Used Cars Best Friend…WD-40?

Creaks, squeaks and ketchup stains. Three things you hope you’ll never have to deal with in or on your used car.

But if you do happen upon these, WD-40 is your savior. People love their WD-40. And its all due to the hard work and persistence of one man: Norm Larsen.

Norm’s intense perseverance would eventually become a metaphor for WD-40′s own legendary power. You see, Norm was just grinding away, as a chemist at Atlas Rockets; Trying to create a solution for a water displacement problem to protect rocket missiles.

Try and try he did. His first 39 solutions failed.

Then it happened. He achieved Water-Displacement on the 40th try. Little did he know those efforts would eventually become one of most recognizable household brands, with a name nobody really understood. [I wonder if it had taken him longer, would they have called it WD-173?]

The customer service department at WD-40 must be one quiet place. The only complaint in 50+ years? Losing that tiny red straw. You know you’ve lost at least a couple dozen in your life.

WD-40 fans will be happy to know that a solution is finally available. A permanent straw attached to a hinged mechanism. Here’s a sampling of ways to use WD-40 on your used car:

Removes decals from windows and bumper
Removes insects from front grill
Cleans motorcycle chains
Removes grease from clothing
Removes adhesive tape without damaging factory paint
Helps hone cylinder walls
Protects corrosion-sensitive areas of car
Prevents corrosion of spark plug cables
Shines motorcycle finish
Removes sludge from outside engine block
Removes asphalt from trucks
Cleans grime from engines
Cleans and protects chrome on cars
Helps remove brake dust from wheels
Restores shine on classic cars
Keeps hitch locks rust-free
Cleans road oil from rocker panels
Cleans and protects aluminum rims
Shines car tires

Need more WD-40 used car care tips? Here’s 2000 Uses For Wd-40.

Check out more great uses at the WD-40 Fan Club. Yes, there’s a fan club. And yes, I’m a member.

Take care of your used cars. And your rockets.

Have any other unique uses for WD-40 you can share?