Octane presents WD-40 on the Web. The slickest site on the web!
Based on the official, the one and only, "The WD-40® Book" by
Jim and Tim - the Duct Tape Guys
The same twisted gifted minds that brought you The Duct Tape Books.

WD-40® is the only other tool you need in your toolbox.
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!


You'll be amazed at this wacky collection of WD-40 uses as submitted from users around the world.
And, of course, Jim and Tim, the Duct Tape Guys, share a bunch of their own wacky uses.
The WD-40 Book is available now! Check your local stores, or order online through the The Duct Tape Pro Shop.


Did you lose your little red tube?
Radio Shack has “Spray Can Tubes” (catalog #64-4301) that work fine. A ten-pack costs about $1.19.
- Thanks to Mike Webb for the information

If you are trying to get WD-40 Product information, contact the WD-40 Company directly
(the page you are on is NOT their web site).
WD-40 Company, 1061 Cudhay Place, San Diego, CA 92110
Phone 619/275-1400
Click here for the WD-40 Company Web Site



What happens when duct tape and WD-40 --- two polar opposite products are placed within close proximity?
That’s just what we wondered. Check it out at our new Duct Tape/WD-40 CAM:
Check out Duct Tape/WD-40 Cam

Index to this site:
The History of WD-40
A Confession from Jim and Tim
Excerpts from The WD-40 Book
Appendix (tons of real WD-40 uses as provided by WD-40 users)
The Octane Bookstore (where to buy the book online)
Duct Tape/WD-40 Cam
WD-40 Stops Cocaine Use?
Submit your real and wacky uses of WD-40 - and read hints from others. Click Here.

Hey, Media dudes: Click here for complete interview briefing.




America, 1953. The sound barrier has just been broken, the aerospace industry is booming. In San Diego, California, tiny Rocket Chemical-a fledgling company with a staff of three-sets out to create a rust-preventive solvent that can displace water.
After forty attempts to develop this water-displacing solvent, the work of founder Norm Larson and his compatriots at Rocket Chemical pays off. WD-40®-Water Displacer perfected on the fortieth try-is born. Yet it won't be until 1958, a full five years after its birth, that WD-40 will be packaged in the familiar blue-and-yellow spray can America knows and loves today. The rest, as they say, is history.

Well, at least that's what WD-40 Company will tell you.

Let's backtrack: America, 1953. America likes Ike and his Commie-bashing running mate, Dick Nixon; on a disturbing note, Oppenheimer unleashes the power of the hydrogen bomb; on an even more disturbing note "comedienne" Roseanne's parents unleash Roseanne; and finally, "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" entertain us and provide us with a role model for life in the car free fifties, made even more carefree for us Americans as the miracle of duct tape-developed during World War II-quietly sweeps across a restless nation as an integral part of its postwar housing boom.

Yes, duct tape. America had television, was about to get rock-n-roll, and enjoyed the peace that comes with the ability to destroy any industrialized nation that dared challenge it. It needed something to make things stuck that needed to be stuck, and duct tape was that thing. But what about when things were stuck that shouldn't be stuck? What then? What could they use?

Flash forward: 1957. The scene: a kitchen in a simple house in San Diego. A frustrated housewife-lacking sufficient household products due to financial concerns as her husband's company, Rocket Chemical, struggles to sell its water-displacer outside the aerospace industry-tries in vain to keep house efficiently. No cleaning products, floor waxes, or furniture polish at hand; nothing to quiet squeaks or loosen stubborn bolts as she works on the family Edsel. She spies a jar of her husband's product on the countertop, puts a little on an old rag, and uses it to polish the blond oak furniture in the living room. Coffee stains disappear and the wood glows, but when she sets the over-sized ashtray back down on the unlevel coffee table, the ceramic, glass-bead-encrusted ash receptacle slides right off, and a thought occurs to her: This stuff makes things like new-and slippery, too. I wonder what else it's good for?

