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Magic WD40
 

Magic WD40

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I went postal this weekend with a can of WD40; locks, hinges, venetian blinds etc and today everything is like new. Really does fix everything. Except potholes, of course.


 
Posted : 02/03/2026 4:02 pm
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Cool starry bra.

WD-40 isn't a lubricant.  It'll all be ****ed again in a fortnight.


 
Posted : 02/03/2026 10:57 pm
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^This.

The clue is in the name, Water Displacement.

3 in 1 would do a better job.

 


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 10:41 am
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True, yes 3:1 ordered.


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 10:48 am
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It is very good for getting oil out of carpets. Particularly new, light coloured carpets...


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 10:55 am
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Posted by: Caher

True, yes 3:1 ordered.

But you are about to add 3:1 oil to a surface covered in WD40 that helps displace liquids...

 


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 10:58 am
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But you are about to add 3:1 oil to a surface covered in WD40 that helps displace liquids...

Not to worry 

It is very good for getting oil out of carpets. Particularly new, light coloured carpets...


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 11:03 am
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 rone
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I only recently discovered WD stands for water displacer. Why would I never think of that?


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 11:06 am
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Because I'm an idiot, I always thought it was War Department 🤔

What's the GT in GT85 all about, then?


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 11:16 am
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Apparently the name is from the 40th version of the mixture that did the trick...WD-40 - apparently it was largely fish oil and could be used to cook with, I suspect the recipe has changed since it was first made, but it was the 40th version of the recipe that did the required job of Water Displacement.

A very boring story that I've managed to make even more boring!


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 11:22 am
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Posted by: thelawman

What's the GT in GT85 all about, then?

The T is probably Teflon, I'd guess?

When your 3-in-1 arrives, don't be sticking that in locks either.  Powdered graphite is what you need there.


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 11:23 am
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PTFE Spray is great for making curtain tracks and poles nice and slidey less sticky than 3-in-1 and lasts a lot longer than WD-40. 


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 11:23 am
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Posted by: avdave2

But you are about to add 3:1 oil to a surface covered in WD40 that helps displace liquids...

Not to worry 

It is very good for getting oil out of carpets. Particularly new, light coloured carpets...

 

🤣

 


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 11:25 am
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Posted by: DickBarton

Apparently the name is from the 40th version of the mixture that did the trick...

Is that actually true?  It sounds apocryphal but I don't know.  I always assumed the -40 part was just marketing.


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 11:27 am
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Posted by: WorldClassAccident

PTFE Spray is great

I also have graphite lubricant that works wonders on some similar things.


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 11:33 am
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Anything is a dildo if you're brave enough?


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 12:06 pm
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Posted by: WorldClassAccident

PTFE Spray is great for making curtain tracks and poles nice and slidey less sticky than 3-in-1 and lasts a lot longer than WD-40. 

Rubbing them with a candle works a treat and doesn't cover your home in forever-chemicals. Lasts for ages as well

 


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 12:31 pm
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Posted by: Cougar

Anything is a dildo if you're brave enough?

Even curtain poles?

 


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 12:32 pm
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Graphite powder for locks

 

 
Posted : 03/03/2026 1:15 pm
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What's the GT in GT85 all about, then?

Google AI reports Grand Tour, not teflon, as it no longer contains PTFE (Teflon) as of early 2024.


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 1:33 pm
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Posted by: WildCamper

Rubbing them with a candle works a treat

I tried that but the candle set fire to the curtains. 


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 2:19 pm
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Posted by: WildCamper

doesn't cover your home in forever-chemicals. Lasts for ages as well

 

Erm....

 


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 2:39 pm
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What's the GT in GT85 all about, then?

Gin & Tonic

Took 85 attempts to go the the gin to tonic ratio just right


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 2:58 pm
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What the actual **** is a "forever chemical"?  Has the Earth taken on a slightly eccentric orbit due to Antoine Lavoisier spinning in his grave?


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 4:07 pm
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Posted by: Cougar

What the actual **** is a "forever chemical"?

Some chemicals are vegan chemicals, and they turn into potatoes once you've finished with them.


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 4:12 pm
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^ this is true.

 

I fixed the sliding switch on our extractor hood with WD. I guess it was full of grease, but the WD did it's melty-magic and brought it back to connectivity/life.


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 4:41 pm
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Water is a forever chemical.

It's a nonsense phrase.

 


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 4:51 pm
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The forever is refering to the fact that there is nothing natural that metabolises the PTFE and other similar chemicals. And they are not reactive in any way, so that the chemicals don't interact with the fried egg proteins, burning kerosene etc.. Because they don't get broken down by bacteria etc they stay in the ground forever, and seep into ground water etc. Lots of stuff out there about how people living close to air bases where they regularly practiced emergencies with fire-retardent foam are now having lots of diseases due to contamination of  drinking water etc


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 5:16 pm
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Friend made a WD40 'bomb' once in an old quarry, covered can in alcohol hand sanitiser, lit it, retreated to safe distance then shoot with air rifle - kerboom 😎 


 
Posted : 03/03/2026 6:30 pm