ever after protecting their fish hooks and lures with WD-40. We believe this legend came from folks assuming that the product must contain fish oil since it appears to attract fish. Sorry Charlie®, it just ain’t so.

 

WD-40 Company has taken steps to respect and conserve the environment, and encourages its users to do the same. While WD-40 can be used to help protect fishing equipment from rust and corrosion, WD-40 Company does not recommend using WD-40 to attract fish.

“WD-40 Cures Arthritis!” No Way.

 

Myth: WD-40 cures arthritis.

Fact:

This popular headline, appearing at least once a year in the tabloids, is completely FALSE. WD-40 Company does not recommend the use of WD-40 for medical purposes, and knows no reason why WD-40 would be effective for arthritis pain relief. WD-40 contains petroleum distillates and should be handled with the same precautions for any product containing this type of material.

 

Fun Facts About WD-40

 

A bus driver in Asia used WD-40 to remove a python, which had coiled itself around the undercarriage of his bus.

Police officers used WD-40 to remove a naked burglar trapped in an air conditioning vent.

Crayola® Stain Removal Tips recommends using WD-40 to remove (regular) crayon marks from a variety of surfaces.

The WD-40 Book, featuring many user testimonials and the wacky humor of Jim & Tim, The Duct Tape GuysTM, was published in 1997. The familiar blue and yellow can has been featured in other books ranging from The Big Damn Book of Sheer Manliness (General Publishing 1997) and Polish Your Furniture With Pantyhose (Hyperion 1995) to WD-40 for the Soul: A Guide To Mending Everything

Leslie Nielsen portrayed agent Dick Steele (a.k.a., Agent WD-40) in the 1996 movie Spy Hard.

WD-40 has a Fan Club with more than 100,000 members. Join today and share your stories, get free, fun downloads, check out the eNewsletter, receive the eTip of the week, and much more...

WD-40 has its own social network, the Money-Saving Tool community, where members can submit stories, photos and videos about ways to save money.

As The Duct Tape Guys say, “You only need two tools in life, Duct Tape® and WD-40. If it’s not stuck and it’s supposed to be, Duct Tape it. If it’s stuck and it’s not supposed to be, WD-40 it.”

 

So, keep using your WD-40. You can find a list of over 2,000 uses from our loyal users here. If you find a new use, please let us know. And, if you really need the secret formula, you can find it…...written on a single notepad……locked in a vault…...somewhere in California……if you can get in.

[Guest]

Ever tried to bleed HP injector lines with a sad battery??? Spray WD40 into the intake while cranking with the connections tight and the engine will fire while the pressure builds in the HP pipes. Much kinder than ether.