"If this stuff came in a spray can," Mrs. Larson tells her husband later that day, "I'd buy it by the case."

And so he put it in a spray can-a blue-and-yellow spray can to match his wife's kitchen-and soon realized he'd created a companion product to America's favorite adhesive, a handy spray lubricant that-like duct tape- has a myriad of uses beyond what it was intended for.

God bless us, everyone.
Click here to get back to index.


A Confession (of sorts) from Jim and Tim, the duct tape guys.
Here we are in California with Miss WD-40.

"One reason that we came to the realization that we needed WD-40 in our lives was the fact that there was no Miss Duct Tape to hang around with."

"Ya, she's fine! But actually, we used to brag that duct tape was the only tool you needed in your toolbox. Until our toolbox rusted shut and we couldn't get to our duct tape."

"Ya, then this guy told us about WD-40 and how it unsticks rusted parts. So we tried it, and sure enough it worked!"

"Now we say, WD-40® is the other only tool you need in your toolbox.
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!"

Click here to get back to index.


Excerpts from "The WD-40 Book" by Jim and Tim, the Duct Tape Guys

"Our bestselling Duct Tape Books have provided folks around the world with valuable tips for using what we have called, "The Ultimate Power Tool" - Duct Tape. But since we have become familiar with the equally-powerful WD-40, we would be remiss if we didn't share the plethora of uses that others and ourselves have come up with for this marvelous spray lubricant."

"Right, Tim, and we'd be sluffing off if we didn't tell people about all of the uses we came up with for WD-40, too."

"Right, Jim. So here are a few of the uses that you will find in our book when you buy it (We came up with the ones in typed in red). But first, this important WARNING as so eloquently penned by our editor, Tony, and the legal department at WD-40 Company."

The uses of WD-40 spray lubricant described in these excerpts from this humor book do not constitute recommendations or suggestions for use of WD-40 spray lubricant by either WD-40 Company, Bad Dog Press, or the authors. Consumers should always and only follow the instructions and take heed of any warnings printed on the WD-40 spray lubricant packaging.

"Boy, you can't be much clearer than that, can you Jim? ...Jim?"

"I'm in the bathroom!"

"Without further ado, here are some excerpts from our book."


Removes super strong glue from fingers and other unwanted surfaces.
Removes unwanted fingers from cookie jars, purses, wallets, and your personal stash of duct tape and WD-40.

Car owners with leaky oil pans: Spray on concrete driveways to remove unsightly oil spots.
Homeowners with annoying neighbors: Spray on neighbors' property to avoid the build-up of unsightly junk cars.

Removes dried-on wax from chrome bumpers.

Avoid embarrassment: Use WD-40 to remove election stickers immediately after you find our your candidate lost the election.

WD-40 was used to free a boy whose arm was stuck up to his shoulder in a sewer.
Does your kid keep getting his head stuck in iron gate railings? Don't send him out to play without a preventive squirt behind each ear.

Spray on box-spring mattresses to remove squeak and avoid embarrassing looks from the downstairs neighbors.
Spray on mice to remove squeak and avoid elephant stampedes.

Kills thistle plants.

Spray on entire lawn. At first, your mowing time will be cut in half. Eventually, you'll kill all the grass and will never have to mow again.

Guitarists' best friend: Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.

Road managers' best friend: Cleans up overlubricated guitar players.

Removes cat paw marks from furniture and the hood of your car.
Spray on your furniture and car to keep cats from walking on your stuff in the first place.

Prevents squirrels from climbing the bird-feeder pole.
Prevents your dog from climbing on visitors' legs.

Lubricates playground equipment-swings, teeter-totters, slides, etc.
Spray down your kids' backsides so they don't stick to those hot metal playground slides. Turns "Yikes!" into "Wheeee!"

Keeps grandfather clocks lubricated and running smooth.

Keeps grandfathers lubricated and running smooth.
"Um, Tim, I'm pretty sure it's that stuff Grandpa keeps sippin' from that Mason jar that keeps him lubricated."
"Oh."

