If you have a house or a garage, there is a good chance you have a can of WD-40 sitting around on a shelf. And you may only go looking for it when you need to lubricate something.
I’m about to open your eyes to several new ways you can put that can to use. And some of them are a bit shocking. Who would think of spraying this oily-looking stuff on their carpet or wallpaper?
Sit back and learn. And if you don’t already own a can of this stuff, I suggest adding some to you next shopping list.
1. Rusty bolts
If you have a bolt you can’t remove from a nut, there may be an answer. WD-40 will penetrate the rust.
2. Clean piano keys
If your piano keys are in need of cleaning, WD-40 is up to the job. Simply spray some onto a clean rag then use it on the keys.
3. Fix squeaky chairs
Do you love sitting in your wicker chairs but can’t stand the squeaking? Give them a light spray then wipe them down. The squeak will be gone.
4. Lubricates small rolling toys
Most little children have toys that roll around. And sometimes parts seize up making movement difficult. Lubrication does the trick.
5. Clean garden tools
Garden tools tend to scratch. Then they tend to rust. Either way, you can add years of life to them by properly cleaning them with WD-40.
6. Cleans patio door glide strip
After a while the glides at the bottom of patio doors fill up with dirt. This makes sliding difficult, if not impossible. Spray them down and watch how easy they open afterwards.
7. Removes crayon from clothes dryer
I guess if you’ve had crayon in the dryer your clothes are a mess too. Once you deal with them, you can use WD-40 to clean the dryer drum.
8. Removes scuff marks from ceramic tile floor
If you have light color ceramic floors, scuff marks are a nuisance. The best way to deal with them is WD-40.
9. Keeps metal wind chimes rust-free
Some wind chimes have the purest sounds. But once they rust, their music becomes dull. Keep them light new with WD-40.
10. Removes crayon from walls
Do you have children who think blank walls are their canvas? Once you’ve taught them different, you can remove the crayon with WD-40.
11. Removes water spots from mirrors
Mirrors in bathrooms are going to get water spots. There’s just no way around that. But WD-40 will help remove them.
12. Lubricates hinge on pruning shears
If you have a favorite pair of shears that you keep honed and sharp, what do you do when the hinge seizes up? You use WD-40.
13. Lubricates screws on lawn furniture
If you dismantle and store your lawn furniture for the winter, you want to keep the screws lubricated. Make sure to spray them every season, it will spare you a lot of grief.
14. Lubricates hydraulic rams on slideout of 5th wheel
If you haul a 5th wheel, you might know what they are talking about. I know what a 5th wheel is. I’ve even been in one. But the rams on the slideout? No idea. However, you can use WD-40 to lubricate them.
15. Cleans fiberglass bathtubs
It seems counterintuitive to do this, but you can spray WD-40 on a cloth and use that to wipe down the tub. It will remove soap scum and prevent mildew.
16. Cleans and prevents rust on oil tank exterior
Maybe you’re a farmer. Or someone else who would have a huge oil tank on your property. Regardless, WD-40 will keep it looking new. But you’ll need lots of it, I’d imagine!
17. Cleans and protects bed of wheelbarrows
Got a wheelbarrow that you use to haul earth, rocks, and whatnot around your property. Spray done the bed and it will last much longer.
18. Removes tea stains from countertops
You can either spray directly on the counter and leave for a few minutes, or spray onto a sponge or clothe then apply. Either way, your stains will disappear.
19. Removes crayon from wallpaper
Crayon strikes again. You would think that putting WD-40 on wallpaper would be a very bad idea. That it would just stain more. Still, it would be a good idea to test an out of the way spot first. Then apply with a cloth, rubbing gently.
20. Lubricates gate locks
Any kind of metal that sits outside all year is bound to rust if you don’t take care of it. Keep your gate locks operating like new by spraying them annually.
21. Removes crayon from carpet
Seriously. I’m thinking Crayons need to be removed from the home. But like the wallpaper, do a patch test. If there isn’t a problem, gently scrub away the Crayon.
22. Removes tape marks from the wall where posters hung
Did your kids go through a stage where they had posters plastered all over their bedroom walls? If the time has come to take them down, you can get rid of tape residue with WD-40.
23. Shines leaves of artificial houseplants
You probably want to dust them first! Once you’ve done that fun job, you can try to make your fake plant real by shining up the leaves.
24. Keeps snow from sticking to shovel
I do this and it’s amazing. And you really only need to do it a few times a season. Then when you go to throw the snow, it actually leaves the shovel.
