Household Hacks: WD-40

WD-40 is a staple of every household's garage, but rarely is it ever utilized to its fullest [...]

wd 40

WD-40 is a staple of every household's garage, but rarely is it ever utilized to its fullest potential. Although all the ingredients are kept under lock and key, we do know that WD-40 is a petroleum-based product that lubricates, cleans, protects and locks out moisture. It really seems as if there is nothing it can't do! Below are 22 household hacks (out of 2,000!) for WD-40 that you can incorporate into your everyday life.

Stop the squeak in anything: Got a squeaky door? How about kitchen cabinet? Bike? Just spray some WD-40 on those hinges for sweet, sweet silence. WD-40 will take the squeak out of just about anything. You can even try it on your squeaky windshield wipers!

Keep unwanted critters away: Your trash might look and smell like a Thanksgiving feast to the local raccoons, but for you it's just a mess. Spray the bottoms of your outdoor garbage cans with WD-40 to keep animals out of your trash. They won't be able to climb the cans! You can even spray bird feeder poles to keep pesky squirrels off.

Remove scuff marks: It doesn't matter how many times you tell your kids to take off their shoes in the house, scuff marks always seem to magically appear on your tile floor. WD-40 makes for a great quick fix if you don't have time to sweep and mop.

Prevent rust: WD-40 is perfect for rust prevention. Spray it on your shower curtain rod, shower head, tools, rakes, wind chimes, even lawn chairs! Who knows when they'll get stuck in the rain next.

Remove rust: Not only can WD-40 prevent rust, but it can also remove it! All you need is a can of WD-40 and a little elbow grease. The concoction will loosen the rust to the point where you can rub it away.

rusty tools
(Photo: Photo Credit: Finest Art America)

Remove crayon marks: Turning your back on your little ones for even two seconds can be disastrous when there are crayons involved. WD-40 is the magic remedy for all crayon masterpieces gone wrong: walls, wallpaper, flooring, carpet, furniture, etc. Your house may be home to little toddler tornadoes, but it doesn't have to look like it!

Lubricate sticky drawers: And it doesn't have to be sticky drawers — WD-40 can un-stick just about anything! Spray it on the wheels of your screen door, a sticky knob, lock, etc.

Clean and protect the underside of cast iron skillets: Cast iron skillets are great to cook with, but super tricky to get clean. An easy fix for the bottom of your cast iron skillet is to rub some WD-40 onto it. The water displacement will keep your skillet moist but won't ruin the iron.

Remove ink: It doesn't matter if we're talking jeans, carpet or leather, WD-40 will take the ink out of anything. Pretreat your clothing before putting it through the wash or blot it out with a clean rag.

Remove gum: You can even get gum out of hair with WD-40! Spray the hair around the gum and work the gum out with either your fingers or a comb, and it should come right out. The same goes for getting gum off a wall, floor, piece of furniture or even bedsheets!

Remove a stuck ring: Even the slimmest of fingers swell sometimes, making it difficult to remove your rings. By now, you should have your WD-40 within reach at all waking moments, so simply grab it and spray on your finger to remove the stuck jewelry. Don't forget to wash your hands and your ring afterward!

stuck ring
(Photo: Photo Credit: Style Bar)

Clean and protect washing machine lid: Your washing machine has been through a lot. Chances are, the lid might start to get a little rusty. Protect it with a little squirt of WD-40, or remove the rust the same way!

Remove labels or stickers: WD-40 can sometimes take the place of Goo Gone when it comes to decals, bumper stickers and labels. It won't take the paint off your car bumper and makes removing labels super easy.

Clean smoke stains: There's nothing more infuriating than moving into a new home with old smoke stains. They're incredibly tough to fully remove, but WD-40 can make it easier for you. Simply spray the smoke stains and wipe away.

Remove tape residue: We told you already that WD-40 can unstick anything, and that includes old tape residue. Spray, let it saturate for a minute, scrape and wipe away.

Winterize pipes: Coat your outside pipes with WD-40 during the winter to help prevent freezing damages or pipe bursts. This may not fully protect your pipes, but it sure can help.

Clean newspaper ink stains from table: Uh oh. Someone spilled during breakfast, effectively gluing the newspaper to the kitchen table and getting ink stains on the wood. Don't worry, because WD-40 can help! Spray some on the newspaper ink stains and it will come right off.

Remove paint from flooring: Did someone get a little paint on that one tiny bit of flooring that was uncovered during your last paint project? Try some WD-40 on that paint and watch it come right off. This little trick is especially helpful when it comes to nail polish!

paint spill
(Photo: Photo Credit: Seventh House on the Left)

Camouflage scratches into linoleum or ceramic tile: Nothing can fully remove large scratches from linoleum or ceramic tiles, but WD-40 can help camouflage them. You guessed it: spray and wipe.

Remove road debris from license plate: Just when you think you're finally finished giving your car a thorough cleaning, inside and out, you remember about the license plate that has somehow accumulated 100 percent of all existing road debris. Elbow grease and soap simply won't do the trick, so break out your handy dandy can of WD-40 and get to work. Watch the pesky dirt and debris come right off, successfully completing your car wash.

Winterize boots: Instead of buying an expensive can of shoe winterizer, spray your kids' snow boots with some WD-40 to keep out melted snow and slush during those cold winter months.

Loosen zippers: This might even help you fit into an old dress from college! Or, try it on the zipper on your stuffed suitcase that just won't budge. You won't even have to sit on it!

Want to learn about more alternative uses for other household items? Click here to read about dryer sheet hacks!

Feature Photo: Shutterstock
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