Housekeepers: Spray on floor for that just-waxed sheen.
Bodybuilders: Spray on body for that just pumped-up sheen.

Removes rust from (and prevents rust from forming on) a variety of surfaces.

Removes teenage daughter's face from, and prevents her face from becoming adhered to, the telephone.

Spray on wooden outhouse toilet seat to prevent the wood from drying out, cracking, and causing painful splinters.
Spray on toilet seat to prevent hemorrhoids caused by prolonged sitting (it's hard to read the newspaper when you're sliding off the seat).

Shoppers: Stuck with a wobbly, sticky-wheeled shopping cart? Spray wheels with WD-40 to reduce wobbling and friction-less friction means faster shopping!
Shutterbugs: Stuck with slow 200-speed film after running out of 400- speed film? Spray the 200-speed film with WD-40--less friction means faster film!

Unfreeze frozen car door locks, or put an end to frozen car door locks with a preventive squirt when it gets real cold.

Put an end to your idiot cousin Edwin freezing his tongue to metal poles by spraying on a preventative coat of WD-40.

Click here to get back to index.


"Jim, we better not show them any more uses, or it will wreck their fun when they buy the book for themselves and as a gift for their friends and loved-ones."

"Good idea, Tim. But we could show them our appendix."

"Jim means the book's appendix. Unlike the human appendix, you can't just get rid of this portion of the book when you have a little side ache. WD-40 Company has received so many testimonial letters over the years, we couldn't fit them all in, so we added as many as we could fit below." (Note: Many of the uses that appear in the appendix have not been tested by the WD-40 Company, so use them at your own risk.)


Cleans sticky surfaces.
Removes dirt and grime in kitchen and bathroom.
Removes stickers/adhesives from glass.
Removes triple-track screens that are stuck.
Lubricates dirty or stuck locks and latches.
Lubricates and removes dirt and grime on sliding glass door tracks.
Removes dirt and grease from window screens.
Makes window shades roll easier.
Lubricates eyeglass hinges.
Works as a white glove finishing touch on plastic parts.
Removes dust from artificial flowers.
Removes starch residue from cold iron (make sure you unplug it first, of course).
Covers scratches on glass surfaces.
Cleans vacuum cleaner dials.
Acts as a wood polish.
Removes scratches from furniture.
Removes fingerprints from surfaces.
Waterproofs chimney for easier cleaning.
Lubricates vertical blinds.
Waxes floors.
Keeps ironing boards from sticking when folded.
Removes floodwater marks on paneling.
Cleans hearing aid.
Cleans plastic eyeglass lenses; removes smoked or scratched appearance.
Untangles jewelry chains.
Keeps wheelchair folding smoothly.
Cleans TV remote and VCR parts.
Lubricates wooden push-toys.
Fixes gummed-up watch.
Frees up barometric controls.
Protects and cleans antiques from rust and dust.
Fixes overwound watches.
Takes squeaks out of recliner with coasters.
Removes dirt and grime from sewing machines.
Cleans and lubricates vacuum motor.
Cleans filters in heating and air-conditioning units; makes filters more efficient and helps absorb odors.
Shields glass from paint.
Keeps sculptures clean and shiny.
Removes calcium deposits in dehumidifier.
Maintains electric shaver.
Loosens tight Lego blocks.
Removes tar from shoes.
Removes Easter-egg dye from linoleum.
Removes built-up mineral deposits from freezer grid.
Removes splattered grease on Formica walls.
Loosens lug nuts and stubborn wheels on cars.
Cleans silver plate and tray.
Quiets noisy garbage disposal.
Lubricates mixer when the beater-release won't release.
Lubricates blade agitator assemblies in food blenders.
Removes unwanted paint on refrigerator.
Cleans stove.
Cleans sink.
Lubricates coffee grinder/frozen parts.


We interupt this appendix to bring you this paid advertisement from the Spray-Co-Matic folks.


