# WD40 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 21, 2010, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234 "2010-05-21T10:30:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/21 "2010-05-21T15:25:57Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > I’ve heard that - that it’s really not a good lubricant because it’ll eventually get all gummy. Sadly, I’m in the practice of using it to clean and lubricate my sliding screen door, and it works pretty well. (I clean the bottom rail first using soap, water, a scrub brush, and a hella lot of paper towels, then spray on WD-40. I do this probably yearly.) > > Is there a better lubricant that I should use? One more suitable? I like Tri-Flow, but honestly, for something you don’t intend to lube on a periodic basis and that is likely to trap dust and dirt, you shouldn’t use a liquid lubricant at all. Use graphite or another dry lube like Dry Slide, or a least a non-hygroscopic viscous coating like beeswax, which is well-suited to loose tolerance sliding parts like doors and drawer slides. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/22 "2010-05-21T15:26:59Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > That’s why he told us to use Mom’s Aqua-Net. 😃 Aqua-Net: Best way to insure hot rounds in a potato gun. [QUOTE=Snickers] Is there a better lubricant that I should use? One more suitable? [/QUOTE] I use 3 in 1 Oil or in a spray [Tri-Flow](http://www.triflowlubricants.com/Tri-Flow_Lubricant.html) and have good success with them both. ETA: Take Stranger’s advice on the Dry Slide. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/23 "2010-05-21T15:31:56Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > One of the best uses for the stuff is as halibut bait. It’s not legal, but it sure works. All right, I’ll bite: how do you do that? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/24 "2010-05-21T15:56:22Z")
> [@Marmite\_Lover](#): > > ## Before you read to the end, does anybody know what the main ingredient of WD-40 is? > > P.S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL. Not even close. Mostly petroleum based hydrocarbons. There’s no fish oil in WD-40. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/25 "2010-05-21T16:38:01Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > Not even close. Mostly petroleum based hydrocarbons. There’s no fish oil in WD-40. Maybe it’s the fragrance? Seriously, even if it is that good for all sorts of uses I wouldn’t be able to stand the smell all over my house. I do like that the answer to the trivia question “What does the WD stand for?” has managed to stay in my brain for many years and it has come in handy a couple times. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/26 "2010-05-21T16:43:08Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > Not even close. Mostly petroleum based hydrocarbons. There’s no fish oil in WD-40. I think we’re misunderstanding the term “Fish Oil” here. It’s not oil squeezed from fish, it’s what you spray on fish to make them swim faster and quieter. Until, of course, they’re eaten by halibuts. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/27 "2010-05-21T16:51:32Z")
No one likes a squeaky fish. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/28 "2010-05-21T16:53:54Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > All right, I’ll bite: how do you do that? Spray it on whatever else you’re using as bait. Fishermen swear it works, but I’ve never tried it myself. Of course, fishermen drink a lot. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/29 "2010-05-21T16:56:12Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Spray it on whatever else you’re using as bait. Fishermen swear it works, but I’ve never tried it myself. Of course, fishermen drink a lot. And here I was wondering how hard it would be to get a big fishhook through the can without it blowing up in your face… ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/30 "2010-05-21T17:02:57Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > And here I was wondering how hard it would be to get a big fishhook through the can without it blowing up in your face… You may have been whoosed, … just for the halibut. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/31 "2010-05-21T18:05:01Z")
Oh jeez, now the thread’s going to flounder in bad puns. Say flounder to yurself a few times and tell me it’s not a fantastic word. Flounder. Flownnder… ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/32 "2010-05-21T18:35:53Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Spray it on whatever else you’re using as bait. Fishermen swear it works, but I’ve never tried it myself. Of course, fishermen drink a lot. HEY! I’m a fisherman and I ::hic:: ::hic:: ::burp:: What was I saying? ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/33 "2010-05-21T18:49:57Z")
We use a topical anesthetic called Cetacaine for oral procedures in the hospital that smells like banana flavored WD-40, just sayin’ [http://www.cetylite.com/cetacaine\_spray.html](http://www.cetylite.com/cetacaine_spray.html) ---
**Author:** ![moldybread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@moldybread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moldybread)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/34 "2010-05-21T19:01:22Z")
WD = water displacement? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/35 "2010-05-21T19:19:21Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > No one likes a squeaky fish. Nobody likes a fish who squeals. That’s why you can never get one to talk. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/36 "2010-05-21T19:23:45Z")
> [@moldybread](#): > > WD = water displacement? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/37 "2010-05-21T19:44:09Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > Not even close. Mostly petroleum based hydrocarbons. There’s no fish oil in WD-40. Didn’t feel like taking the time to read the thread before responding and see the other 4 posts that said this, including the _2nd post in the thread_, and the one that listed the ingredients? > [@moldybread](#): > > WD = water displacement? See the [official website](http://www.wd40.com/about-us/history/) for details, but WD-40 stands for “Water Displacement - 40th Attempt.” (Or, as silenus so succinctly stated, “yes”). ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/38 "2010-05-21T20:13:14Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Actually, it is a paraffin distillate (white spirits or mineral oil), though the exact composition is a trade secret. It was originally used to protect the bodies of Atlas missile (which had a bare, unpainted skin) during its brief operational deployment, although once the booster was decommissioned a more typical beeswax or cosmoline-type protectant was used in storage. NASA objected to the use of WD-40 on the Mercury-Atlas SLV and Atlas SLV-3 because of the potential for outgassing and inadvertent combustion, but ended up having to leave the coating on because of the highly corrosive atmosphere at the Cape. > > Stranger Thank you, **Stranger on a Train**. You too, **Gary “Invisible Wombat” Robson**. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/39 "2010-05-21T20:40:40Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > …smells like banana flavored WD-40 It comes in banana flavor? Yum! I think there actually is some industrial cleaner/solvent/lubricant that smells like bananas but I can’t remember what its called. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wd40/540234/40 "2010-05-21T20:42:05Z")
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