34 Brilliant WD-40 Hacks You Can Use Around the House (2023)

FAQs

What is the WD-40 trick that everyone should know? ›

Keep Dead Bugs Off Your Car Grille

Just spray some WD-40 on the grille and hood before going for a drive and most of the critters will slide right off. The few bugs left will be easy to wipe off later without damaging your car's finish.

When cleaning a toilet bowl, WD-40 works by softening the rust and lime deposits, so they can be easily wiped away. You don't need to use much of it. Simply spray on the affected area, wait a minute or two and brush it away with a regular toilet brush.

Defend Against Insects

A light coating of WD-40 on doorframes, screens, and window sills keeps bugs from crawling into your home. If they find another way in, a quick shot immediately kills most problematic insects.

It has lubricant-like properties that do not come from the substance itself, but rather from dissolving components. Have a fear of spiders? Just spray some WD-40 on places where spiders and other insects can get in, such as windowsills and door frames. It will keep the spiders and other bugs out.

WD-40 Does Not Help Arthritis

Due to the myth that WD-40 helps arthritis, the WD-40 company website includes the following statement regarding the myth (amongst other cool myths, legends and facts)… Fact: This popular headline, appearing at least once a year in the tabloids, is completely FALSE.

Exterminate roaches and repel insects

Keep a can of WD-40 handy, and when you see a roach, spray a small amount directly on it for an instant kill. To keep insects and spiders out of your home, spray WD-40 on windowsills and frames, screens, and door frames.

Yes, this product helps to clean corrosion from electrical contact points & connections, and can be used with sensitive electronic components. Thanks for choosing WD-40 Brand Products.

It's pretty simple — just like they do on food particles that are stuck to your dishes in the sink, the combination of hot water and dish soap help to dissolve and break up whatever it may be that is lodged in the toilet, causing a clog. This handy tip is great should you find yourself in a pinch.

Why should I put baking soda in my toilet? ›

Baking soda and vinegar, when mixed together, can form a chemical reaction that looks sort of like an eruption. This chemical reaction can help clear your toilet and any pipe clogs that you might have.

Try mixing a few drops of peppermint oil with some hot water and place it in a spray bottle. A good ratio is 5 to 10 drops of essential oil per ounce of water. Use the mixture to spray down countertops, furniture, curtains and blinds and hard-to-reach areas of the home where insects are often present.

Defend Against Insects

If they find another way in, a quick shot of WD-40 immediately kills most problematic insects. Many people even swear by the lubricant's ability to provide pain relief from bee stings and fire ant and mosquito bites, although those with sensitive skin should steer clear of this treatment.

Spray any areas where ants are feeding or accessing your house with WD-40. The spray will kill ants and serve as a deterrent from further access as long as residue from the spray remains.

WD-40 also helps keeps these pesky rodents at bay. I usually spray a little inside the bonnet in a few areas and have not had problems till date. Well WD40 says its safe to use on rubber.

There are many different types of plastic, but there are two kinds that you should avoid using WD-40 on—polycarbonate and clear polystyrene plastic. Polycarbonate is a transparent plastic that is commonly used in greenhouses, and polystyrene is typically used for styrofoam and soft drink lids among other items.

Peppermint oil: Mix 20 drops of peppermint essential oil (not peppermint extract) into a 32-ounce spray bottle filled with water. Spray the mixture in corners, near entrances and along the floorboards around the whole house.

Some have even tried spraying sore joints with WD-40 as they would to fix a squeaky, door hinge. But this folk remedy is not proven to work and may even be harmful. WD-40 contains petroleum distillates than can cause drying and irritation of the skin.

Use hot and cold therapy

Heat and cold treatments can help relieve arthritis pain and inflammation. Heat treatments can include taking a long, warm shower or bath in the morning to help ease stiffness and using an electric blanket or moist heating pad to reduce discomfort overnight.

What is the best ingredient for arthritis? ›

Peppermint oil, cedarwood oil, and cypress oil are essential oils that effectively keep cockroaches at bay. Additionally, these insects hate the smell of crushed bay leaves and steer clear of coffee grounds. If you want to try a natural way to kill them, combine powdered sugar and boric acid.

