Extraordinary uses for WD‑40 you need to know for home repairs

A popular scheme for dealing with various problems circulates online: When something should be stationary but is moving, use duct tape. Conversely, when something should move but is stationary, use WD-40. What else can you use this versatile spray for?

WD-40 is one of the most popular products for essential home repairs. Although its formula was developed over 70 years ago, it is still widely used worldwide. This is mainly due to its versatility, which you can discover by reading the following list of unusual WD-40 applications.

The list of various uses for WD-40 is really long. Here are a few examples:

• Covering a shovel with WD-40 prevents dirt from sticking to it during digging. This is particularly practical when digging in clay.
• When ceramic tiles, such as those in the bathroom, get stained with mascara or nail polish, WD-40 can help remove the stains. The spray is also helpful for cleaning grout—wash it afterwards with soap and water.
• WD-40 is effective in removing stains from stainless steel sinks.
• Chewing gum stuck to carpets or hair can be easily removed after spraying them with WD-40.
• If you have leather products, WD-40 can help soften them.
• WD-40 can also be useful for separating stuck Lego bricks. Just remember to wash them thoroughly afterwards!
• Children's creativity knows no bounds, but crayon marks on furniture, windows, or TV screens are more accessible to remove with WD-40. You should test it first to ensure it doesn’t cause discolouration.
• WD-40 helps remove rust, allowing you to save that last sip of cola for a rainy day. It can also remove tar.
• With WD-40, peeling off various labels and stickers, such as those from new glasses, is more accessible.

At first glance, WD-40 might seem like a product for everything. Nothing could be further from the truth. Here are a few examples where using this product is not the best solution.

• WD-40 is not suitable for lubricating door hinges. Although they will initially operate silently, the product will soon begin to attract dust and dirt, leaving dark streaks.
• WD-40 is not an optimal lubricant for bicycle chains. Although it is great at cleaning, it attracts dust as a lubricant; bicycle lubricants with Teflon are better.
• Using WD-40 in paintball markers can damage the seals. Generally, this product is not suitable for applications involving rubber.
• Using WD-40 to unblock and improve the function of locks is risky. In the short term, it might work, but over time, it can lead to a blocked mechanism. Graphite lubricants would be better.
• Overall, WD-40 is not an ideal lubricant, although users often use it as such.