Flightplan

What do you think a bus driver in Asia, faced with the problem of a very large Python coiled around the running gear of his bus, might have in common with a janitor in Bristol, England trying to deter "druggies" from snorting cocaine in the lavatories. Believe it or not, the common denominator is the distinctive yellow and blue can shown on the right!

Quoted from an article in a London newspaper:  "Avon and Somerset Police are encouraging pub landlords to use WD-40 spray to coat toilet lids to prevent customers using them to snort cocaine from. When the drug comes into contact with a light coating of WD-40, it congeals, making it impossible to sniff."

The "WD-40 Company" claims that there are more than 2,000 "official" uses for WD-40. They even have a web site where you can download the uses so you can have them handy. They further claim new uses are being examined every week!  These "official" uses include removing a snake from a bus, buffing the tires of a wheelbarrow, and preventing trees from being nibbled by beavers. Police have even used it to remove a burglar who was stuck inside an air conditioning duct!   Now, I suppose, we can add "the war on drugs" and "toilet seat polish" as one of the latest applications.

I "Googled" WD-40 and the rest of this article is what I can piece together after reading through many "hits":

Apparently, in 1953, the "Convair Company", needing to protect the outer skin of the Atlas Missle from rust and corrosion upon re-entry, commissioned the "Rocket Chemical Company", located in San Diego, California and owned by a Mr. Norman Larson, to research and produce a product to accomplish that purpose. The "WD" stands for "Water Displacement". I can only assume that Mr. Larson determined that if he could keep water from condensing and collecting on the missle's surface during re-entry into our atmosphere, he would have accomplished the goal, therefore he worked on a "water displacement" formula. I uncovered the fact that he took 40 attempts to get the formula right -- hence the name, "WD-40".

Today, we all know what WD-40 is; in fact I suspect every one of us has used WD-40 and probably even have a can or two around the house right now! WD-40 is widely sold in many different type of stores for many different household uses. As a matter of fact, I "borrowed" the advertisement shown on the left to show a few of the different products that are currently being marketed under the "WD-40" brand name.

WD-40 first became commercially available on store shelves in San Diego in 1958, and the story leading up to that is also interesting:

As I have already said, WD-40 was first used by Convair to protect the outer skin of the Atlas missile from rust and corrosion. It was produced, I assume, by the "Rocket Chemical Company" and sold to Convair in bulk. From what I read "on-line" the workers at the "Rocket Chemical Company" were so impressed with the chemical, (and the fact that it did not harm their bare skin) they began taking small quantities of it out of the plant to use at home.

The Company, recognizing the uses made of it by their employees, decided it may be "marketable" to the average consumer and put it into aerosol cans.   The rest, as they say, is history.

From what I understand, the exact formulation of WD-40 is a carefully guarded secret known only to four people, (does this sound like "Kentucky Fried Chicken"?) and presently about 3 million gallons of the chemical is manufactured each year.  By the way -- WD-40 gets it's distinctive odor from a "perfume" that is added to the compound and not from the compound itself!

Below are 25 of the 2000+ uses listed on their website for WD-40:

• Protect silver from tarnishing.
• Clean and lubricate guitar strings.
• Give the floor that "just waxed" sheen without making it slippery.
• Keeps flies off cows.
• Restores and cleans chalkboards.
• Removes lipstick stains.
• Loosens stubborn zippers.
• Untangles jewelry chains.
• Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
• Removes dirt/grime from the barbecue grill.
• Keeps ceramic/terra cotta pots from oxidizing.
• Removes tomato stains from clothing.
• Keeps shower doors free of water spots.
• Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
• Keeps scissors working smoothly.
• Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
• Gives a children’s play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
• Lubricates gear shift and mower-deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers.
• Rids kids’ rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
• Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and make them easier to open.
• Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
• Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
• Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
• Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
• Removes Pythons wrapped around your drive shaft!

I'm sure you may have other uses than these. An amazing product!