A spray bottle mixed with three parts fabric softener and two parts water can be an effective way of eliminating cockroaches. The chemicals within the fabric softener suffocate the roaches. This method only works if the cockroaches come into direct contact with the mixture.

Spectracide Bug Stop Home Barrier

This insecticide works quickly, killing cockroaches as soon as they come in contact with it, and it's also effective on other insects too, including ants, spiders, fleas, and silverfish. As the formula is water-based, there's no odor and it also won't stain your floors or patio.

WD-40 will expertly clean up the wood, and ensure extended protection of the furniture in the long run. Wipe away any residue WD-40 from the surface of the wood, and you're good to go.

Some of the most popular uses of WD-40 include cleaning tools, fixing squeaky hinges, lubricating sticky drawers or wheels, and rust prevention. But enthusiastic consumers have reported to the company well over 2,000 ways in which the product can be used. Here are a dozen of the more creative ones.

Using WD-40 to repel water from spark plugs, distributors, alternators, and batteries is a good way to prevent corrosion and keep moisture away. You can also use it to ease the removal of spark plugs, especially if there is any rust or corrosion.

Great for use on drones, 3D printers, robotics, printed circuit board flux and general electronic component maintenance. WD-40® Specialist® Electronics and Electrical Parts Cleaner will help you remove dirt, dust and oils from your sensitive electronics and connections.

Certain products can also help to prevent buildup of rust and corrosion on your battery terminals. WD-40_® Multi-Use Product is quite useful in this area, and you can use it not only on flashlight battery connection points but others such as you car battery as well.

UNCLOGGING TOILETS

Pour a cup of Dawn liquid dish detergent into the toilet bowl and let it sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour a bucket of hot water from waist height into the toilet bowl to clear it out.

How do you unclog a toilet without a plunger with poop? ›

Fill a bucket with hot water. Carefully pour the hot water into the toilet to dissolve the liquid, bar soap or baking soda. The soap or baking soda and vinegar combination should quickly begin to unclog the clogged toilet drain by helping the clogged object start sliding down the pipes.

Vinegar is a great toilet cleaning solution. Not only is it free of chemicals and naturally antibacterial, it's also an acid, so it will remove minor lime and calcium deposits. All you need to do is pour a couple cups of vinegar in your tank and let it sit for an hour or so, then scrub and flush to rinse.

You can use straight or a diluted vinegar cleaning solution for the bathroom to clean bacteria, especially around the toilet. Cleaning with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar in the bathroom can work really well. To clean your toilet with vinegar, pour a cup of vinegar in the toilet bowl and let sit overnight.

What a Professional Plumber Thinks of This Toilet-Cleaning Hack. According to Abrams, an ordinary bar of soap placed inside a mask, a net, or any other porous material should be a perfectly safe way to keep a toilet bowl clean when you flush it.

Hydrogen peroxide can also be used to clean your toilet bowl. Pour half a cup of hydrogen peroxide into the toilet bowl, let stand for 20 minutes, then scrub clean. Spray hydrogen peroxide onto mirrors or glass surfaces and wipe with a microfiber cloth or crumpled newspaper for a streak-free, mildew-free shine.

For extra-stubborn clogs, you can let the fizz mixture sit overnight or combine this method with plunging. If your toilet remains clogged or continues to get clogged, this may be an indication of plumbing problems such as mineral buildup or pressure issues.

Vinegar and baking soda: Add 1 or 2 cups of vinegar to the toilet bowl along with a few sprinkles of baking soda. Swish the solution around the bowl with your brush for a few minutes and then let it sit for about 15 minutes. Scrub the stains with your brush (or pumice stone).

Those most closely associated with repellency are citronella oil, eucalyptus oil, and catnip oil, but others include clove oil, patchouli, peppermint, and geranium.

Citronella Oil

Small bugs usually hate citrus, so citrus oil sprays are common in homemade repellents. Mix equal parts water with witch hazel (a half cup of each works well). Witch hazel is an alcohol-based astringent that is commonly used in DIY repellents.

