WD-40 is a lubricant. a water displacement, and soil removing spray that comes in a can. Of course, you probably know this already unless you live under a rock. Most people use it to stop hinges from creaking and squealing. Others use it to loosen bolts. But here are 40 other ways WD-40 can come in handy.
It Can Unstick Your Scissors
Scissors get sticky with glue and other forms of gunk, especially when you’re using them to work on arts and crafts. But if you have some WD-40, spray the blades and then open and close the scissors a few times. Then wipe off any excess lubricant with a cotton cloth. This also keeps the hinge from getting rusty.
It Gets Rid of Water Stains
Soap scum can leave water spots on your shower door. So, try spraying the door with some WD-40 and allow it to sit there for a couple of minutes. Then loosen the debris using a scratch-free scrubber. If necessary, repeat the process and then wipe the door off with a clean cloth.
It Removes Paint Rub From Other Cars
Have you ever returned to your parked car and found that another car left their paint rub when they scraped on by? While WD-40 can’t fix dents, it can definitely remove paint rub stains. Just spray the area, give it a few seconds, and then wipe it off with a clean rag.
Remove Crayon From Anything
Kids can be a blessing, until you give them a box of crayons. Then they’ll color all over your furniture, your clothing, and your walls. But all you have to do is spray some WD-40 on the crayoned areas and then wipe with a rag and voila! Your walls and other items will look squeaky clean.
Remove Lipstick From Clothes
Lipstick tends to transfer easily, especially on clothes. To remove the lipstick stain, spray some WD-40 on it and then use a white cotton cloth to blot it out. If the stain is too deep, then use a toothbrush before running warm water on the opposite end of the fabric.
Loosen a Rusty Lock
When a closed lock is exposed to the elements, it’s going to rust. But fortunately, all you need is some WD-40, which does an excellent job. Just squirt some of it on the rusty areas, wait a moment, and then twist and turn the key to unlock the lock.
Clean Your Golf Clubs
You’ve had a nice time playing golf. Now it’s time to clean your clubs with some WD-40. Rub some on the iron to remove any liquid on it. This will keep them from getting rusty. It will also remove dirt that could cause your clubs to stain.
Prevent Silver From Tarnishing
If you want to keep your silver in good condition to pass along to your children, then try this nifty little hack. Just spray WD-40 on a rag and wipe down your silver. This will prevent it from tarnishing and provide it with some shine.
Remove Carpet Stains
If you or someone you know has stained your carpet, then spray the area with WD-40. Let it sit there for about two minutes. Then use a sponge with warm, soapy water to gently clean the stain out. You can also use a regular carpet cleaner after you’ve applied the WD-40.
Unclog Your Shower Heads
When the water holes in your shower head get clogged by hard water or limescale deposits, you wind up with a shower spray that’s uneven. But WD-40 can get rid of those clogs. All you have to do is spray some WD-40 directly on the shower head, let it sit for a bit, and then wipe.
Remove Stubborn Stickers
Have you ever faced the nightmare of peeling a sticker off your car’s bumper or a price tag off a product you purchased? With some WD-40, you can do away with the sticker, leftover paper, and glue. Just spray it and rub it into the sticker with a cloth, and it will peel right off.
Repel Slugs and Snails
If you love gardening, then slugs and snails aren’t your plants’ best friend. In fact, they can eat away at the leaves and ruin your garden. So, try spraying WD-40 on your outdoor pots and planters. This will make the surface so slippery, that the bugs won’t be able to get to the plants.
Keep Wooden Tools From Splintering
If you want to keep the wooden handles on your tools from splintering, then rub a good amount of WD-40 into the wood. The formula will keep the wood safe from corrosive elements like moisture and leave it smooth and splinter-free.
Keep Your Phone Clean
If you’re tired of your phone’s screen getting all greasy with the oily residue from your fingers, then try this. Spray a light layer of WD-40 on it every now and then. It will keep your screen cleaner longer. But the keyword here is light. Otherwise, the phone will slip from your hands and crash on the floor.
Get Rid of Phone Screen Scratches
Phone screen scratches are unavoidable, but you can keep your screen looking new for a little while longer. Just spray WD-40 on the screen and rub it in with a soft cloth. This will get rid of the scratches like magic.
Remove Rusts From License Plates
If your license plate is starting to look like something that’s been sitting in a junkyard for 50 years, then try this. Spray some WD-40 on the plate and then wipe it using a rag. Your plates will look as new as the day you got them.
Avoid Snow Buildup on Windows
If you live in an area where it snows in the winter, then you’re familiar with snow buildup on windows. To prevent this from happening on your home or car windows, spray some WD-40 on the outside of your windows before the snowstorm starts. That way, the snow won’t stick to the glass.
Remove Hair From a Brush
You can spend hours yanking on all those tangled strands of hair on your brush or you can go for an easier solution. Spray the entire brush with WD-40, and then swipe a comb through it. The hair and dust accumulated on the bristles will come off like magic.
Get Rid of Toilet Bowl Gunk
You can try using antiseptic cleaning sprays to clean your toilet like an amateur. But if you really want to get all that lime buildup and gunk out of there, then spray the toilet bowl with WD-40 and use a toilet brush to wipe it down.
