# Let's talk about WD-40 **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 6, 2007, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985 "2007-12-06T01:56:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lightingtool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/57b2e6/32.png) [@lightingtool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lightingtool)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/21 "2007-12-06T16:37:55Z")
My Dad used to spray it on his salt water fishing lures. He called it his secret weapon and said the smell attracted the fish. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/22 "2007-12-06T17:00:01Z")
It’s good for getting stickers (price tags, etc.) off non-porous surfaces (glass, ceramics, enameled metal, etc.). ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/23 "2007-12-06T17:37:46Z")
[QUOTE=Jimson Jim] And curtains as I recall… [/QUOTE] I have no idea what could possibly be talking about. Besides…that was Pledge, not WD-40. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/24 "2007-12-06T17:39:02Z")
[QUOTE=lightingtool] My Dad used to spray it on his salt water fishing lures. He called it his secret weapon and said the smell attracted the fish. [/QUOTE] Works like magic for halibut. The best household use, though, is to remove bumper stickers, tape and other adhesed items from surfaces. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/25 "2007-12-06T17:43:44Z")
[QUOTE=lightingtool] My Dad used to spray it on his salt water fishing lures. He called it his secret weapon and said the smell attracted the fish. [/QUOTE] Almost. What WD-40 does is mask other smells that the lures may have picked up that fish find objectionable (such as the acid on human skin). As the base of WD-40 is kerosene one may rather use one of the miriad of organic fish attractants marketed for the same purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Ro\_Carter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7feea3/32.png) [@Ro\_Carter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ro_Carter)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/26 "2007-12-06T17:50:12Z")
WD-40 has gotten my undying gratitude after shutting up a series of squeaking doors that WOULD NOT GO AWAY. At that point, my other option was taking an axe to them. Sprayed on some WD-40, worked like greased magic. No more squeak, ever. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/27 "2007-12-06T18:02:28Z")
I apply directly to forehead. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/28 "2007-12-06T18:07:56Z")
Did it quiet the voices, **Trunk**? ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/29 "2007-12-06T18:16:13Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] Did it quiet the voices, **Trunk**? [/QUOTE] Nah, just made them less squeeky. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/30 "2007-12-06T18:16:28Z")
I always heard the rule, if it moves and it shouldn’t use duct tape. If it doesn’t move and it should, use WD-40. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/31 "2007-12-06T18:20:13Z")
Sam Goldwasser who maintains the [Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ](http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_Repair.html) hates the stuff. Do a search there on WD-40 to see some typical comments on it. Don’t even use it on door hinges. It will dry up and cause worse problems in the long run. Use a _good_ lube. I don’t even own the stuff. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/32 "2007-12-06T18:31:31Z")
I haven’t used it for anything other than to fix creaky things, that is until I found break-free. Never looked back. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/33 "2007-12-06T18:31:46Z")
[QUOTE=ftg] Sam Goldwasser who maintains the [Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ](http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_Repair.html) hates the stuff. Do a search there on WD-40 to see some typical comments on it. Don’t even use it on door hinges. It will dry up and cause worse problems in the long run. Use a _good_ lube. I don’t even own the stuff. [/QUOTE] Those problems are caused by people who misuse the stuff. Penetrating oils should be used to penetrate, not as a general lubrication. I recently used some penetrating oil to free up the axle in an old bicycle hub. There really was no substitute for it there. Now, after it was freed, I lubricated it with non-detergent 30 weight. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/34 "2007-12-06T18:38:12Z")
[QUOTE=SylverOne] My grandmother swore it helped with the arthritis in her knees. Don’t ask… I don’t know. [/QUOTE] Nobody, including that Cecil column explains how this would be used. What do you do? Take a teaspoon of it? Rub it on the skin? Cut a hole in your skin and stick the nozzle through? Doesn’t even make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/35 "2007-12-06T18:44:08Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] Nobody, including that Cecil column explains how this would be used. What do you do? Take a teaspoon of it? Rub it on the skin? Cut a hole in your skin and stick the nozzle through? Doesn’t even make sense. [/QUOTE] It rubs the WD-40 on it’s skin or else it gets the hose again. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/36 "2007-12-06T19:25:43Z")
I have gigantic hairy scampering house spiders all over, who love to hide in the cracks and gaps in the walls of my basement, rushing out to dance on my hands whenever I’m moving a box or looking for a misplaced something. WD-40, with it’s long red squirty straw, works great at making their hideyholes undesirable. I don’t think it kills them, but any hole or crack I’ve used it on is now spider-free. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/37 "2007-12-06T19:26:58Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] Nobody, including that Cecil column explains how this would be used. What do you do? Take a teaspoon of it? Rub it on the skin? Cut a hole in your skin and stick the nozzle through? Doesn’t even make sense. [/QUOTE] My dad uses Crisco instead. He just rubs it on. Either that or they lie about why there’s a great big thing of Crisco on the nightstand. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/38 "2007-12-06T19:46:14Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] Either that or they lie about why there’s a great big thing of Crisco on the nightstand. [/QUOTE] They use it on the doorknob, to keep the kids out. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/39 "2007-12-06T19:49:40Z")
WD-40 was used as an example in the one and only marketing class I took, because it defies the conventional wisdom that diversifying your product line is necessary to succeed. It can do that because it not only has great brand recognition, but also an almost unmatched adoption rate. That is, a huge percentage of household actually own a can of it. By the way, it’s a San Diego company! ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985/40 "2007-12-06T20:32:38Z")
I used to use it quite a bit, until I started taking clock-making classes and learned about different lubricants and their effects. Now I only use it to free rusty-stuck stuff, and the aforementioned snow shovel trick. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-wd-40/428985.md?page=3)