This handy multi-can sprayer unit fits on the grill of your car or truck and dispenses WD-40 into the air in front of your vehicle, resulting in:

Less air friction - higher gas mileage.
Fewer bugs on the grill and windshield.
No need to lube engine parts.
Keeps engine cables soft and supple.
Convertible drivers: No need for hairspray to keep your hair in place.
Prevents damage as you easily slide off cars you hit while tailgating.
Also perfect for wintertime driving protection: Sprays down your entire undercarriage to prevent ice, road salt, and frozen sludge build-up.

The Spray-Co-Matic Car-Care WD-40 Deployment Device.
Ask for it by name at quality automotive parts dealers everywhere.


Now, back to the appendix...

Removes streaks from Formica.
Removes stains from stainless steel sink.
Cleans chrome fixtures in bathroom.
Removes hard-water deposits.
Removes soap scum from bathtub and shower.
Frees the tank ball on the toilet.
Takes the squeaks out of bath curtain that drags.
Frees bathroom taps that have seized up.
Loosens bolt on toilet seat.
Cleans nonstick areas in bath and shower.
Removes hardened wax from fiberglass tubs and showers.
Cleans tile in bath and shower.
Takes squeaks out of shoes.
Keeps shoes shiny.
Cleans head of cassette tape player.
Lubricates and releases static from stereo tuner knobs.
Unsticks keys and piano hammers.
Lubricates record player that does not track record.
Frees swollen storm windows after storm.
Helps thaw outdoor faucets during winter weather.
Lubricates louvered glass windows.
Lubricates crank on barbeque grill.
Prevents clothesline poles from rusting.
Removes corrosion from the pressure switch of a water well.
Removes stuck rings from fingers.
Removes stuck fingers from bottles.
Removes dirt and grime from barbeque grill.
Helps sharpen knives when sprayed on oil stone.
Cleans corroded coins.
Prevents concrete from sticking to inside of mixer.
Removes graffiti.
Cleans and polishes headstones.
Spray on paint sprayer before painting for easier clean-up.
Keeps dogs out of flower bed.
Protects saw blades from rust and makes cutting easier.
Removes dust and debris in drill holes when sprayed on drill bits.
Cleans nozzle on spray paint can.
Cleans varnish and beeswax off paint brush.
Frees stuck, frozen. and/or rusted bolts.
Lubricates screw-drive of garage door opener.
Keeps ceramic/terra-cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
Keeps dirt from sticking to bike or ATV (or bike and ATV driver).
Keeps snow from sticking to snowblowers.
Lubricates ski boot buckles.
Lubricates contacts and prevents rust on Christmas lights.
Prevents snow build-up on windows.
Keeps dirt, mud, and clay from sticking to shovels.
Spray underside of lawn mower housing and blade to prevent sticking and clogging of grass clippings.
Lubricates pop-up lawn sprinklers.
Keeps wooden garden tool handles from splintering.
Protects metal garden tools from fertilizer and garden chemicals.
Renews typewriter, adding machine, and mechanical calculator ribbons and ink pads.
Unsticks keyboard keys on typewriters, adding machines, and computer terminals.
Cleans gold contact points on computers.
Rejuvenates old computer mouse.
Makes puck slide faster on air hockey table.
Keeps ski boots from squeaking.
Removes ski wax from clothing.
Removes road tar on car.
Removes grease and dirt on chrome.
Helps keep paint from fading on fiberglass.
Cleans whitewall tires.
Helps restore paint damaged by oxidation.
Frees stuck electronic antennas and windows on cars.
Gets air out of fuel lines when changing filters on diesel engines.
Keeps sharpening stone clean and oiled.
Cleans tin-plated parts on model trains.
Dries your car's wet ignition system.
Prevents rain seepage when sprayed on garage door sealer.
Climbers use on crampons to keep snow from sticking.
Keeps feathers on archery arrows water-resistant while increasing velocity and penetration.
Jet skis/water craft: Douse whole thing in WD-40 to displace water and protect components, especially after using in salt water.
Bicyclists use it to "blast spooge out of tight places." (Note: We have no idea what that means.)
And finally, police have successfully used WD-40 to help them unstick and apprehend a burglar who was trapped-NAKED-in an air vent. (Honest! We're pretty sure the thief was stuck on the air duct's duct tape, proving once again that together, duct tape and WD-40 are keeping society safe for all of us).