Stop Records From Skipping
Those of you with a collection of vinyl records know that they scratch easily, and scratches causes the music to skip. If that happens, grab a cloth, spray some WD-40 on it, and apply it to the record. This will ensure that the needle runs over the vinyl smoothly.
Prevent Wasps From Building Nests
Yellow jackets and other types of wasps tend to build nests under eaves. This can ruin a nice relaxing afternoon out in the backyard in the spring and summer. To prevent this, spray WD-40 under all the eaves of your home. This will stop the wasps from building their nests.
Unstick Lego Creations
Legos are a lot easier to stick than they are to unstick. Just ask any parent who tried helping their kids pry the pieces apart but failed. Next time, spray WD-40 between the pieces using the straw that comes with the spray can. The piece will pull apart easily.
Get Rid of Tea Stains
Tea stains tend to settle on flat surfaces. Before you know it, your kitchen starts to look like aliens have created crop circles on your countertop. The next time that happens, just spray WD-40 on it. Then grab a sponge and wipe the tea stains away.
Remove Tar Stains
Tar, bugs, sap, dust, mud, and bird poop are just some of the things your car will get covered in at some point. But add some WD-40 on the affected area, and let it sit there for 10 minutes. Then wipe it off using a microfiber cloth and repeat until your car looks brand new again.
Keep Spiders Out
If you have a fear of spiders or you simply don’t like those creepy crawlers, spray some WD-40 on your door frames and windowsills. This will keep spiders as well as other types of bugs away thanks to the product’s lubricating properties.
Remove Mildew
The gaskets on refrigerator doors grow mold and mildew because of the moisture inside the fridge and the warm air outside. So, start by wiping away any excess dirt with a regular cleaner. Then spray the WD-40 on the stain and let it sit there for a couple of minutes. Then, wipe it off with a soft cloth.
Make Shoveling Easier
If you’ve ever broken your back trying to dig in the dirt only to find that the soil gets stuck on the shovel, try spraying it with WD-40. By applying it on the blade of the shovel or the spade, you’ll find that the dirt will roll off easier.
Remove Strong Glue
Did you accidentally spill some glue on a table or other surface? Are your fingers stuck together with super glue? Then try spraying some WD-40 on it and rub the surface, or your fingers together, until the glue dissolves.
Waterproof Footwear
Next time it’s snowing or raining really bad, coat the tops and sides of your shoes or boots with some WD-40 before you leave the house. The spray creates a barrier that prevents moisture from seeping into your footwear and making your socks wet.
Remove Gum From Hair
Getting a piece of gum stuck to your hair can be a nightmare. Just ask anyone in school who had someone stick it in their head. But don’t worry. By spraying some WD-40 on it, you can pull the gum out of your hair easily.
Stop Grass From Jamming a Lawn Mower
To prevent grass from sticking to the blades, which forces you to remove the chunks of grass by hand, try this. Spray the underside of the lawn mower with WD-40 before and after you use it. This will keep the grass from getting stuck at the bottom and jamming everything.
Remove Virtually Everything From Titles
If you’ve spilled mascara, nail polish, or paint on your tile floors, don’t fret. Spray some WD-40 on the affected area and then use water with soap to clean it off. You can also use this technique to get rid of grime from grout lines.
Stop Hinges From Squeaking
If you’re tired of hearing your doors squeak, especially in the middle of the night, then spray some WD-40 on the hinges. Then swing the door back and forth so the formula will get into the crevices of the hinges. And just like that, those annoying squeaks will be a thing of the past.
De-Wax Your Skis
If you own a pair of skis, then you probably used wax to keep them smooth while you hit the slopes. Unfortunately, water alone won’t get rid of the wax once you’re done. But if you spray some WD-40, the wax will slide off quick and easy.
Get Your Zipper Unstuck
If you find that your purse or backpack zipper is stuck, spray some WD-40 on it. Then try shimmying the zipper up and down so that the formula will distribute evenly and lubricate the entire zipper. Is WD-40 the ultimate life-saving elixir or what?
Keep Squirrels From Bird Feeders
The next time you fill up your bird feeder with food, spray some WD-40 on top of the feeder. This will cause the squirrels to slip off, and you’ll never have to worry about them eating the food that you put there for the birds to eat.
Remove Blood Stains
If your children have scraped their knees after a bad fall, then you know how easily clothes can get stained with blood marks. Once you fix their boo-boos, apply some WD-40 lightly on the clothing with the blood stain. It will make it easier to remove the stain when you wash it.
Loosen a Stuck Ring Off
If you find that you can’t remove one of your rings from your finger, stop struggling. You’ll only hurt yourself. Instead, reach for the can of WD-40 and squirt some on your finger. This will help the stuck ring slide right off.
Catch Dust in Air Conditioning Units
When installing an air conditioning unit, apply some WD-40 spray on the filter. This will help the unit catch dust, which in turn improves the quality of air in your home. But those with central air conditioners don’t need this.
Clean Poop From Shoes
You took an evening stroll. It was dark. You didn’t see it, but you certainly felt it when your shoe sank into a pile of dog poo. Don’t worry. Just spray WD-40 on the sole of your shoe and clean the poop from the crevices using a toothbrush. Then rinse with cold water.
