9 Ingenious Things My Grandpa Did With WD-40

My mother’s father was a very clever man whose life in 1947 was saved by a “new fangled” drug called penicillin.

He could fix just about anything, and one of his favorite tools of the trade was a can of WD-40.

There really is no need to buy another expensive cleaner or lubricant; just let old WD-40 do the job for you.

Below is a list of some of my grandpa’s favorite ways to use this old-time lubricant.

1. Remove chewing gum

WD-40 will remove gum that is stuck to your shoes, the carpet and even your hair. OK, fair warning: Your hair is not going to smell too great, but at least you won’t have to cut it off! Simply spray the gum, wait a minute, and it should peel right off. Be careful with clothing or plastics, though, as they might change color.

2. Waterproof shoes and boots

This is probably my granddad’s favorite. The moment he got a pair of shoes, he sprayed them with WD-40. This won’t work with plastic or synthetic shoes, but works great with canvas or leather shoes and boots. Spray liberally and let them dry for a few hours. Repeat every winter or spring.

3. Fishing lure

This one actually comes to us courtesy of my father. My dad loved fishing, and he swore that spraying a lure with a bit of WD-40 would attract fish faster than live bait.

Now, I’m not sure that this is a wise practice, as it might put a dab of that oil in the river or lake, but if you let it dry … who knows. Still, in case you are desperate for a fish dinner and they aren’t biting, give WD-40 a try.

4. Stop wasps from making nests

Apparently, wasps don’t like the smell of WD-40. Either that or the oil makes it difficult for them to cling to the surface. If you have a recurring problem with wasps making nests in certain areas of your yard, try spraying the surface with WD-40.

5. Remove glue and gunk from your hands

WD-40 is pretty terrific at removing stuff, like tree sap, off your hands. Spray your hands (or have someone else spray your hands) with WD-40, wait for one minute, and then use a rag or paper towel to wipe the gunk away.

6. Clean more stuff than you can count

A little WD-40 will remove scratches from tile, crayon marks from walls or floors, and make cleaning your BBQ a breeze! You can forget about those expensive toilet bowl cleaners; spray the bowl with WD-40, wait a minute, and then scrub away those lime deposits and dirt.

7. Insect repellent

Bugs don’t like the smell of WD-40. If you don’t mind it, then give your arms and legs a light spray to keep bugs at bay. You also can spray areas outside to keep bugs from ruining your picnic or play area.

8. No more fog

If you hate foggy bathroom mirrors, all you need is a bit of WD-40. Clean the mirror, and then spray just a touch on a clean cloth. Rub the mirror with the damp cloth and it will be crystal clear after your next shower.

9. Stops rust

To keep your metal tools from rusting, just give them a spray (on both sides) of WD-40. This light oil not only coats the metal to prevent oxidation, but it also will make things like dirt and mud slide right off.

There are 100s of uses for WD-40. Where do you use it?