Click here to get back to index.

©1997-2000 Octane Creative - all material contained in "The WD-40 Book" ISBN 1-887317-15-5


MORE USES
Here are some other uses for WD-40 that aren't necessarily mentioned in our book, but kindly provided by WD-40 fans for posting on our web site. If you would like to add a hint - simply e-mail it to us and include your name and city/state so we can give you appropriate credit.

The wood paneled walls in my 40 year old house were faded and lifeless. I put wd40 on a wash cloth and rubbed it into the paneling. The paneling looks like new and our 40 year old house looks great again. Thanks WD-40! P.S. I worked at Convair in the 50's on the Atlas Program where WD40 was born. --- Henry R. Sterner, San Diego California,

WD40 clears up hoof root in goats. I had two goats with hoof rot. They were limping badly. I sprayed their infected hoof twice a day for three days. The limp is gone and there is no sign of hoof rot. - Ken Andrus, Cedar Hollow Farm, Burkesville, KY

I've been using WD-40 to shave my face for quite some time! I usually shave when I get out of the shower so the beard is soft. I spray some WD-40 into the palm of my hand and then apply it to my beard, then as usual I apply the shaving cream on top of that. If any of you gentlemen try this you'll find that you get a much more smoother, well lubricated/ moisturized face without cuts. A minor downside is that the stubble in the razor is a little harder to flush out and the sink gets a little 'greasy' but I just give the razor a blast of more WD-40 in order to rinse the stubble out. Just once try this method of shaving before you dismiss this as a crazy idea and you will probably keep a can of WD-40 on your shelf beside the shaving cream like I do!
It's probably needless to mention but common sense dictates that you keep the WD-40 away from the eyes, nose, mouth etc.! --- Michael M., Toronto, ON Canada

In a laundramat where I was maintaining various large capacity washers and dryers, we used WD-40 to clean and polish the stainless steel outer frames. Spilled water rolls off the top. Stainless steel cleaner/polisher is available but usually left streaks. Also it helps keep people from placing their kids on the tops of the washers because they slide. --- Jerry C., Oneida, NY

My husband spilled almost a whole bottle of powersteering fluid on his work shirt. I washed it but it didn't come out. Then I read on the net to spray wd-40 on it and rewash so I did and it did the trick! Took every ounce of powering steering fluid off his good work shirt! --- Clarissa - Tampa,Fl.

My daughter went to sleep with a super size ball of fluorescent green Silly Putty. When she woke up it was in her HAIR, on her jammies, on her sheets......everywhere. WD-40 saved the day! --- Jill Nystul

We use WD40 to assist in removeing burrs from our horses and cattles, manes an tails. --- John H., Ludington, Michigan

At the top of your list for uses of WD40 should be that it removes Ducttape glue...Talk about a compatible product ! --- Ken
Yup, we recommend this frequently (at the DuctTapeGuys.com site)

As a fisherman I allwas keep in my tackle box for lubing of fishing real and I always spray on my minnow or nightcrawler - it works better then any other fishing attractant I have found in the store. But I have the best luck using it for walleys. --- Chuck Nelson

As a contractor I found WD 40 to be great for cleaning aluminum screen/storm doors. It cleans the fingure prints off after installation and will also shine the door up when it has become dull from weather and exposure. --- Leah Bullard

Use WD-40 on the brisles of a push broom. This holds the dust down when sweeping concrete floors and also will put a shine on the floor without making it slippery. I use this in a warehouse enivorment. --- Keith Goodchild

