What Is WD-40?
You might be curious what WD-40 actually is. We were, too! The name stands for water displacement 40. Forty being the number of tries it took to get the formula exactly right. We know that WD-40 is a special blend of lubricants that contains anti-corrosion agents and ingredients for penetration, water displacement, and soil removal. Most commonly, it’s used for loosening up corroded, rusted, or conjoined items. While a few sources say they know the components of the chemical formula, the company behind WD-40 actually won’t share the exact secret sauce of everything that’s in it and claims that anyone who says they know it, actually hasn’t cracked the code.
Removing Gum From a Shoe
The only thing nastier than stepping on a chewed up piece of gum is trying to remove it. While you could try to scrape it with gloved fingers or melt it under hot water, WD-40 makes the job painless.
Materials
WD-40Dull butter knifePaper towels
Erasing Permanent Marker Off of a White Board
Mistakes happen! While permanent marker sounds like it’s…well, permanent, don’t fret—WD-40 will get it right off. You’ll be shocked at how easy it is to remove the evidence of the incident.
Materials
WD-40Paper towels
Untangling Knotted Jewelry
While WD-40 won’t magically untangle your jewelry for you, it turns a task that could take hours into one that takes 10 minutes. Here’s how to do it. Cover a countertop with newspaper to protect your surface from the solution. Then spray a generous amount of the WD-40 directly onto your jewelry. Massage the WD-40 onto the chains and knots and let it sit for a few seconds. Then begin untangling. You’ll notice that knots will start undoing themselves and chains will easily slip in and out of each other. Before you know it, you’ll have your jewelry back in a wearable state. Just be sure to give your pieces a thorough wash with hot soapy water to get the lubricant off.
Unsticking Jammed Cups
Don’t risk shattered glass and a trip to the ER. Your trusty bottle of WD-40 can unstick those cups you’ve been avoiding in the back of your cupboard. Start by covering your surface with newspaper. Next, take your WD-40 and place the long straw attachment in the crevice where the two cups are conjoined and spray. Gently start twisting them back and forth. If they’re not budging, spritz a few more sprays and repeat the twisting. In a matter of seconds, the glasses should come apart. Be sure to clean thoroughly with soap and hot water to remove the lubricant