25. Removes coffee stains on floor tiles
If you dropped your coffee on the floor one morning and didn’t take the time to clean it up before you ran out the door for work, it’s cool. You can deal with the mess and stain using WD-40.
26. Keeps hose ends from corroding
Hose ends are notorious for corroding. And that leads to lots of fun when you try to attach a nozzle. Just spray them every season, and all will be well.
27. Lubricates moving parts on playground equipment
Lots of my friends have purchased ridiculous background playgrounds for their kids, thanks to public playgrounds being off limit. At least they will get a long life out of them thanks to WD-40.
28. Removes decals from bathtubs
First of all, why on earth would there be decals on the tub anyway? For those of you who have an answer to that, you will be glad to know there is a way to remove them.
29. Removes crayon from shoes
Have the kiddies been drawing on mom and dad’s shoes? And you let them? Fortunately, you might be able to fix that without destroying them, but be sure to do a test spot first.
30. Cleans ashtrays
I don’t smoke, so I don’t really know ashtrays. I’m guessing just throwing out the butts and using some soap and water isn’t enough to clean them?
31. Cleans and protects underside of cast iron skillets
A good cast iron frying pan is a prized possession. And depending on your cooking surface you might want to clean the bottoms. WD-40 is your answer.
32. Removes ink from carpet
If you’ve ever had a pen explode, it can be a nightmare. Fortunately, if you get some on the carpet, it can be cleaned with WD-40.
33. Cleans lawnmower blades
Lawn mowers are expensive, even the manual ones. So keep them in good working order by keeping the blades fresh and new with WD-40.
34. Prevents mildew growth on fountain
Mildew is gross. If you have a fountain, big or small, indoor or outdoor—and I would do this especially on and indoor fountain—spray some WD-40 to keep it fresh.
35. Cleans candle soot
Black candle soot can turn a beautiful candle holder trashy looking. If you lightly rub down the interior with WD-40, you can avoid that problem.
36. Removes ink from blue jeans
First, stop putting pens in your jeans pockets. But if the deed is already done, you can remove the stain by rubbing it with a cloth of WD-40.
37. Cleans residue on luggage handles
I really want to know what kind of residue people have on their luggage handles. That just sounds gross. Anyway, it can be removed with WD-40.
38. Cleans old muffin tins
I wish I’d known this long ago, because I just buy new tins when the old ones get so terrible looking. Think of the money I could have saved!
39. Cleans gold-plated faucets
Are those faucets plated in real gold? If so, why isn’t the maid doing a better job of keeping them clean?
40. Removes petroleum stains from clothing
Frankly, if I spill gas on my clothes while filling the tank, I’m going home and putting them in the garbage. But if that’s not an option for you, WD-40 is your friend.
41. Keeps sewing needles from rusting
I’ve never had a sewing needle get rusty, but I guess it could happen. If so, rub them down and they will be as good as new.
42. Cleans vinyl garage doors
Hmm. I just use a power washer, but I guess if you have some really tough stains, WD-40 might make sense. Something to try in the future.
43. Removes tomato stains from clothes
There is a reason to wear the equivalent of a bib when you are eating spaghetti. Getting that sauce out of your clothes can be a nightmare. But not if you have some WD-40 on hand!
44. Keeps metal wire screens rust free
Mesh window screens are none to rust since they are exposed to the elements all year round. Spray them down once or twice a year, and you should be good.
45. Removes coffee stains from leather
I guess it’s possible not to notice you spilled coffee on the sofa. And it stayed there for so long it dried and stained. If so, test a spot with WD-40, and then see if it will remove the stain.
46. Removes adhesive price tag from shoe bottoms
I hate those stickers that are impossible to remove. Whether on the bottom of a shoe or anywhere. Now I—and you—know how to get rid of them. Just soak it with WD-40 and then peel those suckers off.
47. Protects silver from blackening
Sparking silver looks awesome. Blackened, tarnished silver, not so much. Just wipe it down with WD-40 and watch it return to its glory.
48. Shines shower doors
Having to keep glass shower doors clean is almost enough not to buy them in the first place. But wiping them down with a cloth of WD-40 makes the job easy.
49. Removes gum stuck to concrete
You probably don’t care about random gum on the sidewalk. But what if you have a beautiful concrete driveway with gum on it? WD-40 is your answer.
50. Cleans lime stains from toilet bowls
Anything that makes cleaning the toilet easier is a winner in my book. If you have hard water making your toilet bowl look gross, try some WD-40.
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