I have an 8:30 a.m. Calculus II class. My seat sqeaks every time I move causing all the other students in class to wake up and give me dirty looks. So this morning I applied some WD-40 to the underside of the seat and then there was silence. Well, silent except for everyone's snoring. Just thought I would let you know what's going on here in Paducah, Kentucky. Oh, in case you don't know where that's at, its halfway between Possumtrot and Monkey's Eyebrow. --- Chris "Rowdy" Yates, Paducah, KY

I found that WD40 starts an idol Lawn Mower after winter storage. A couple of squirts into the carburetor of a stuborn mower ensures that it will start PRONTO. --- Gilbert J. Maroon, White Pine, TN

WD-40 is MUST HAVE... around the marine environment! On my sailboat I use it for every piece of gear exposed to the elements and all the machinery below. I found it fights engine corrosion the best when liberally sprayed onto an engine after a 20 minute warm-up. The metal having expanded seems to absorb the WD-40, this penetrating action acts as a barrier coat against rust and corrosion for months! --- David L. F., Atlanta, GA.

The foot stretchers ( basically a slanted board with a pair of shoes attached to it so the rower can pull him/herself, while sitting on a wheeled seat, back to the start of the stroke position) in our older boats are adjusted by T-nuts in an anodized aluminum track. Over the years the tracks get bunged up and dirty thus making the T-nuts hard to move. A few shots of WD-40 and things slide easily again for weeks. Same for the sliding seats, we couldn't row without it. --- Don Rumrill, Pres., Hiawatha Is. Boat Club

WD-40 removes unsightly "burned rubber" from the fenders of your car, and it won’t harm the paint. --- Dan Ruggiero NJ

The other day, a huge roach crawled out from under my refrigerator in my apartment. I searched frantically for a can of roach spray, but no-one had any. I looked over and saw my can of wd-40 and sprayed it on the cockroach. Not only did he die, but he died almost instantly. The bug stopped moving completely within a minute, unlike roach sprays which when applied take hours for the darn roach to stop squirming. I will use wd-40 from now on. Thanks. --- Rusty Mayer, Deland, FL

My dad fox hunts (its a Southern thang). So when he had to borrow a horse this past weekend, the only horse he could borrow had a curly tail. The guy that let my dad borrow the horse used an entire can of WD-40 to make the
tail straight (as is required in this sport).--- Patrick Dashiell, Spartanburg, South Carolina


WD-40 stops cocaine use

LONDON (Reuters) -
The makers of the handy spray lubricant WD-40 proudly list 2,000 uses for their product, from unsticking rusty screws or squeaky bicycle chains to polishing frying pans.

But police have found another -- keeping the public from snorting cocaine off toilet lids in bars.

Police in Bristol said on Wednesday they have been advising pub and nightclub owners to spray the colourless lubricant on toilet seats and other flat surfaces in the lavatory that customers often use to snort drugs.

Apparently, cocaine and spray lube don't mix.

"A chemical reaction takes place with the cocaine that causes it to congeal and become a mess so it's unusable," a police spokesman said. "It's one very small, very cheap way in which you can very seriously restrict the amount of drug use in your premises."

Constable Graham Pease, a liquor licensing officer, said he discovered the trick a few years ago while discussing with pub owners how to reduce drug use on their premises.

"We were discussing with licensees how we could keep cocaine from being snorted from surfaces," he told Reuters. "It came about that we wanted to spray something on surfaces that cocaine would stick to. And somebody mentioned WD-40."

The new use seems to have taken its makers by surprise.

"Its not meant to be ingested. It says so clearly on the can so we wouldn't advocate it for that purpose. But people will use it how they will," said a British spokeswoman for the San Diego, Calif-based WD-40.

At Bar Excellence in Bristol, deputy manager Julian Barraud said it was part of the drug fighting arsenal.

"It does work. It's one of the tricks that we've got to try and tackle the problem," he said.


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