WD-40: The Most Amazing Product in American History?

What Can't WD-40 Do?

Chances are you've got a can of WD-40 somewhere on hand. Perhaps in your garage, maybe under your sink, possibly even in your bedroom nightstand. WD-40 got its peculiar name because it was developed as a water displacement formula. After 39 attempts, its inventors finally got it right. Hence WaterDisplacement-40. The intended use of WD-40 was simply to prevent moisture on the electronic parts of airplanes and missiles, as well as to prevent corrosion. Although you may think you were the first person to ever think of using WD-40 for an alternative use, you probably aren't: the engineers at Rocket Chemical Company quickly began finding new uses for their unique product almost soon as it had been invented.

In fact, there are many uses for WD-40 that you would never think of even if you lived long enough to see the legacy of George W. Bush undergo enough revision to put his mug on Mt. Rushmore. (What I'm trying to say is that you would have to live an eternity plus one day.)

WD-40 and removal of objects and substances.
Okay, you've been married ten years now and your finger isn't quite as thin as it was on your wedding day. Happens to everyone. But that does you no good now that you absolutely need to get that ring off. One of the great benefits of WD-40 is that you can use it to not only remove things from your finger, but your finger from things. (Insert your own joke here.) A longstanding use of WD-40 has been to get tight rings off fat fingers. But did you know it also comes in handy when, for some reason we won't get into, you get your toe stuck in the bathtub faucet? Or how about getting your finger stuck in a soda bottle? (That probably doesn't happen as often at it used to, and believe when I say that thirty years or so ago it used to happen a lot!) Anything that you can stick a digit into and get stuck, the use of WD-40 can help get it out.