A mixture of ½ cup rubbing alcohol and 1 quart of liquid soap can make an effective pest control spray to get rid of whiteflies, aphids, mealy bugs, scale insects, and thrips. Fill a spray bottle, shake, and spritz directly on your plants.

Why put WD-40 in the fridge? ›

WD-40 helps you remove mold, rust, and rancid odors from your refrigerator. It is important to unplug the appliance before cleaning it. Empty out the refrigerator so that you do not directly spray the product on any food items. It is important to clean your refrigerator not only from the inside but outside as well.

When cleaning a toilet bowl, WD-40 works by softening the rust and lime deposits, so they can be easily wiped away. You don't need to use much of it. Simply spray on the affected area, wait a minute or two and brush it away with a regular toilet brush.

The insect repellant and exterminator

Yes it is! If you spray a roach directly with WD-40, you can instantly kill it! Moreover, you can spray it on frames, windowsills, doors and screens to keep bugs out of the house.

Exterminate roaches and repel insects

Keep a can of WD-40 handy, and when you see a roach, spray a small amount directly on it for an instant kill. To keep insects and spiders out of your home, spray WD-40 on windowsills and frames, screens, and door frames.

Boiling water

Boiling water is an easy, effective way to kill ants immediately. If you see ants emerging from a crack in the concrete or a hole in the ground, pour boiling water into the area. This will kill many of the ants within it.

Yes, you heard that right! This may come as a shock to you but the WD-40 Multi Use Product can be used to remove gum from your hair. The liquid penetrates between the gum and your hair, making the hold of the gum loose. This makes it easier for you to take it out of your hair without using unnecessary force.

Top secret Formula

The formula for WD-40® Multi-Use Product is a trade secret so protected the company never even filed for a patent. In fact, only a single person knows every exact ingredient that goes into the famous formula.

Eye contact: May cause irritation, tearing and redness. Ingestion (Swallowed): May caused irritation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. First Aid Emergency Procedures Ingestion (Swallowed): Do not induce vomiting, seek medical attention. Eye Contact: Immediately flush eyes with large amounts of water for 15 minutes.

Skin Contact: May cause moderate skin irritation with short-term exposure with redness, itching and burning of the skin. Prolonged and/or repeated contact may produce defatting and possible dermatitis. May cause an allergic skin reaction (sensitization). Eye Contact: Contact may be irritating to eyes.

Myth: WD-40 Multi-Use Product is not really a lubricant. Fact: While the “W-D” in WD-40 stands for Water Displacement, WD-40 Multi-Use Product is a unique, special blend of lubricants. The product's formulation also contains anti-corrosion agents and ingredients for penetration, water displacement and soil removal.

What is the most famous trade secret in the world? ›

The world's most famous trade secret is probably the formula for Coca Cola. Famous or not, trade secrets and confidential information are the lifeblood of many companies, and virtually all companies have them.

The formula for making Coca‑Cola is a trade secret. We have protected the special taste of Coca‑Cola for more than 130 years. Only The Coca‑Cola Company knows how to make Coca‑Cola.

Some have even tried spraying sore joints with WD-40 as they would to fix a squeaky, door hinge. But this folk remedy is not proven to work and may even be harmful. WD-40 contains petroleum distillates than can cause drying and irritation of the skin.

Spray a generous layer of WD-40 over the headlights and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. While you wait, the specially engineered solution will expertly get under the buildup and muck, making your next step easier. Take a soft, clean loofah and scrub the headlights gently.

WD-40 can be inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin.

This rust-removal formula has no toxic fumes, does not use acids or caustic chemicals, is non-irritating to skin, and is safe to use on most metals. To remove light rust, leave parts in the solution for 1-3 hours. To remove heavy rust, leave parts in the rust removal solution overnight.

WD-40 was invented in San Diego in 1953 as a rust-prevention solvent for Atlas missile outer skins. A chemist at the Rocket Chemical Company created a compound that would prevent rust and corrosion on the Atlas.

It has a long-lasting formula to protect metal parts by blocking rust and corrosion for up to 1 year outdoors or 2 years indoors.